The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1917-19??, 1917-07-19
FARMERS FIGHT
FOR MORE CROPS
To Meet War Needs Men and
Women Organize to Pro-
duCe and Conserve
TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER FORCE
Country and City Unite to Meet the
Call of the Hour So That Tennessee
May Not Be Found Wantinu-Coun-
ties Thotoly Organized.

With patriotic rapidity, the farmers
of the counties of Tennessee respond
ed to the call for increased crop pro-
duction.
After the spring work was well un-
der way the news became generally
known that because of the. relation
the United States bore to the warning
nations the farmers of this country
would have to feed the other countries.
1t was seen at glance that city peo-
pie could help by conserving supplies
at their tables and in their warehouses.
Within a few days the whole country
came 10 the realization that an in
creased food supply meant action on
the part of every resident of the Uni
ted States and that anything less than
the fullest action meant disloyalty to
this country.
BY that time the United States has
expressed her willingness to enter the
war in the names of Liberty and of
Humanity.
Instantly the farmers came forward
u uO JuGII uuI9s Cuntoott, do OIl6 VI
the states, organized every nook and
corner of the state for the purpose of
increased production of staple crops.
Great emphasis was placed upon the
value of soy beans as crop for many
uses.
AS soon as an organization was
made in a county, the communities be-
gan to get figures as to their needs and
particularly did each community try
to use the available seed supply to its
fullest capacity of planting. Beans
and peas that might have gone in the
ground broadcast were seeded in rows
and cultivated in order that the few
seed available might go as far as pos
sible. Sorghum, as a source of sweet
ening, was treated in the same way.
County Reports Show Needs.
At the time this article is being
written the county reports as to the
needs and supplies are coming in to
the State Committee on Public Safety
in Food Preparedness. Increased acre
ages of Is to SO per cent of corn and
soy beans are being reported. Other
staple crops are being reported in the
same way. Increased acreages of more
perishable crops are also noted, and,
while this is written, communities are
organizing to take care of their in
creased crops to the advantage of pro-
ducer and consumer,
Once in while, perhaps, there will
be some man who has a garden in
which he has planted an excess of a
perishable crop. When he has little
of that crop to market, the market
will probably be glutted. He, at once,
raises calamity howl. At the same
time that he does this he overlooks
the fact that on his own land he has
not planted enough of the staples to
take care of his family and his live
stock He is looking at the little end
of the work.
But for the most part, farmers are
proving themselves big men and big
women. They see the need and are
doing their best to meet it. Support
ing them are the business men of the
cities who realize that upon success
full agriculture depends successful
nation.
And at this time when war is the
paramount issue. 1t may be seen by |
any one who thinks about current /
events that upon an abundant food
supply rests the victory we are to
achieve. /