The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-03-17

, south at this time would be national disaster Food for the south, prodsced
 In the south, is a vital item of national defense. The south must feed itself" Prof. w. R. Dodson, dean of the col lege of agriculture and director of the experiment station in Louisiana, has been called to Washington to take charge I Of the food production campaign under the direction of the office of extension work in the south. Professor Dodson,
 in addition to supervising the campaign. | is one of the speakers who are travel ing through the southern states. Other well-known men who are carrying the war message to the farmers of the south ara pr. Tait Butler. editor of the Progressive Farmer; Dr. Clarence Poe Of the Progressive Farmer; Clarendon
 Davis of Huntsville, Ala; Thomas Cooper, dean of the Kentucky College of Agrt- culture, Lexington, Ky; P. P. Garner. Mississippi commissioner of agriculture;
 Clarence Ousley. assistant secretary of
 the department; Bradford Knapp. chief. and J. A Evans, assistant chief of the office of extension work in the south. This southern food production cam . paign has been organized by the United States department of agriculture in CO., operation with the state agrj cultural colleges snd other state agencies to bring home to the farmers of the south
  production this year and therefore draw more heavily on the north, there is possibility tha. it might be fatal to the cause of this country ir this war. The speakers are pointing out that. in addi- ton to feeding our own people and armies, it Is necessary that we furnish g part of the food for the civil popula- ton and for the armies oe England. France and Italy.
 TO ROUSE FARMERS These arc the main objects of the cam paign:
 1. To awaken the faruners of the south to the necessity of the war by work and endeavor to intensity their efforts. g. To explain and emphasize the crit ical condition in which the south finds itself today and the great necessity for each state producing it's own food and feed as a necessary measure of self defense and national defense. l To carry home the programme out lined by the United States department of agriculture and the state agricul- tural institutions for the fullest possible agricultural efficiency In food production this year.
 MUST PRODUCE OWN FOOD The major message of the speakers. which is that "The south must produce
 
 necessities:
 1 That there may be no serious priva- ton at home.
 9 That no additional burden may be placed on transportation.
 3. That military movements may have first consideration.
 4. That surpluses grown elsewhere may be used for necessary industrial and military purposes.
 rxris sIa NI ryox nryty,1 1unv1% a yY-
 thorities in important war policies may I be carried out and that the national defense may be strengthened. FOOD GREATEST NECESSITY | Food Is the greatest necessity, the speakers are telling the farmers Of the south. and an ample supply of food should not be jeopardized for the sake of 1 cotton, the great money crop of the south. After the living for the people | on the farms and in the towns and
 cities has been amply provided for, the l farmers are advised to place such acre | age in cotton as the intensive applica- ! tion of labor will permit, remembering always that food can be eaten and cot ton cannot. In new boil weeviH territory no increase in acreage is advised and 1 farmers are urged not to allow the high prices of cotton to tempt them away from the safe farming" programme of well-balanced production.
 INCREASE ALL FOOD CROPS Following are the items in the produc- tion programme for the south: Home gardens throughout the country villages towns and cities in each south ern state; more corn for live stock and for human beings; more peanuts and soy beans because of their value for vege- table oils, food for human beings and fnr live stock; moro velvet Deans for feed and forage; more edible peas and beans. especially cowpeas: moro hay and other forage; more sugar and sirup; more hogs