The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1917-04-16
ADEQUATE FOOD CROPS
ARE IMPERATIVE NEED
Secretary Houston Appeals to Coun-
try to Make Every Effort to Raise
Sufficient Feed Crops for Hour
Use and Needs OF Allies

Use and Needs OF Allies
Secretary Houston again has ap-
pealed to the country to make e7eIv
effort to raise ADEQUATE food crops
tbs year not only. for the United
States needs but to meet the re-
0ulrements OF the Entente. /
THE Importance TO the nation Of a
Generous food supply for the coming
| year cannot be over-emphasized in
view OF the economic problems wn,cl
may arise as a result Of the entrance
of the United States into the war"
sad the Secretary. every effort
should be made to produce more crops
than are needed for our own REQUIRE
ments. Many millions Of people
across the seas, as we'll as our own
people, must rely in large part upon
the products Of our fields and ranges
This situation will continue to exist
even though hostilities should end
unexpectedly soon, since European
| production cannot be restored i'm
medlately to its normal basis.
1T is obvious that the greatest and
most important service that is re-
CURED of our agriculture under ex-
lstlng conditions is an increased pro-
ductlon OF the staple food crops.
The most important step that may
pc taken to increase the production
OF these crops is to enlarge the acre
age devoted to them in the regions
where they are grown habitually. This
expansion Of acreage should be to the
limit permitted by available good
seed, labor and equipment.
Rice at present prices provides
more food value for the monev than
most of the other cereals.
Prices of the grain sourghums
during the past season appear to war
rant increase of acreage of these
grains in the regions where they can
succeed.
Corn is the leading food and feed
crop of the United States in geo.
graphic range of production. The
vital Importance Of a large acreage
Of this crop properly cared for, there
fore, is obvious. Conditions warran,
/. the planting of the largest acreage
Of this crop which it is possible te
handle effectively.
1.-The usefulness of COW peas anc
soy beans as human food has beer
recognized only recently in this coun
try. Existing conditions warrant tn,
! planting of all the available seed O.
varieties known to do we'll in tn
| several sections.
Il "a deficiency of hay and forage fo
| the next winter would jeopardize tn
| future meat and dairy supplies of tn
| country and result in a shortage O
i roughage for military draft and sad
/ die animals.
| "Seed potatoes should be conserv
| ed by planting on the best lands avail
| able for them and planning for thor
| ough tillage and protection of tn
crop against disease and insect pests
Potatoes can be grown most advan
tageously near the centers of popula
ton in the northern States wher
transportation costs may be reduce
to minimum. Such vegetable crop
as carrots, rutabaga, turnips, onion
and cabbage are worthy fmore al
tention than they generally receiv
| 'In the southen half of the countr
perhaps no crop has larger possibi
tiles for quick increase of productio
of food for both men and animals tina
the sweet potatoes. The peanut i
many sections of the South also caI
able Of greatly enlarged production
/ "Only about 20 per cent of the SUI
ply of sugar normally consumed
| the United States is produced dome:
tically, and this amount cannot /
increased appreciably during the con
| ing season.
- "Through increased attention
poultry on farms it is possible to ad
quickly and materially to the foe
supply. When conditions render
feasible small flocks of poultry shou
be kept by families in villages, tow
and especially in the suburbs of lars
cities.
CONSUMERS living in villages al
in the suburbs of cities do not Apr
ciate sufficiently the possibility
adding materially to their food su
ply by utilizing suitable idle soil
yards, vacant lots and unused outl
in gfields. Gardening is peculiar
an activity in which the family al
community may share with resulta
mutual helpfulness and benefit.
The duty Of the individual farm
at this time is to increase his produ
ton, particularly of food crops.
he has control Of tillable land not
use, or money lying idle, or labor u
employed-he should extend his o
erations so as to employ those I
sources to the fullest extent. TT
does not mean that he should rob /
- land,waste his copita1, or expend his
Dor fruitlessly, but that by wise pla
. ming and earnest effort he should tn
out greater quantity Of food Gro
- than ever before. He will not Il
by it, and he will perform an imp
tant service in supporting his COZ
try in the task that lies before it.
Negroes Will Fight for Their Coun