Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-08-03
SPEAKERS TELL
HOW To SOLVE
FOOD PROBLEM

The vital importance of food con-
servation was vividly portrayed to the
citizens of Americus and Sumter coun-
ty at a meeting held this morning IN
the courthouse, when several speakers
from the State College of Agriculture
delivered interesting and instructive
addresses on various phases OF the
great problem now confronting the
American nation.
The meeting was one of series OF
gatherings being held throughout the
state. eight parties of speakers haV-
ing been sent out by the State College
to tour every county in Georgia, car
rying a personal message to every
man. woman and child.
w. ]. Boyett, agricultural agent for
Sumter county, was in charge of the
meeting, the first speaker being w u
Collins. who outlined a program OF
operation which must be followed in
order to prevent serious consequences
in the way of food shortage.
The stabilization of production, elm
ination of speculation and the mainte-
nance of satisfactory prices by not
dumping" farm products on the mar
ket in huge quantities, were some OF
the points emphasized by Mr. Collins
He urged his hearers to use home
grown products wherever possible IN
order to make the available supply OF
necessities "go around" and pointed
out that Georgia two years ago import
ed SS5.OOOOOO worth of foods which
might easily be raised within our bor-
ders. Thorough organization of our
resources and the voluntary practice
OF conservation to forestall compulsory
conservation, were his concluding ad-
rnonition to the citizens of this section,
C. B. (Boll WeeviD Burley, the next
speaker, declared that the farmers OF
Sumter county, along with those OF the
other counties of south and southwest
Georgia, have won the fight this year
against the boil weevil. The energetic
campaign along the lines laid down
last fall and this spring by the de-
partment experts has resulted in the
making of food crop of cotton which
will bring good prices this fall. lie
warned against planting more than lo
acres to the plow in cotton next year,
however, stating that the severe Win
ter this year has prevented heavy in
festation and that with mild winter
to come. the weevil will eat up Geor-
gia cotton if too much is planted y
the plow.
Br. Burley urged Sumter county far
mems to plant fall gardens, to save
seed for planting next spring, to plow
under the cotton stalks not later than
the middle of October and to increase
the production OF meat, milk, eggs and
general farm crops, He pleaded with
them to fight wasteful methods, de-
claring that the annual loss by waste
of food products in this country an
nually is more than $70O,OOO,O0O. Eat
the best and save the rest" declared
Mr.. Burley in closing
James E. Downing, in charge of the
Pig Club work in Georgia, and proba-
bly, one of the best posted men in the
country Eon scientific, practical hog
raising, gave a short talk to the Sum-
ter County Pig Club boys, in which
he urged that more attention be paid
to this important department of mod
ern agriculture. In the present food
crisis, he declared, the production OF
meat is vital and although Georgia
last wear increased by 10 per cent. the
number Of hogs raised within her bor-
ders, this figure should be greatly sur
passed this year and next. Georgia has
the best opportunity Of any state in
the union to become the banner hog-
raising commonwealth.
Miss Rowena Long, home economics
demonstrator for Sumter county, who
has been accompanying the party OF
speakers through several counties on
this tour, made a special appeal to the
housewives. She advocated the main
tenance of a better balance in the ra-
tioning of their families BY the aid
OF a chart, Miss Long pointed out the
basic elements which should form ev-
cry meal and urged that the foods con-
tanning these necessary elements be
used so as to insure better physical
condition for the individual and at the
same time conserve the available sup
ply Of food.
r. NJ. Gridley, of the State College of