The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-04-02
NATIONAL .
lChpro.Co|ad !syl
"a ~-.~spas.saagDs sSAs-t..-~s ssss'as@" -
- APRIL 49,
OUR GREATEST DANGER WILL
BE IN FOOD SHORTAGE

SlludllOH COHllOlllcu us lHdll ldSCS us
now. 1t is the question of providing
an ample food supply. The old, happy
go-lucky, hit or miss policy to which
we have been so long accustomed will
not do now. We are entering war
with the greatest military nation in
the world and the struggle may be
long and desperate.
The worlds supply of food is lower
| than we have ever known it, owing
to bad crops and the withdrawal of
millions OF men from farm work all
over the world.
The food supply OF nation i'll war
is as important as its munitions sup
ply. The army of food producers in
the fields renders service no less val
liable than the army of soldiers in the
trenches. And, as matter Of plain
common sense and self protection, it
is the manifest duty o. every individ-
ual to produce his own food supply
as nearly as possible. The planting
season is here. The weather condi-
tons have been very unfavorable and
that is all the more reason why ade-
quate steps should be taken when the
opportunity for farm work does ar
rive.
Our farmers should provide for an
ample corn crop and in addition there
should be an abundance of COW peas
grown. They are good for the land,
Notwithstanding the prejudice against
them, they are one of the best balanc-
ed foods known. We can live on peas
if we have it to do and we certainly
ought to have an ample supply Of
them at home. Peas and beans COM
bine the qualities of both bread and
meat and if we have them we will not
starve. Our land is we'll adapted to
peas and beans of all kinds. We need
all these things we can get. Therefore
plant all the peas and beans you can
manage. Everyone this year should
not only have a large garden but
should give special attention to pota-
toes-they are another wholesome
food-sorghum and anything else that
can be used as a food.
*
The National government at Wash
lngton is urging city people to utilize
their lots and all available vacant
ground for the growing of food crops.
IF national policy DEGREES that
there should be big increase in our
acreage and yields per acre Of food
crops" the statement says, then the
nation as whole, and not the farmers
as class, should and must assume
the major part of the risk involved.
The department is urging each section
OF the county to become as nearly as
practicable agriculturally independent.
This is good policy in time of peace,
and will be a vitality important policy
in time Of war, when our transporta-
ton systems necessarily would be
chiefly occupied with the transporta-
ton OF soldiers and war supplies.
1T is the patriotic duty of every
city boy, girl and woman who can.
to transform his or her yard, or some
nearby vacant lot, into a garden, each
square foot of which will grow two
or possible three crops during the
coming summer. Moreover, the aver
age small farmer and his family owe
1t to their country, as we'll as to them
selves, to raise at least 100 chickens,
to keep one COW or more, a tleast
enough hogs for home consumption.
and perhaps little bunch of sheep.
The cheapest. most profitable, and
quickest known means of increasing
general production is by the use of
lime. There ar, few sections in the
United States without some local sup
ply OF limestone, mari or oyster shells.
If every farmer in the country would
apply from two to four tons crushed
limestone per acre to all his sour land,
our national supply of brcadstuffs this
year would be augmented by sur
prlsing number of million bushels"
A high official, experienced in the
distribution of food supplies in the
warning countries in Europe says:
The first and necessary thing is
to plant potatoes, turnips, carrots and
corn on farms and also on every
available city lot. The same measures
should be taken for animal food and
tor industrial agricultural products,
such as cotton. If America goes to
war it must be understood that the
war will last perhaps two years
longer. Germany's agricultural mob
llization has kept her alive and fight
ing"
,,n~o gaking Of this sit,,at;~I II