The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-11-23
WAR IN THE BACKYARD.
How Few Hens Will Help Win the War
for Freedom.

i Uncle Sam now offers to town dwell
ers an opportunity to produce some of
the meat needed by the nation to win
the war. The production of the great
bulk of the feed and foodstuffs and meat
supplies is an obligation of the farmer
and for that reason town people, al
though anxious to serve, have thought
that only by conservation and home gar
dening could they be a factor in the food
problem. But they can do more than
that. They can be meat producers
thanks to the fact that poultry offers
possibilities of quicker and cheaper in
crease than any other form of meat food.
/ Every family, in towns and suburbs of
cities-in every place where backyard
space and general conditions permit it
should have at least enough hens to sup
ply the family with eggs. That means
about two hens for each member of the
| famlly-ten hens should be sufficient for
a family of five
To the individual it may seem that
the question of his having, or not having
a few hens in his backyard is very re-
motely removed from the outcome of
European battles. But if each backward
in this country supplies the family with
eggs, and If the farms of the land double
their poultry production, as they are be-
ing asked by the government to do. there
will have been added, in the form of
poultry and eggs, a vast amount of meat
stnff TO the total food resources OF our
nation--and that means to the total food
resources of the nations fighting for the
freedom of the world.
Iaeg ntbar MAJ
The families that produce their own
eggs in the backyard will naturally eat |
less meat. With twice as much poul |
try and eggs eaten by the nation there |
will be, in the final ANALYSIS, great deal |
less meat and pork eaten at home. That |
meat can go to our armies and to the
armies of the allies
The town family may be sure that by
backyard poultry production a practical
patriotic service is being performed;
that an important addition is being made
to the war strength of the nation. 1t is
a little thing to the individual But il
will be big thing for Uncle Sam And
1T Is the way town people can help in
meat production. The farms must make
the grain and pork and beef and. for that
matter, most of the poultry. The town
dwellers, by conserving food, can have
the gratifying consciousness of having
a patriotic serviee-but that
doesn't give them the pride of being
actual producers. In addition to conserv-
ing food, the family that now produces
poultry as wei as vegetables for home
use viii have rendered valuable service.
That family will know that it is directly
for IL, II
cent TO our boys in khaki-and to the
French Poilus and British Tommies and a.,
% the gallant remnant of the Belgian
lrmy-the army thai saved civilization !
the army of nation that the rest of |
he world can never repayt
The United States department of ag- t
iculture asks the farmers to double a
heir poultry production next year r
which can be done if every farm will v
,eep an average of 100 hens, instead of o
n average of 40 hens, as at present. c
md at the same time the town people c
re asked to help, to the extent, at least. r.
t getting their eggs from their own d
ackyard. "
The Town Dwellers' Part. Ii
This is what the town dweller should c,
o: a
Make up his mind now that he will k
eep poultry and produce eggs for home
Sc next year Arrange now to secure n
ONE good laying hens ON basis of two il
ems for each member of the family al
ee that a suitable clubhouse will be fl
and if necessary, provide for al
,ncing to prevent the fowls getting into Il
Their yards. Write to the T. S. depart s
tent of agriculture or to a state agri- st
Iltural college or its extension depart al
ent, or to state agricultural officers for L
atailed advice, if needed. m
To do this will help win the war. n
Get some hens so they can get busy nj
yainst the kaiser. III