The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1918-09-18
HOW A SENATOR'S WIFE
CONSERVES

"And when guests come, we
sit under trees and one reads
I while the rest of us shell young
lima beans"
That is the way Mrs. Claude
| y. Swanson, wife of the Senat-
or from Virginia, describes the
entertainment of her distinsu
ished guests on her farm south
of Lynchburg.
The next morning the Senat-
or's wife takes such Of the beans
as are not destined for the table
that day up to the roomy attic,
aud there they are spread in
thin layers on old screens or
framed cheese cloth. As sue
cessive crops are planted and
the beans are picked daily, this
means an ample supply OF but
ter beans throughout the win
ter that declares Mrs. Swanson,
are as delicious as if freshly
gathered.
But that is only one of many
ways in which Mrs. Swanson
not only practices conservation
but adds TO the country's re-
sources. Her work was not be-
gun as a war measure, but is
the outgrowth of Mrs. Swan
sons own ideal of citizenship
and housewifery.
Mrs. Swanson, known far be-
You'd the National Capital and
her own state as successful
hostess, is a practical farmer as
well. She raises wheat and
corn and grinds the latter, pro-
duces beef and tho Justly fam
GUS hams that add to the dclic-
iousness of her dinners are
raised and cured on the place.
Her production program ranges
from Injuries like French en-
dive, grown in the cellar, to
seventeen varieties of winter
roots, which are stored for use
during the long unproductive
months of winter.
All this is accomplished by
Mrs Swanson, the practical
farmer. But Mrs. Swanson
the housewife, quite matches
that record in conservation. y
seasons, for instance, during
which 600 quarts of preserves
(are put up, besides jelly and
dried fruits, is nothing exccp-
tional on the farm, and all of
this work is overseen, and the
larger part of it is actually done,
by Mrs. Swanson herself.
The policy of economy has
always been to Mrs. Swanson
the only one compatible with
good citizenship and house.
wifery. An instance of this is
the use she makes of windfal
apples. These are collected day
by day, and the result is great
glass jars of pale golden apple
sauce for winter use, made from
a product that usually goes tt
waste.
When the special appeals foi
conservation began, on our en-
trance into the war, Mrs. Swan
sons need was merely to ad
just, not adopt, a program. y
greater proportion OF her whea
was marketed, and moro of thu
corn meal used when wheatlesi
meals were instituted. Their,
were porkless days when tina
was the special need, and now
the bees of the farm are getting
their stings into the Kaiser by
making honey to replace the
sugar that must be conserved
The accomplishments of Mrs
Swanson are especially interest
ing because they illustrate on,
important point. Some peopl,
have been inclined to look OF
conservation merely as a meas
ure for the relief of pocket
books under the strian of war.
time prices. But ii women who
without any personal necessity
practices diligent conservation
gives clear example of conser.
vation's real purpose. Ant
that purpose is to stretch thu
resources we have to draw OF
now the sooner we shall con
quer the Hun; second, the les.
we deplete our sources for per