Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-04-24
THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
By Frederic J. Haskin.

Vr1 AsHINGToN, April 14-war a big de-
wv mand for Army rations always include
" a liberal proportion of meat 1t contains much
energy and is peculiarly well fitted for food for the
fighting Although George Bernard Shaw and
hosts of other vegetarans thrive on vegetable
diet, the soldier always eats all the meat his commits
sary supply with relish. 1t gives him plenty Of
red blood and energy. The nations and races where
meat plays small in the diet have never been
fighting nations with the possible exception Japan,
where fish largely takes its place salt horse bully
beef. and lately, sausage are staple army and navy
rations.
In its program of feeding the allies posi-
BILE, and putting enormous army in the field. the
United States will need to produce the greatest possible
amount of meat This is task that will call for high
degree of effort and efficiency. because the meat sua-
ton in this country has long been serious
for ten years before the
The department of agriculture has spending
millions in and the time and labor of its experts
with free hand in its attempt to with the prob
lem In the last year or two the tide seems to have
turned. and there is sound basis for confidence that
will be able to the emergency.
The problem a big Today, in 1917. there
about TO- 900 less beef animals in the than
there in 1900 according to the best available
estimates. That alone would be serious situation.
But besides the in beef cattle there has been
big Increase In population in the same time There
100000 people the United States today
than there 1900. We have added population
equal to about two-thrds of the total population of
France. Even the domestic problem is difficult
1t is easy to why meat has gone up. When the
demand European allies added. of the
prOblem rs clear
The most encoura ging feature of the situation is
that there has been the number of beef
animals in the last years. The lowest
point touched in 1918. since tide
turned. Nevertheless. it is necessary every
possible means to increase meat production.
The department Of agriculture is working the
matter from several angles The main lines to
raise more cattle hogs and sheep the hand,
and to protect the from the of disease
on the other Very encouraging is being made
in the fight against disease this line is vital
one. The annual losses from disease and wild
a year 1t is impossible to measure the indirect
loss in meat-the lean cattle might fat
the cattle ticks and the Texas fever the
hogs that might have been raised had not farmers
feared risk their time and money with the menace
hog cholera hanging them. Much ground has
been gained fight it is for the country
at large make of every inch of It,
Besides the farmer and the stockman, the small
town suburban dweller cooperate in the cam
ing nations meat supply lies in the small meat
animals AS Secretary Houston said, the nation has
gotten too much the habit of regarding the
problem problem of big animals and big ranches.
The item of poultry alone amounts to S5O0,0OO000
year in country and it might be enormously in
creased In words, raise chickens If you
pa tch of ground that will not do for gardening II
you prefer feeding chicks labor with spade if
you prefer eggs eggplant, get busy and acquire
flock of chickens. The department will give you direc
tons for buying them and taking of them You
will have cheap eggs and good deal of cheap meat.
and you will doing your bit toward relieving world
wide pressure.
An interesting suggestion comes from the chief OF