Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1917-05-10
AS TO PREPAREDNESS FOR
WINTERS FOOD SUPPLY.

for the first time since the Civil War
again confronting the nation The re-
sources and savings of years of
peace are again being pledged to the
prosecution of war, more gigantic and
more relentless than any war that
has been fought in the history of
mankind,
Not all of us are chosen to fight
this great war with gun and saber,
or by blood purchase. Some must
stay behind to pledge all they possess
in the effort to produce enough food
to keep the valiant soldiers fed and
their babes and wives at home from
starvation. Our beautiful land of
unlimited resources must be made to
show it's prowess in agricultural pro-
duction, so that none within her bor-
ders shall feel the pangs of hunger
and the degrading influence of poverty.
Citizens and countrymen, It is
your solemn duty to produce and
conserve all of the food that it is
possible to produce and conserve. No
matter how small the garden or how
tiny the number of pounds saved
from waste concerted effort will pro-
duce a potential weapon against our
most dangerous enemies, hunger and
food riots.
In choosing what things to grow
in the gardens it should be borne in
mind that the crops to be consumed
at once as lettuce, radishes, melons,
etc, are to ocuupy only the most lin
tied space, while crops that can be
dried, cooked, steam processed, or
cellared should be grown as abun-
dantly as possible. The vegetables
that are the most readily preserved
by cooking or steam processing are
Peas, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Spinach,
Swiss Chard and Cucumbers. Beets,
Carrots, and String Beans may also
be put up in this way, either picked
or in brine. Rutabagas, Turnips, Gel
erias, Parsnips, as we'll as Carrots
rand Beets may simply be placed in a
cool cellar, (the temperature OF
which should be kept higher than 40
Fahrenheit) in bins of dry sand
where they will retain their useful
ness until late spring. Cabbages,
Chinese Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts
and Kohlrabi may be placed in the
cellar with the heads down and GOV.
cred with sand taking care that they
do not touch each other, but that
each is entirely surrounded with a
layer of sand. String beans and cab
bage may of course be preserved by
the fermentation method in the form
of saurkraut. Parsley, Sage, Thyme
Marjoram, Summer Savory, Basil
and Celery leaves should be dried iT
a cool room, preferably dark with ar
abundance of circulating air. Fol
this Jdrpose they shold be spread OF
newspapers in thin layers and turned
frequently or they may be tied il
small punches and suspended from {
line until .thoroly dry when the!
should be packed in air tight boxes
such as baking powder tins, etc. II
gathering cabbage and the abov'
herbs care should be taken that the.
are free from dew and other moistur,
as this would cause moulding anC
, rotting. Okra or Gumbo is not mucl
known in the North. 1t howeve
makes an excellent and nourishini
addition to soups and tomatoes. Thi
o can be dried by cutting into quar-
ters lengthwise and subjecting to sun
, light or gentle heat and plenty of ali
. The same is true of Sweet Corn whicl
must be cut from the cob and drie
as rapidly as possible. If this cor
- is soaked for several hours and boile
n in milk with a little piece of butte
with pepper and salt added it is quit
q equal If not superior to canned corn.
Parsnips may be left in the groun
all winter and used in the early sprin
"a before growth commences. They wi
= be found more tender and deliciou
. at this time on account of the freei
ing they passed thru.
All the vegetables and herbs mel
toned are of the easiest culture, r,
Quiring only medium quality sol
to produce fair crops. They shoul
be kept free from weeds and col
stantly cultivated. Any special ferti
- ization or cultivation will be we'll r.
= paid however by heavier yields an
"a more tender products.