davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-15
PICK OUT BEST ON THE FARM TO SHOW AT THE FAIR
Pigs for the Fair

Prize winning pigs are not only good, but they look good, says Mir. c. R Bowers of the Alabama extension serv- ice and the United States department If agriculture, in discussing what the pig club members should do in preparing for exhibits for the fall fairs The following rations are suggested by Mr. Bowers: u) One pound shelled corn to three pounds of skinned milk or buttermlx. @ Two parts corn to one part peanut meal (3l Eight parts corn to one part or tankage. In addition to fair amount of one of the above rations an abund- ance of green stuff in the form of graz ing crops should be supplied the hogs up to month before the fair
 The animals of course, should be free from lice and intestinal worms. Plenty of pure. clean water should be provided, also shade and a concrete wal low or one filled with sand are worth while. Brushing every day means a gen. tie pig with good skin and hair, and these usually mean more prize money.
 Several days before showing provide new or especially clean quarters and bedding. During the last three weeks wash the pigs once each week. Then wash again at the show, using castillo soap. After washing apply a mixture of equal parts of sweet oil and alcohol Enough wood alcohol to cut the oil and make it run easily will do.
 Send each pig to the fair in a careful ly constructed crate, and provide a trough for feed and water. When ship ping by rail provide feed and the sign, Please feed me-
 It is advisable to treat with hog ehol- era serum few days before sending to fair. Lysol or kresol should be applied on both pigs and pen as soon as the fair grounds are reached, and one of these should be used on the hogs when they are removed from the showgrounds. Careful attention to the above points will be well worth while. and may re- suit in more prize money Remember that courteous herdsman is a good ad- vertisement for a herd. Therefore, when at the fair answer all questions as thor oughly as possible
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-15
Eggs Before the Candle

The United States department of az riculture issues the following statement as to how good eggs should look before the candle:
 A good fresh egg should have small air space The yolk should not be very plain. There should be nosblack spots or rinNs. Sometimes the eggshell will have fine cracks in it. This Is commonly known as q check ear, and should not be shipped with first-quality eggs. as it rots very quickly
 Blood rings are partially incubatsd eggs and show a distinct ring of bloo'i on the yok They are ciassed as unfi. for food and should be rejected.
 Cause Asfertile egg in which the de. velopment of the germ has proceeded until blood has formed but the embryo has subsequently, died. Ring formation is not present while the embryo is alive, q although blood spots or veins may show.
 Moldy egg generally have cracked shells and show black spots before tEe candle. They are unfit for food.
 Cause: Field nests or wet nests. Hold- ing eggs In damp places, or destroying shell mucus by washing, or or allowing rers to becor,h e t,ertl' enaii :. mold spores to enter the pores of the shell and grow inside the shell. Mol'i can also enter through cracks in the shell.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-15
How to Save Gasoline

Fl. W. Slauson, M E., in Leslies
 sas In every community there is, unfor- x tunate1y, certain small percentage of undesirable motorists. These are the selfish owners who will not cooperate in any gasoline saving campaign. who allow their engines to run idle at the
 scnrb even in warm weather when a
 single push of the starting button will
 serve to save a gallon of gasoline 3 day; who drive without regard for the < rights of others; who take criminal ; chances in the endeavor to pass car on the wrong side of the road on a +blind turn or at the crest of a hill; and who make nights and days hide- ous in peaceable communities through s the absolutely unnecessary use of that .<.one remaining evil of the modern mo- tor car. the muffler cutout.
 Such motorists are menace to the ,ecf other automobile owners, but also !. of the public at large. They are not syeached with sufficient severity through tho long arm of the Jaw. but ,s ,..sy could not each traffic officer, , or local police official. be empowered : to recommend to the secretary of state
 the revocation for stated period of 5 the license of any. driver whose car Is
 found idling at the curb for more than. say. five minutes; any driver who. in si the presence of two or more reliable {. witnesses is seen to drive on the wrong t,- side of the road when he cannot ob- saerve the highway for more than 100 { feet ahead of him; or the driver who : opens his muffler cutout at any time : CT in any place other than in the se-
 salusion of his own garage when he \ may find 1t necessary to test the ex-
 plosions of his engine.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-15
The Agricultural Front

Auburn, August s.-(Special )-Re- ports of the county agents continue to show that Alabar,a farmers are grow ing much besides cotton For instance County Agent W. c. Coker or Iaila- adega county says that from l25 to i5o > carloads of corn had been shipped from
 that county by July 15. and that sey- eral cars have been shipped since that
 tine. This is by far the largest amount
 of corn ever shipped from that county in one season.
 s. More than a week ego the farmers r of Conecuh county commenced to hog g down their early ratches of corn and $ peanuts and will have hogs ready for a5an early market, says Demonstration Agent Pierce R. Pettis. By planting ai these crops early in the season they ssare Il eady for the hogs to begin har.
 vesting by July Is to 30. This is the way to grow cheap pork The farmers of this county are wide awake, ana
 recently their county live stock sales
 association, composed of about zoo pro-
 gressive farmers, held their annual
 meeting, and after hearing addresses s
 on the advantages and benefits of sell sing live stock on sales days instead or 2 selling at the pen, it was decided that
 the sales day method would be their
 way of marketing entirely. and tnat 1T the first public sale would be held on < September 10. .,, Fl Sweet potato harvesting Is in full
 swing in Baldwin county, having com
 nenced in July, says County Agen. V.
 V. stelenn,uller. Several carloads were
 shipped during the last weeks In July,
 the prices ranging around $2 to S2, oo
 per hamper. The yields are fairly good. ranging from 75 10 l25 bushels Der acre This crop brings much money
 to Baldwin county farmers, as good : nrices are usually obtained on account of the crop being marketed so very
 early.
 sheep growing is not very exten-
 sive industry in Alabama, but tne < countv of Wilcox shipped out carload
 of these animals few weeks ago
 The sheep were graded at the pastures
 says County Agent A. Fl. Barnett ana
 he reports that the farmers were al
 well pleased with the returns. Ihls
 means that sheep growing in Wilcox ;. is on the increase, ard it is hoped .na, la, the experience of these farmers Will he of benefit to the farmers of other " counties.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-15
Leftover Cereals

gre Remnants of cereal breakfast foods may often be utilized to make palatabie dishes, to thicken soups or other foods. rand in similar ways. Small quantities of cooked cereal left over from meal can
 be nodded in cups and relocated for later use by setting the cups in boiling water. Another way to economize cereal musncs ; is to add hot water to any much left over so as to make it very thin It can then $ easily be added to a new supply. The practice of frying the left overs of boiled ! hominy or of corn-meal mush is as olti as the settlement of this country. ana nthe nursery song about the ''pag pudding the queen did make from King Arthur's barley meal shows us that for centuries
 other cereal buildings have been treated
 in the same way. In oatmeal oysters
 left over cereal is dipped in eggs ana
 crumbs and fried. Leftover rice ana other cereals are commonly used in cro-
 uuettes and buildings.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-15

Instead of letting the sugar shortage
 bother her. the resourceful housewife
 is bending all efforts to learn the best
 ways of using less sugar insrher cook
 ing and preserving and of canning
 without it or with sugar substitutes. She is drying many of the fruits: she IS [ learning to put up fruit juices and but CTS and to make syrups at home from
 ;ugar beets, quinces and apples. She is
 substituting corn syrup, moasses. ma pie syrup, and honey for sugar in her aiming and general cooking, and she IS
 making sugarless candies, fruit pastes and confections. Bulletins telling how to
 carry out these methods may be had free
 on application to the United States de-
 partment of agriculture.
 Sugar saving not only means cutting
 flown on consumption, but it also means
 preventing waste. Americans have al- lowed their fondness for sugar to in- crease to the point where it has passed extravagance and become actual waste. Oyersweetening of tea and coffee is one of our great faults. More than this, too
 often a good part of the sugar is not dissolved and is left in the bottom of the cup to be thrown away. Every house. wife should enforce the rule of "one seaspoonful to the cupful or none at all. The children as well as the grownups must le willing to do without some Of he sweet things they want and every one must be satisfied with much smaller amounts of sweetening in general cook .ng.
 Serve fresh fruits without sugar in- stead of sweet buildings; have salads oft an in piace of desserts; use sweet dried fruits like dates, raisins or figs with the br.akfast cereals, or little syrup In place of sugar. Use cake sparngly and make it from recipes that call for ri ,asses or syrups-instead of frosting spread it with little jam, fruit buttee 0r raste.
 CANNING WITHOUT SUGAR Fruits canned without sugar keep per- fectly Lut will not have the fine color and flavor which they would have if packed in syrup. They are very good, however when used in salads, desserts, pie filings ices and in fruit punches Fruit Juiceg take no sugar and their uses arc just as varied during the win | ter months as are the fruits put up un- sweeteneG,. In this way, the juices are kept available for jelly making at a future time when sugar may be more plentiful. Many home demonstration agents have 1 already substituted syrups successful | " fni sugar in their recipes for canning and preserving. Very satisfactory re I suits may be secured if when one pound | of sugar is called for in a recipe two | thirds of pound of corn syrup is used
 and cne- third of a pound of sugar. l Where sorghum and cane syrups are used without first clarifying the syrups l the product will be darker These syrups also imrart a flavor which destroys the natural fruit flavor, so the addition of spices to the recipes is sometimes ad- visible. Honey has been used success l fully with cherries and peaches; in such cases the amount of liquid called for in | the syrup is reduced one-quarter cup ! for each cur of honey.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-15
Household Accounting

Two methods of keeping simple household farm accounts are described in a new publication from the United states department of agriculture en- titled Farm Household Accounts Farmers Bulletin 964. The suggestions contained in 1t should be very heipfui to women who are endeavoring to Keep ,onoe record of the varying in,one anu |outgo Of food supplies and especially to those who wish to keep track or household expenses as related to farm business
 One method given is to record the urchases or money paid out witnous classifying the expenditures ana the othcs is to classify when he record IS made. Both ways are practicai ana gre intended to suggest how housanoli ac- counts may be kept rather than To out line any hard and. fast systcin fer all families to follow.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-15
Meal Not Communicated

The Senate agricultural subcommi.- tee considering the emergency agricul- turai bill rejected by unanifAous vote an amendment proposed by Senator Fall of New Mexico authorizing the govern ment to commander cotton seed meal Under its provisions the government would pay the owner 334 ton for tho meal. which would be sold to cat tie raisers at a 10 per cent increase in order to cover the costs of handling Gotten seed meal, according to mem bers of the subcommittee. now sells for between $45 and $50 ton
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-15
Fairs Teach Conservation

County home demonstration agents are making it possible for many com munity fairs to serve as real conserva-
 them. In some cases special buildings have been provided for women's work. which not only house the exhibits pre- pared by the women in the community but afford places where modern house. hold equipment and labor savers are shown and where demonstrations are given. At many of these local fairs the agent arranged for demonstrations in canning and drying. in making bread. cheese, butter. and soap. h dressmak-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-15
Women Save Cotton

Ten white women of Ringgold. Ia. went into the cotton fields near that town. chopped r acres of cotton ann turned over the money to the Red Cross. Community women's organizations In Georgia have asked that the opening of schools be deferred so that children may help pic;s the cotton crop endangered by the scarcity of farm help. These in- stances or the part women and children are taking in handling the souths pig crop were described at the department of agricuisufe's recent farm labor con ference in Birmingham.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-15

i, all kinds of needlework, together with
 such exhibits as painting. metal work,
 raffia and reed basket work, pottery,
 painted china and handmade jewelry.
 The school and club department in
 cludes all exhibits from organizations in
 the community which wish to bring the
 results of their work before the com
 munity in this way.
 The historical relics department in- cludes firearms. swords, caps and other
 war relics, old looms, spinning wheels,
 and articles produced on them, old pic
 lures, drawings. documents, Indian relics,
 family relics. geological specimens, and
 objects of interest from other lands
 RIBBONS FOR PRIZES
 Experience has proved that the award ing of money prizes not only makes the
 cost of a fair prohibitive but, by plac- ing the emphasis on money instead ci on the honor of achievement, defeats the purpose of the fair. The best results have been obtained where ribbons have been awarded, the color of the ribbon denot- ing the grade of the prize. If money is available for printing the ribbons, eacf
 one should be so printed as to show the occasion, place and date. Awards should be made on the basis, of the excellence of the exhibit, and no premium should be awarded to a poor exhibit. According lly. for the information of exhibitors, t Is well to publish for each class Of ex hibits the requirements that are to be considered by the judges in awarding premiums.
 The managements of county fairs arc beginning to realize the value Of the community exhibit as factor in making the county fair serve it's purpose as ar agricultural exhibition. Liberal premiums have been offered for these community exhibits either in cash or in such 1orn as to be of community use. as. Tor ex. , ample, reference books on agriculture subjects to be kept in the community H. brary. n watering trough conveniently located, or drinking fountain One
 state has recently passed law provid- ing for the holding of community fairs and appropriating money for the pur. pose of packing community exhibits ano transporting them to the larger fairs. EXHIBITS IN ONE COUNTY An interesting county fair made up oi | 72 community exhibits, was recently he.a | in a county in the middle west. There were no races or sideshows. The lo'oV | peopIe in attendance spent their tune Io' | two days in visiting and inspecting tn' exhibits and in wholesome Secreatioi under the supervision of an expert rec l reational director from neignporlht city. The exhibits, occupying Tn al | .ho,,t 15OOO square feet of floor space and 55 GOO square feet of wall space, were
 housed in vacant buildings on the pus' ness street and in tents. Each commun. | ity had it's booths, and the several com munities vied with each other III makint attractive exhibits of the prooucts oi 'i'' farm, home and school
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-15
Proper Utensils

Do not use galvanized utensils in making preserves. jellies, or fruit juices. the bureau of chemistry of the United States department of agricul- ture advises. Some of the zinc with which the vessels are galvanized may be changed to salts of zinc, which will give the product an acrid and astrin- gent taste and render 1t unsuitable for human use. Moreover, the dissolving of this zinc coating tends to ruin the container. The use of galvanized uten- sils for boiling down fruit juice Is es- pecially risky.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-15
Fifty-Fifty Popovers

We miss our white bread. so nay hus- band bought some rye flour l had never used such flour. but went to work and produced 'ffty-ffty'' pop-overs Try them and let us know how you like them for a change. Use 1 cup sour milk. teaspoon soda. teaspoon salt. table spoons melted lard. 1 tablespoon kare syrup. egg. Equal parts cornmeal and rye flour to make stiff dough. Drop ir hot gem pans. bake and serve hots- Sibylia T. Judy.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-15

John Jones basket of potatoes takes
 the blue ribbon at the fair, and imme-
 diately every farmer in the community
 secretly plans to take that prize away
 from Jones next year. And Jones, sec
 ing Jim Browns winning corn, resolves that next time he will add that premium to his other trophies.
 And so on down the line of all ex-
 hibits, the community fair fosters the sfiirh of friendly rivalry. It calls not o.,ly for the exhibition of the best prod ucts that have been grown and the best work that has been done. but it includes as well games, athletic contests, pageants and other features which bring the men and women and the boys and girls together for wholesome recreation. The first step toward holding a com munity fair is to interest the leaders of the community: the second is to call q meeting of the whole community to elect officers and appoint committees to have charge of the work The fair should be well advertised, and effort should be made to secure exhibits from as many persons as possible, rather than to se- cure exhibits of exceptional quality. For premiums ribbons are usually awarded rather than cash payments. As most of the preparation for the fair is made by volunteer workers, the small amount of money required for incidental expenses can be raised by subscription or by the sale of advertising space in the cat alogue or on the programme There should be no entry fees or admission 1 charge.
 GROUPING THE EXHIBITS l While 1t is to be expected that the ex- hibits at a community fair will receive l special attention for the purpose of ex- | hibition. nevertheless they should reps | resent as nearly as possible the normal production of the community, for one | Of the purposes of holding community | lair is to stimulate desire to increase 1 the quantity and to improve the quality | of the average product. Freak exhibits l of all kinds are to be avoided
 1 Personal solicitation has been found to | he the most effective means of induc- | Ing people to make exhibits Each ex- ! hibitor should realize that he Is in com petition only with other members or the community, and that it will not be pos
 sibe for some stranger to take all the prizes.
 Satisfactory results are usually ob- l tained in community fairs by grouping certain classes of exhibits. Thus, in the | live stock department horses, cattle | swine, poultry and pets are exhibited In the farm products department are | shown different varieties of grains and l seeds. grasses and forage crops, neid beans and peas peanuts and potatoes together with dairy products and pee nroducts. The orchard and garden de- nartments includes such exhibits as fruits and vegetables, ornamental scruppery
 and flowers
 The woman's work and fine arts depart, ment includes prepared foods, canned 2 goods, jelles, preserves and pickles. anu
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-15

The following are some of the best recipes used by the agents:
 Two pounds peaches, one-half cup peach juice, one-half teaspoon allspice, one cup corn syrup, one cup sugar, two teaspoons broken stick cinnamon, one teaspoon cloves, one inch ginger root.
 Tie spices in cheesecloth bag and cook all together until bright and clear. Pack into hot jars and seal at once.
 Take one quart of apple pulp. from which the juice has been extracted for jelly making, and cook it with one cup of corn syrup until the mass brightens. Pack while hot in hot jars and seal at once.
 GRAPE PASTE
 Add one cup corn syrup to two cups grape pulp from which the juice has been extracted for jelly making and the seeds have been removed by a sieve. Cook to- gether until the mass is rather dry, then turn out on an oiled surface and place where a current of air will pass over it.. Dry for two or three days. Cut in.o squares or roll and slice. Pack in glass jars, tin boxes or affn-covered con- tainers.
 Apple paste hay be made in the same way.
 HONEY IN PLACE OF SUGAR
 The simplest way of using honey is to serve 1t like jam or syrup with bread, breakfast cereals, boiled rice. pancakes, and other mild-flavored foods. As ordi- narily used on bread, an ounce of honey spreads" as many slices as an ounce of jam. When it is to be used in the place of syrup some people dilute it by mixing it with hot water, which has the effect of making it not only less sweet but also easier to pour.
 Honey or a mixture of honey and sugar syrup can be satisfactorily used TOT sweetening lemonade and other fruit drinks Syrup of any kind is more con venient for this purpose than undissoived sugar, and when charged water IS 10 be added it has a further advantage' since it has less tendency to expel the gas. It is the custom of many house wives to keep syrup for this purpose particularly in hot weather. and variety can be secured by occasionally using honey. The fact that honey consists principal ly of sugar and water, and IS slightly acid suggests that it is suitable SUD- stitute for molasses in cookery. AS matter of fact, it can be used Tn tnt place of molasses in all forms of breads muffins and cakes, and makes a more delicately. favored product. It contain; less acid than molasses, however, and s' requires less soda when it is substi' tuted for malosses in recipes which do no include sour milk or other acid. WHY SUGAR IS SHORT There is a greater shortage of both thu sugar cane and sugar beet crops thar was expected in the early part of thu season. At no time since the beginning of the war has there been norma output of sugar because of the devasta tion of foreign sugar beet fields, Ther' has been serious loss of sugar at ses due to the submarine warfare Th' government requires generous suppl. to meet the needs of the men in the serv ice.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-15
Another Good War Bread

and pour over cups of boiling water. ? cups of cooked rice. When cool add 1 cake of yeast dissolved in lukewarin water. Add 1 tablespoon molasses to take the place of sugar. Let rise over night. When ready to Atiffen add ta- piesoon lard. and salt to suit the taste. Stiffen with wheat flour Let rise and put Into the pans. and when ready, bake in moderate oven. This makes six larte-sied loaves.- .-Hmma Mccormick.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-08-15
Good Cucumber Pickles

Pick cucumbers when 2x inches long.
 leaving stem on. Wash and put down tr
 pickle made by mixing 1 gallon vinegar. l cup salt 1 cup sugar. 1 cup ground mustard. Stir up from the bottom each
 time more pickles are added and keep weighed down with plate. Will be ready to use in about three weeks.-Mrs. Charles Mitchell