Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-02-23
More Food StuffS--
What Can Be Done NOp.

To say that the boil weevil is blessing in dis
v,,ise Is thing almost unbelievable yet many COM
munities in the South seem to have found it So
Surh communities are those which have not allowed
the coming of the pest to Supply them into mac
ton. but realizing the exact nature and extent OF
the evil have bestirred themselves to counteract It.
These communities at once went in for diverslhed
farming and in an incredibly short time were SHOW
ing the rest the cotton section how other crops
could be turned into money quickly and easily One
man a prosperous merchant in the boil weevll sec
ton. has written to Atlanta connections that he
has seen more money now in his community than ne
ever saw before the boil weevil came.
Perrhauce too. the unusually high prices pre-
vaiIiug now for food products may likewise prove a
blessing IN disguise 1t surely will if the farmers,
the landowners, and every interest connected with
the land in the South at once set to work to make
easy the arrival Of good fortune from what now
seems to be a very distressing condition.
Back, of course, of the high cost of all food
products is the war draining from all the world
food supplies to feed soldiers who are engaged in
non-productive work This has resulted in bringing
the total food supply of the world to the lowest
minimum which has obtained for more than two
generations.
The Manufacturers Record. in this connection,
declares that only overiowingly abundant harvests
will prevent unheard of prices next fall for corn and
wheat Continuing, the Record says:
The South might raise too big cotton
crop, but it cannot raise too big a grain crop
nor too much livestock. Every available
should be put into the raising of foodstufs,
grain vegetables, potatoes. and much atten-
ton as possible should be given live stock and
even to the raising of chickens and to dairying,
for the purpose of meeting the heavy demand
for food stuffs 1t will be crime for any
southern farmer not to provide during the com
ing spring and summer for all of the foodstuffs
which his family viii need for the next twelve
months The South become Independent
for fOodstufs by quick and vigorous action this
spring and summer by its farmers"
The Augusta Chronicle, commenting upon the
food shortage now. and the likelihood of there be-
ing still more serious shortage later in the year.
points out that of the features contributing to
this state Of affairs is that more people leaving
the farms and coming the cities, thus decreasing
the number of food producers as compared to the
number Of food consumers. Further commenting
upon the necessity for greater food production the
Chronicle says:
With the enormous amount of money with
which this country is flooded and the continued
demand for labor IN our industrial and COM
meretal undertakings, count on a still
further drainage from the farm, and this will
mean decreased production unless strenuous
efforts are made to circumyent the trouble
which confronts us. This is a problem in
which not only the farmers are interested but
every man, woman and child in the city or
country from the mansion to the cottage are
involved"
The crucial point Of the situation at present is
that action must be taken in order to fore
stall the further harmful effects of the food short
age. This action. shown by the Record, must
take form in planting from now on throughout the
summer. in every available way, food crops The
most practical advice yet is that every farmer be
he land owner or tenant should raise enough food
products to last him and his family throughout
the year. This be done and every effort should
be made toward having it done, because it would
the saving of millions of dollars to the South
money that be used for further advancing
the already high place of this section in the com
mercial, industrial and agricultural life of the
nation.