The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-25

On the other hand, she produced nearl.
IS per cent of all the cotton seed, all o.
the velvet beans, goodly portion of the
soy beans, nearly all of the cowpeas, am
much in the way of truck crops
The economic changes which have beer
taking place have tended to restore the
balance Last year, for the first time
the supply of corn and hay necessary fol-
the people and the live stock in the soutf
was produced locally in many sections
In these figures want you to understand
that | have included such heavy food
producing states as Kentucky, Virginia
and West Virginia, which are not cot
ton producing states, and Tennessee ant
Oklahoma, which are wheat states. hence
if I included only the cotton producing
section the proportion of food production
would be greatly lessened
PERIL OF PRESENT SITUATION
Today the situation is extremely peril
Gus; our country is facing the darkes
hour of its history. The test of our IN
stitutions and the moral powers ano
stamina of our people has come. At such
a time it is of supreme Importance that
every section shall be strong for the
sake of the strength of the whole coun-
try. The food problem has become the
all-absorbing problem of the world. Ma
ton after nation has literally disappeared
from consideration as source of food
supply in this great struggle. The nun
ger of Russia much, as her misplaced
confidence, resulted in her downfall; Po-
land, over-ridden and obliterated, has
lost 20 per cent of her people by starva
ton. Serbia and Montenegro have been
wiped out of existence; large sections OF
Rumania invaded. seized and ruined
Belgium and northern France laid waste
and their agriculture crippled or des-
troyed; millions upon millions of mer
everywhere Withdrawn from productive
agriculture, and the piracy of the u
boat has so reduced the ability of the
world to carry food from places of plenty
to those of shortage that the civilized
world today is practically dependent
upon North America to save her from
starvation.
Under such circumstances the United
States department of agriculture, after
mature consideration and with the full
est possible knowledge of the food needs
of the nation for herself. and for those
whom she must help in this war, has sci
forth the following brief summary Of
the food needs of this country in a bull
letin on agricultural production for 1913
Wheat and rye must be increased The
number of hogs should be increased Il
per cent for the whole country. Effort
SnOUlQ De maze 10 Hldintdllt tliC e15S
of sugar cane to increase the production
of sheep, dairy products and poultry, te
maintain full production of oats and rice
to increase the production of grain
sorghum, especially in dry sections; t
maintain the acreage of irish and SWEEP
POTATOES, and to increase the production
of soy beans and peanuts. The num-
Der of beef animals should be maintained
Wherever possible hay crops should be
increased. The planting of home gar
dens, especially for family needs and fol
preserving foods for future use, should be
emphasized The commercial production
of perishables should be increased above
normal only when it is reasonably cleai
that facilities for marketing and trans
portation will be available. Then, as te
cotton there is this significant state.
ment, after taking steps to provide
food for its people and feed for its live
stock, which is urged as a matter of botf
public duty and protection, the soutf
should plant as much cotton as can DC
well cultivated and harvested.
MEETING THE NEEDS
The only way we can meet this need
is to remember, first, public duty ant
self protection. Public duty and self
protection demand that the south sinai
produce its own food and feed: There
balanced, safe and sane system will brins
results Let us raise the banner here
Every southerner producer and con
server of food' Let me reduce 1t tt
a simple, safe farming programme fol
the south If the following things are
done universally on southern farms
whether plantations or small farms
whether owner farms or tenant farms
the problem is solved;
1. A home garden for every farl1
family and every town and village
family in the south. including pota-
toes and cane or sorghum for syrup
where possible, on every farm.
2. We should sustain the production
of corn in the south, for human foo
and feed for our live stock.
g. We should produce the hay ant
forage crops necessary to amply sup
ply the live stock on the farm for ono
year. and an excess for the sake OF
safety and for city and town consump-
ton.
A. We should have an increase Of
peanuts. soy beans, cowpeas and vel
vet beans for human food as well "a
feed and forage.
5. We ought to maintain and in
crease our supply of meat, eggs anc
milk.
u w ItH luc living mas oSSh amp
provided for and we have enough tC
insure food for ourselves and for oul
live stock, we should grow as mucf
cotton as we can handle.
Z. In 1918 every farmer in the soutl
ought to save all possible waste prod
ucts on the farm; economic on time
labor and seed; save in harvesting
time use the best implements ant
more horse power and less hand power
sell excess products of the farm an(
pay living expenses; a surplus of hogs
eggs, poultry, soy beans, peanuts corr
or such other farm products as art
adapted to his locality should be pro
duced for sale from the farm. beside.
the production of cotton.
THE PRICE OF COTTON
Talking to the farmers Of the south
I would say, Do not be deceived b.
the price of cotton. In one south Ala
bama town there was recently pub
lshed a statement showing the sal,
of food and feed crops and live stocl
from that town since the 1st of Octo
Der. The shipping records show tina
this town has shipped, since the frs
of October last year, % carloads o.
velvet bean meal, 25 carloads of hay
and 1913 carloads of cattle and hogs
The cattle and hogs shipped from thi
town since January | of this yea
have brought the farmers $4,000 il
money. which is being paid direct t.
them.
Do not be deceived by the suppose,
high price of cotton. Compared t
the price of food products, cotton il
not high at 80 to SO cents per pound
A bale of cotton, BEFORE the war i,
Europe. when it was worth IL cents
per pound, would purchase four ton
of hay, worth SIS ton; bale of cot
ton today. at 80 cents per pound, will
purchase less than four tons of ha,
$40 .aa,. and IL cnttnp iS ynrtl