The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1917-04-21
o,+b rnust feed itself or &c

,orv These are the starting
hurd .rGs used by Hon. Carl Vrooman,
Wotus ,:stanf secretary Of the United
ctafes department Of agriculture IN
osAsd ~ otficial statement to the New Or
sas a. Association of Commerce. Mr..
vroomaY points out that the world $
food supply is seriously snort;that5 the
.ou+h has been drawing one pillloh
so sollars worth of foodstutfs from else
,.,hara each year; that the needs OF
w. W. army and the supplying OF food IN
isroe quantities to our European al
l;as La coupled with d possible conges-
.;nn of traffic during the period OF
sha war NAV make it impossible Tor
tbe south to import food from otner
sact;ons of the country; ana thae
sadical increase in the quantity OF
aasn notatoes, meat, beans, etc., pro-
I,,nad nv the south is absolutely es-
sontial to the south's own welfare.
1.-THE federal government expects
tbe south to respond IN full measure
~ the demands placed on her by
nsost serious situation" continues Mr..
Vrooman. The result Of the war IS
poing to be determined not by the
sru,;es in the field, but by the ques-
t;on of which nation can feed 1tseF
the longest. Immediate action is re-
oured. You can do without your
fiowers for this year. Plant garden
stuff in YOUR back yards and vacant
lots. The farmers of the south, CO.
onerating with the business men ana
bankers and people Of the south,
must organize themselves into an
arny of food producers"
Following are some OF the state
ments recently made by agricultural
leaders of the state and the nation IN
regard to the present food situation:
Louisiana Does Not
Supply Own Needs.
eve in Louisiana are far short OF
producing enough meat, lard, lrlsn
potatoes, vegetables, milk, butter,
poultry products and some of the
more important live stock feeds 20
supply all of - needs. Under war
conditions it is extremely probable
that transportation facilities will be
less adequate, exports will be m
:creased and prices of food and feeds
will be still higher than at the pres
ent time. It is, therefore, exceeding
" important that all farmers, bust
ness men and bankers should give
serious thought to those measures
that will help to insure a. beuntlful
harvest of food and feedstuffs. There
should be united effort to encourage
liberal planting of all crops that have
their seasons yet to come. Among
these are late April and early May
corn, peanuts, sweet potatoes, a fal
crop of irish potatoes, and all of the
staple vegetables that can be utilizee
on the farm and to supply the loca
markets. w. R. Dodson, Director
Experiment Cations and Extension
Division, Louisiana State University
Farmers Should
Extend Operations.
"The duty of the individual farmer
at this time is to increase his produc'
ton, particularly of food crops. Il
he has control of tillable land not in
use, or money lying idle or labor un'
employed, he should extend his opera,
ton SO as to employ those resources
to the fullest extent. This does not
mean that he should rob his land
waste his capital or expend his labor
fruitlessly, but that by wise planning
and earnest effort he should turn out
d greater quantity of food crops than
ever before He will not lose by it
and he will perform an important aon
vice in supporting his country in tia
task that lies before IT'D. F. Housl
ton, Secretary Of Agriculture.
Many City People
Can Raise Gardens.
1T is the patriotic duty of every
city boy, girl and woman who can, tc
transform his or her yard, or some
nearby vacant lot, into garden, each
square foot of which will grow two -ol
possibly three crops during the com
ing summer Moreover, the average
small farmer and his family owe it tt
their country, as well as to them
selves, to raise at least one hundred
chickens, to keep one cow or more, al
least enough hogs for home eonsump
tion and perhaps little bunch Of
sneep. Carl Vrooman, Assistan
secretary Of Agriculture.
Labor is Short;
sest Methods Needed.
When a nation faces crisis VIZ
must have the best farming in it!
history. Labor is short, hence tn,
osst tools and all labor-saving devices
must be used to make it possible fo,
every farm laborer to cover as mucl
ground as possible and do the mos
eneient work. Farm women and girl
nave important work to do in the gar
aeh, the orchard, in raising poultry
ahd especially in canning, preserving
aI'u conserving our food supply. Saw,
me breeding stock. Don't sell COWS
neliefs, mares. sows, gifts, ewes o
nehs' Keep them for breeding.
ssie breeding stock is sold where viii
soa get the means to supply the mea
supply Of the country? Let us for
~ al past difficulties and join in
nighty effort to feed the south. Wha
sn pa you DO in the next sixty days?''-
bradford Knapp, U. S. Department O
agriculture.
Production of Food
rroof Of Patriotism.
war is now on! Hundreds Q
saJ,usands ~, of soldiers will have to b
~ hundreds of thousands of pc,
egas ssa VIII be taken from the producing
eIas Uses OF the nation. To feed an
Lioshe the man that risks his life fo
i: ~ eountry is as valuable a contribu