The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-02-18
(By Will P. Kennedy, Washington
Representative of Tampa Times.)

Washington, Feb 1S.-Besides call !
ing upon Florida to raise more than
$4,000 acres of castor beans to aid in
the offensive warfare, the government
is calling upon Florida to produce the
materials for food and clothing for
the people of the United States and
tie Allies.
The farmers of Florida are ap-
pealed to as profitable act of pa
tr.otism to raise large crops. Here
are some of the things the federal
government wants from Florida:
Fresh vegetables, sweet and Irish
potatoes, sorghum and sugar cane.
corn, small grains, hay and forage
crops, beans of all sorts, cattle, hogs
and cotton as cash crop.
The growers are urged to make
Florida an all-season garden for as
many days in the year as possible. A
proclamation to all the South has
gone forth from the office of extern
sior work in the South, under the U.
5, department of agriculture, as fol-
lows:
This is not only the most important
hut the most critical year in the his
tory of agriculture in the southern
States. 1t is necessary that the plan
adopted should meet the approval OF
all patriotic men and women, that it
Should sustain our agriculture. sus-
tam our people. and sustain our ma
tlon. 1t must be a possible, practi-
cal and patriotic program.
South Almost National Asset as to
Food
During the year 1917 the farmers
OF the South did wonderful piece OF
work, In some of the States the in
crease in corn production ran more
tkan so per cent and the increase in
the Is southern States was Is per
cent. in spite of the great decrease in
TEXAS, Oklahoma and Louisiana, due
to excessive drought. The increases
in velvet beans, peanuts, soy beans
hay, forage crops, gardens, sugar
; syrup, etc, have been phenomenal
but not more than our people needed
For the first year in recent history OF
: the South the bureau of markets has
: been able to report that the local de.
maEds for corn have been met by the
local supply in many sections. The
South has been almost a national as
set and not a liability as to food. An
g other year let us have no liabilities
We must prove our worth.
e Let us go over the items of safe
: farming program, celebrating then
t iii the light of present conditions:
e A Home Garden for Every Family OF
: the Farm
I, ID Also backyard garden for ev
t ery town family. Feed people will
t fresh vegetables from an all-seasoI
t garden as many days in the year al
e possible. Grow the home supplies o
sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes
j Continue the Sorghum and suga
J. cane for the syrup supply.
J Beware, however, of going into tn
a production of perishable products OF
e an extensive scale without KNOWING
d that there is market for them,
r. system of marketing already estab
= lished, and transportation facilitie
n to get them to the market.
d Must Sustain the Production Of Cor
= CO There is grave danger this yea
OF reduced production of corr
e This would be unwise., Many State
l. in the South have gone into liv
stock quite extensively. 1t would b
It disaster for us to have live stoc
without the corn to feed it next veal
IS 49, The small grains as supplement
e to the corn and for food and fee
" we're taken care of by your fall plan,
l. Hay and Forage Crops Necessary
s (4) Produce the hay and forag
crops necessary to supply amply tn
: i've stock on the farm for one veal
\ with an excess for sake of safety, an
: for city and town consumption. Vel
vet beans, soy beans, peanuts. COW
meas and other forage crops shout
b. all means be maintained and in
creased this year. Peanuts and so
bnans furnish the oil much needed i
these war times
B Produce Meat. Eggs and Milk for
Family
m Produce the necessary mea
1 eggs and milk for the family and a
J excess to supply the cities and tn
towns. An increased production q
rcultry and hogs can and is bein
t,ought about rapidly. The natio
needs pork, and the South is estat
A.