The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-08

! ue needs the coming year ana some 10 sell. Your country needs it. Thous- ands In the south have gone hungry the past year for lack of food. Let's prevent this another year. If neces- sary the farmer will shoulder his gun and advance on the firing line. Bur right now he can best serve his coun- try by putting every seed possible into the ground
 WATCHING THE SOUTH The north. east and west are watch ing us as never before Millions of wealth will come our way if we, but set an example as to the possibilities of our soils Mrs. c. Fl Mathis has turned the eyes of capital this way Let a bumper war crop this season back up what this great Alabama woman has started
 The south is well to the front ip pro- duction of various products, bdt has merely made an intention into it's re- sources when we consider what it can and will do.
 Of the eZoOO,OOo hogs in the United States 22,OOo,OOO are in the IS states of the south--Virginia to Texas, in- clusive-aeeording to statistics issued by the farm service bureau.
 Forty-five per cent of the corn acre age of the country is in the same states. In this year, when the nation is calling for maximum crops efficient ly raised the average yield per acre should be 25 bushels if proper fertfliza- tion and cultivation were given, but more than likely the average yield will be near IS bushels per acre, and the acreage between 4O,0O0,O0O and 45 000000, according to the same author ity, which further says:
 These 45, 900. 900 acre producing at the rate of IS bushels per acre would provide 10,000000 bushels of grain source of nutritious bread, hominy and grits which the south already ap preciates as foods, and upon which ig could depend if wheat were not avail able.
 eff only the cotton crop is average, there will be 1440, 100000 pounds of potential food held in the cotton seed oil ready to be converted into butter, lard and other food fats The famine in Germany and Austria is more pressing for lack of butter and lard than for flour The reason Is that the United States is in possession of the butter and lard pantry of the Teutons. It holds the cotton seed oil from which these nations made lard and butter be- fore the war
 "A half of a bale of cotton grown on an acre of land produces 500 pounds of seed which in turn will produce II gal Ions of oil, and the II gallons of oil constitute SS pounds of fat which, when given different treatments, will be sS pounds of fat in the form of butter, or as much fat in the form of lard.
 This year. when the nation is asking for maximum crops efficiently pro- duced, it will be little trouble to in- crease the yield of cotton through proper cultural methods. where the boil weevil is not very much in evil dence.
 '"The same 13 states produce about go per cent of the sweet potatoes of the country, or 6S,000000 bushels, 75 per cent of which can get to market before they decay. This year will see marked increase in acreage in spite of the seed shortage.
 ''The 29,O0o,Ooo bushels of rice pro- duced in the country is practically all credited to southern states. Louisiana grows sugar cane from which it pro- duces more than 250,0O0 tons of sugar. Sorghum, field peas, beans, vegetables of various kinds and fruits will help.
 But every cotton farmer must grow several of these crops if the south',s pantry is to be supplied with these good things
 Every other parcel and part of the country is mobiliZing it's forces. Why not the farmer? But we must do 1t without fife or drum-simply keep "Old Beck" headed up and down the rows (not of cotton altogether as of old but products to feed both man and beasD, fertilize judieiously and make this year of world wars a good one agriculturally.
 The tiller will prove his loyalty when he gathers his crop next fall. And my prediction is a banner one in this southland of ours.