St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1917-08-01
no ASSIST GROWERS -
! . 500 asa. OF PERISHARLES.
Secretary OF AgrlelItiiFe Calls Confer
encc ON Fruit and Garden Products

ence ON Fruit and Garden Products
-------- sses Il + Il
Washington, D. c.. July 19-It is |
of the first importance that every as
sistancH shall a5e given to growers of
perishables in the marketing of them,
and also that snrpluses shall be pre-
served through every approved
IN cans said secretary Houston of the
Department Of Agriculture today.
JJuly II hat the opening of a confer.
ence which he had called ~
: Further aid in caring for surplus
fruits and vegetables. especially the
products of home Orchards and gar
dens, is the object of this conference
called by the secretary Of agriculture
and which will continue for two days
or as long as may be ] necessary. sSec-
rotary Houston has caused d tele-
graphic survey to be made showing
Just where there are more fEnitsyand
vegetables ofHhoIne growth than can
be conserved in the usual way and the
conference will endeayor to provide
means of relief in these sections =
Secretary Houst0n's Address. 80
s. In greeting the conference Secre-
tary Houston said: f
IS first thought is that Of appre
citation sof your prompt and patriotic
response to my request to attend this
conference realized that you have
urgent business at home but 4. was
confident that you would set aside any
private interests at this time to rem
der assistance to the government. E 1.
am grateful to you for your. presence
and your wi llingness to assist us. { +.
/ The farmers, aided S by nature,
have made magnificent response to-
the appeals of the president for in II
creased production. Not only is there
prospect of large crops of certain
staple products but it is apparent that
there will be particularly large out
put ais year Of perishab1es. Many
agencies throughout the country have
especially urged the people not only
In the eountrys districts but also in
urban communities, to plant gardens.
There is therefore not only an in
creased production in the usual areas
but a considerable addition in these
new places. s, i1as
The Marketing of Perishables.
The marketing of perisnables pre-
sents peculiar difficulties. They must
be marketed promptly The danger
| always is that of bad distribution and
81 a gltlt of the markets. There is a
further danger that, either through in
ability to reach the markets or
through neglect, a very large part of
The perishable products will be lost
| to the consuming world. It is there
| tore of the first Importance that every
assistance shall be given to growers
Of perishab1es in the marketing of
them, and also that SURPRISES shall
| be preserved through every approved
| means.
| ..For many years the departm ent
| has been furnishing assistance in the
canning, drying and preserving of
| perishables as we'll as in their market
| ing. In the last four years. in par
ticular, great extensions Of activities
and forces reaching into very many
sections of the Union, with regular
budget of nearly $2,O00,006. has been
| built up. It has rendered aid in many
| directions. Through the evolution of
4 the Market News Service it has been
particularly helpful to truck growers
Under the food production BILL, now
j
tions Of the activities of the depart
4 ment in the field of rketing, es-
/ pecially the marketing Of perishables,
and of the conservation of these pro
ducts, of other farm products, and of
Hive stock, are provided for. The bill
carries one item of $4,34S,O00 for aid
ditional assistance in the production
and conservation of farm products
Involving in particular the extension
of the county agent and home dem
i onstfation system. 1t carries another
item Of. $2.522, 900 for the emergency
extension Of the marketing work. 7
/ 1T has been a part of our program
to call to our aid men actually. engag-
|: ed in the handling of such ecommo-
dities, and hence our appeal to you.
The particular points for considera-
ton at this time are the ascertaining
of the areas in which special service
lean be rendered, the best means of
| conserving surplus perishables through
canning, drying, or other devices, the
securing of adequate supplies of con
tanners, the Improvement of market
/ ing conditions. and the most helpful
| agencies to be enlisted for service.
| WITH a view TO ascertain somewhat
more fully the actual facts as to pro-
| duction and as to areas where sur
| pluses may exist I have had a survey
made, through departmental and
| other agencies. and have received re-
turns which Will9be submitted for your
| consideration.
Conf on Other Subjects
+ may add, in passing, that this is
only one of a number of conferences
which the department is planning to
hold with farmers and farmers or
CARNATIONS, stock men and live stock
organizations and Representatives of
state committees on food-production
and conservation, Of the state depart
ments of agriculture and of the land
grant colleges with reference to other
Important problems eand especially
with a s'iew to having the best answer
| to the question, How to get ready for
next year st. /.
ATTENDS CONFERENCE