The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-01-25
ARMY OF $4,000 BOYS AND GIRLS
TO Raise FOOD IN CONNECTICUT
this Year TO BEAT The KAISER
Food Supply Committee Has Prepared Plan to Utilize
Services of Younger Citizens to Increase the Food
Supply of the State-Every Boy and Girl in State
Will Have An Opportunity to Assist in the Work.

An army og $4,000 boys and girls,
equipped with spades, rakes, hoes,
canning outfits and other equipment
are capable of producing and con-
serving enough food stuff to send
slight chill up the Kaiser's back This
kind of an army in Connecticut is no.
an idle dream.
There are, In the state, nearly 4o0,-
eco boys and girls from 10 to IS years
OF age inclusive, OF this number
It is quite probable that at least one
in every four can be recruited in
food army for production or conserva-
ton.
During the year just completed, the
boys and girls in club work, under the
direction of the Connecticut Agricul-
tural College, produced or conserved
on the average, SO worth of food
stuff II this average could be rails
ed 81 and $4,000 boys and girls en-
listed, food stuff to the value of ST.
OOo, 900 could be produced The job
now is to get these young people en-
rolled.
At the present time, there is a
paid leader giving at least one-half
time to work with boys and girls In
each county and many communities
have already made arrangements for
paid local leadership to direct the
production and conservation efforts of
their boys and girls for another sea-
SON
The Committee of Food Supply of
the State Council of Defense has re-
Gently approved a plan for the realiza-
ton of q Junior Food Army along
lines which are broad enough to in
cIude every boy and girl in the state
who can produce or conserve fooo
products
Every one of the zoo, 900 boys and
girls of Connecticut Will be given an
opportunity to join the Food Army
Those who sign their pledge as a
member will receive instructions in
the phase of the work which they take
up. They will also receive a but
ton to wear which will designate them
as a member of this army Those
who come through the season success
fully and who make the proper re-
port of their work will receive GER
tificates of merit similar to those
given the ITS girls for this sort OF
work last year. These certificates
were OF a size and shape suitable for
framing and were signed by the gov
ernor.
There are several ways in which
a boy or girl can fill the requirements
necessary for winning a place in the
Junior Food Army They can grow
one-half an acre of corn, one-eightt
acre of potatoes, one-tWentieth of al
acre of garden vegetables, or care foI
a home garden, can SO jars of fruit
OF vegetables, keep a flock of 10 hens
or a pig, save 190 pounds of food, Oh
economics.
Enrolment blanks win be sent on
soon. Boys and girls may sign VI
for the work Immediately. The con
sent of parents or guardians is neces
sary before a boy or girl may take 81
the work.
A committee appointed by the Com
mitbee of Food Supply is to hav
charge Of the work and the Connec
ticut Agricultural College and tn
Farm Bureaus will supervise it.
A State Boys and Girls exhibit wi
be held in Connecticut this year 70
the first time. This exhibit will b
held in connection with the State F'ai
and all members of the Junior Foo
Army will be eligible to exhibit thei
produce. Only club members will b
eligible to compete on judging an
demonstration teams. Glasses wi
also be open for group exhibits frol
cities, towns and clubs.
1t is planned that each county wi
hold an exhibit previous to the stat
exhibit and, through elimination
bring the county's best to the sta
exhibit. Other announcements wi
be made regarding state exhibits t.;
plans develop. The state exhib
promises to be one of the bigge
developments in the boys and girl
work and will give each one an o.
portunity to compete for a prize.
A total of 5000 boys and CIR
were enrolled in production and col
servation work in Connecticut duriI
the past year. The activities whiC
were most popular were the gardt
and pig club work. OF the tot
enrolment, the garden club claim,
over 1880 and the pig club about 81
boys and girls. The other activiti
which comprised the growing of cor
potatoes, tomatoes poultry and al
bread making, canning and sewing.
At the present time, reports ha.