The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-01-11
BE ADVISED IN
YOUR WAR WORK

Consult the home demonstration
agent in your locality about your war
work. She may have just The infor-
nation or the ideas you need in plan"
ming your program Of helpfulness this
year. Home gardening, poultry clubs,
conservation activities in regard to
food and clothing, child nutrition,
household conveniences, marketing
these are some of the subjects on
which the demonstration agent can
furnish information to women and
children. She is the clearing house of
ideas along these lines for the COM
munity. Here are some Of the things
the home agents are doing.
The function of the home demon
stration agents comparatively en-
ployed by the State agricultural col
leges and the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture is to promote by
comfort and thrift in town as well as
country homes. This is done by en-
couraging among women both pro-
ductive activities, such as home gar
dening, poultry raising, and the like,
and conservation activities, such as
food preservation, care of clothing,
use of home conven;ences, and the
like. AS a result of work along the
first line during the past year, involv-
ing the advocacy of home garden
for city as we'll as country families,
the production of vegetables was enor-
mously increased. The great increase
in production of garden products has
resulted in increased home consump-
ton of such products, thus improv-
ing the diet and reducing the demand
fer transportation, and has naturally
stimulated interest in conservation of
the home grown products by canning
and like methods.
The Conservation Campaign.
Under war conditions special en-
phasis is being placed by home dem
onstration agents in many localities
on campaigns for food, income, cloth
ing, and health conservation. In many
States the home demonstration agents
are conducting campaigns to encour-
age the economical use of wheat and
meats. They are teaching the use of
partial substitutes for wheat flour and
giving special attention to the care
and use Of meat and milk, laying par
ticular emphasis on the many uses of
the latter. Many demonstrations are
being given of methods of conserving
sugar and fats, as well as wheat; eX-
cessive use of butter, meat, and sugar
is discouraged, and substitutes for
these is suggested. This is being urg-
ed both as a war emergency measure
and because of individual benefit in
economy and health.
In some States the home demonstra-
ton agents not only have demonstrate
ed food preservation and the proper
care of clothing, but have served as a
clearinghouse for the exchange OF
ideas and methods of the housekeep-
ers in each neighborhood. The inter-
est in labor-saving devices for the
home has been shared by the men Of
| the household, who have aided the
work materially by making such con-
veniences according to the directions
given by the home demonstration
agent.
The woman's auxiliaries Of thu
State Council of Defense, as well a.
other organizations, have been o.
great assistance to many home demon
stration agents. They aid in giving
publicity to the work, creating com.
munity interest, and promoting thrift
in housekeeping.
Many home demonstration agent;
are cooperating with school teacher,
and parents in teaching child nutri
ton and furnishing guidance for men
Us that supply economical and nour
ishing food.
In some cases the city curb mar
kets movement has been furthered by
the home demonstration agents ant
their committees, as means of get
ting food from farm to kitchen a
prices inducing the producer to sci
and the consumer to buy.
Efforts are also being made to en-
courage the starting of remunerativ'
industries for women.