Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1917-05-11
BULLETIN ON PREPAREDNESS
FOR WINTERS FOOD SUPPLY.
(By DR.. Earnest w. ID. Luurcr,
Agronomist of American Steel 4
Wire Company

Agronomist of American Steel &
Wire Company.)
Great and momentous times are
for the first time since the Civil War
again confronting the nation. The
resources and savings of years of
peace arc again beng 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 however
to fight this great war with gun and
saber, or by blood purchase, some
must stay behind to pledge all that
they possess in the effort To produce
enough food to keep the valiant SOL
dicrs fed and their babes and wives
ut home from starvation. Our benuti-
ful land of unlimited resources must
be made to show its prowess in ayr
cultural production, so that none
within her boundaries shall feel the
pangs of hunger and the degrading
Influence of poverty.
Citizens and countrymen il is your
solemn duty TO produce and conserve
all of the food that il 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 produces po-
| tential weapon against our most dam
gcrous enemies, hunger and food
riots.
In choosing what things to grow
III the gardens il should be borne in
mind that the crops To be consumed
ut once such aS lettuce, radishes
melons etc, are to occupy only the
most limited space, while crops that
can be dried, cooked, steam proccsscd
or cellarcd should be grown as album
dainty us possible. The vegetables
that arc most readily preserved by
cooking or steam processing are,
Peas, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Spin
ach, Swiss Chard, and Cucumbcrs.
Bcets, Carrots and String Beans may
also be put up in this way, either
picked or in brine. Rutabngns, Tur-
nips, Cclcriac, Parsnips, MS well as
Carrots and I,ccts may simply be
placed in II cool cellar, (thc tempcrn-
ture of which should not be kept
higher than 100 i'ahrenheit) in bins
of dry sand, where they will retain
their usefulness until the late spring.
Cabbages, Chinese Cabbage, Brussels
Spouts, and Kohlrabi may be placed
|
covered 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
Cabbage may Of course be preserved
by the fermentation method in the
form of saurkraut. Parsley, Sage,
Thyme, Marioram, Summer Snvory,
Basil, and Cclcy leaves should be
dried in II cool room, preferably dark
with an abundance of circulating air
For this purpose they should be
spread on newspapers in thin layers
and turned frequently, or they may
be tied in small punches and sus-
pended from Il limo until thoroughly
dry when they should be packed in
air tight boxes, such as baking pow
der tins. etc. In gathering cabbages
and the above herbs, care should be
taken that they are free from dew
and other moisture as this would
cause moulding and rotting. Okra or
Gumbo is not much known in the
North, il however makes an excel
lent and nourishing addition to soups
and tomatoes, this can he dried by
cutting into quarters lengthwise and
subjecting to sunlight or other gentle
heat and plenty of air. The same is
true of Sweet Corn which must be
cut from the cob and dried as rapidly
as possible. If this corn is soaked
for several hours and boiled in milk
with little piece Of butter with pep
per and salt added, it is quite equal
if not superior to canned corn.
Parsnips may he left in the ground
all winter and used in the early spring
before growth commences, they will
be found more tender and delicious at
this time on account of the freezing
they passed through.
All Of the vegetables and herbs
mentioned ere of The easiest culture
occurring only medium quality soils
TO produce fair crops, they should be
kept free from weeds, and constantly
cultivated, any special fertilization
or cultivation will be we'll repaid how
ever by heavier yields and more ten
ten products.
Weeds in fence corners and out of
the way places should be treated by
spraying with Sulphatc of Iron, Atlas
A or Eureka weed killer This should
be made community proposition as
) concerted action is needed TO insure
results. Close attention TO the above
outline will result in n vastly in
creased food supply during this COM
ing winter, besides furnishing the
table with number of delightful
, dishes which have only too often been
absent in the American household.
ANOTHER RAPPY HOME.