davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-07
Get Busy, Boys

Willie Johnston, a member Of several of the boys agricultural clubs in Coal county, Okla, has made enough money for his mother. since his fathers death, to buy farm. At the same time he has been helping other boys of his neigh borhood to grow better crops. Maybe there is lesson in Willie Johnston's ex- perience for other boys-whether on the farm or in town-who would like to en- roll in club work. Ask your county agent, the state agricultural college. or the. United States department of agricul- ture, to tell you how you can enlist in such service and make money.
 In the fall of 19l5 when his father died, Willie was left to support his mother and five younger sisters. The family was farming rented land and had no money with which to buy home. Willie was 14 years old. Early in 1915, w. T. Yoakum, the county agent, had enrolled him in the corn club. and that year he won a prize at the county fair. During 1917 Willie has been a member of each of the following clubs Corn. cotton, kafir, peanut and pig. For the last three years he has won prizes on corn at the county fair.
 While this boy has been taking the lead in club work, he has been busy working for his mother. This year he farmed 112 acres of rented land. and grew 20 bales of cotton on part of 1t. Now the family lives in a home of their own, on 80 acres of land. This farm is well stocked and they have money in the bank after paying for it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-07
More Crops--More Pigs

All practical southern gardeners are aware of the possibilities of rich, we'll prepared southrn soil for producing two or even three crops year. While in tensiye methods are advisable and most profitable at all times, they are emil nently so in the present war crisis. Few crops are more easily raised than Irish potatoes, and few are surer to make good. The spud should be leader in every American garden this year. If planted in February in the south the crop will mature by June 15, when 1t can be dug and the same ground de- voted to lima beans. blackeye peas or late corn. If desired, an earlier crop of corn can be raised between the rows of potatoes without detriment to the latter. The corn should be planted after the potatoes are well up and growing. In August or September turnips can be sown on the same ground.
 Diyerging from the production ot corn, peas and potatoes, let us consider for a moment the production of more pigs. More and better pigs"-the best pigs possible, in fact. for quick growth and rapid maturity should be popular slogan for the southern farmer this year. It is absolutely necessary that the south should keep up her pork crop. More sows should be bred and bred carly, Save all the best for brood sows and augment the short supply of meat by big pig crop. They give quicker results than any other meat animal and, in conjunction with big peanut. sweet potato and stock pea crops, the south ern farmer can pull off pork stunt that will be one of our greatest war assets.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-07
VALUE OF CANADIANFIELDPEA

The field pea, sometimes known as the Canadian field pea, deserves even wider use than has been given It. according to a recent farmers bulletin, ''The Field Pea as a Forage Crop" published by the United States department of agriculture.
 Since the field pea requires cool tenn perature during it's growth it is well adapted for spring and summer growth in the northern portion of the United States and in the comparatively high all titudes of the Rocky mountain region. and for winter growth in the lower south. It is useful on the farm as TO- tation crop for hay, grain, silage or green manure. and the peas may be used in the green state as vegetable like garden peas.
 In the north the field pea may be plant ed very early in the spring-even in northern Michigan, Minnesota and Wis consn. in late April or early May. In the extreme south it may be planted in November, and in the latitude of North Carolina in February.
 The rate of seeding varies with the size of the seed of the different varieties from 11s bushels for the smallest to 3h bushels for the largest when broadcasted. When sowed with oats the proportion of peas to oats should be two-thirds or one-half. The field pea is best sown with a grain drill. fs .ea
 Inocula tion Is necessary for field peas unless they are grown in ground in which bacteria are already present. In moving the vines. attachments should be used on the mowers which will raise the tangled plants from the ground and prevent clogging the cutter-bar. Peas may be threshed in an ordinary grain separator with most of the teeth removed from the concaves and the speed of the cylinder reduced. 7s
 The vines should be cut for seed when the pods are fully mature and the peas
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-07
Loan Associations

Though many farm loan associations are being formed under the federal tarm loan act, theresis still good deal Of doubt as to how to proceed. For this reason the department of agriculture is passing on the following statement from the government at Washington:
 Any 10 farmers--menr farming their own land-can form an association if the total of their loans exceeds $20,00o, provided always that each loan is not less than $100 nor more than $10,0O0. The federal land banks are ready to send to anyone who wishes to form an association the necessary papers One set Of papers will be completely filled out with fictitious names Sd that there Will be no possibility of making mis- takes if it is followed. The process of forming an association consists of sign ing the articles of association by 10 farmers, together with the signing of individual applications for each of their loans. Each farmer. however, must subscribe for stock in the association Tn an amount equal to per cent of his loan. Moreover the secretary treasurer of the association and the loan committee must fill out other blanks, but the papers will indicate the requirements with regard to these. The first thing to do is to get the necessary papers from the federal land bank ol the district For Alabama the bank ii in Atlanta & 4f
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-07

To cooperate effectively in the farm labor problem with the United States department of labor, state councils of defense, state commissioners of .agri- culture and labor, and other official state aud local agencies concerned with supplying needed farm labor, the de- partment of agriculture has divided thes country into four farm labor di- visions: |. New England and northeast ern states. 3. Southern states. ,. North central states. 4. Western states.
 Each of these divisions is in charge of a representative of the department of agriculture, known as & supervising farm help specialist, who supervises the work of the departments farm help specialists assigned to the farm labor work in single states or two or more adjoining states These farm help spe- cialists will cooperate directly with state agencies, central and local em- ployment agencies of the United States department of labor and with the county agents and community farm help committees which will be charged directly with meeting labor needs in thcir specific localities.
 The farm help specialists through preliminary labor surveys will endeavor
 
 needs for extra labor in each commit nifty. They will work with state and local agencies to supply labor deficien- cies from local supplies if possible. or from the nearest point where labor can be secured outside the community in need of assistance. All local sources of labor first will be drawn upon and only when the fullest possible utiliza- ton of local labor proves inadequate. will labor be brought in from outside. In cases of necessity, however, through the department of agriculture and the department of labor, arrangements will be made for interstate movement of help, in which the department of labor will cooperate in obtaining extra labor for farm purposes from the populous communities.
 It is pointed out that the farmer in need of labor should proceed as fol- lows: He should report his need to his county agent or to q member of the community farm help committee. If possible, his need will be supplied from lists of men available in the county. If local labor is inadequate. the county agent or cimmittee will report to the state farm labor specialist, who, in CO., operation with the state officials, will draw on the nearest available labor within the state. ff
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-07
Co-Operative Creameries

Farmers in Minnesota make from S7 to Sl5 year more per COW by selling their butter fat to a good co- operative creamery than by ship ping to centralized plants, says A. J. Mcclure of the Minnesota college of agriculture. The average price paid for butterfat by the best co-opera- tive creameries from March, 1916, to March, 1917, was 40.09 cents a pound, compared to 32.3 cents pound paid by the centralizers. Even the poorest cooperative creameries did better than the centralized creameries. Co., operative creameries are so numer- ous in Minnesota that the centralizers cannot do as they do In Nebraska raise the. price in an attempt to kill competition and then make it up in communities where there are no CO., operative creameries.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-07

Much discussion arises from time to time as to laws in different cities which regulate the milk supplies for the con- suming public.
 A study of the milk ordinances of many cities, large and small, shows a great diversity of opinion among law makers and their advisers as to what constitutes a proper milk ordinance. A great lack of uniformity among laws, some of which are entirely out of date, has been noted Many of them seem to be transcripts of ordinances in force in other cities, placed in the municipal series of laws without regard to local conditions. and some con- tain provisions which are unnecessary and unreasonable. and cannot be en- forced. Bulletin 5S5 of the department of agriculture suggests a form of ordinance which. 1t is believed, will prove to be satisfactory framework upon which the average town or city can build a fin ished. practicable law that, properly en- forced, will improve the average milk supply and work toward a desired uni- forrlity of food laws.
 MIX laws should meet local conditions. Ordinances governing the dairy industry must be prepared with care and be en- forcible. Officials of the United States department of agriculture say that it "ouid not pc Wise 10 attempt to draft a milk ordinance, with it's standards, grades and requirements, without spe- ,clai study of the local dairy and milk conditions as well as the purposes of such an ordinance. One of the most im- portant considerations must be the req condolences of the law. A law which works an unnecessary hardship on a legitimate industry is not reasonable, and a law so stringent that it cannot readily be enforced will defeat it's own ends.
 In strict sense it is impossible to frame one milk ordinance that will be suitable for all communities The bureau of anil maj. industry and the bureau of chem istry of the department, however, re- spending. to a constant demand by mu- nicipal authorities for some form of mlll- ordinance that will best meet the re- quirements and which can be used as a guide. have prepared form which it is
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-07
Smyrna Figs for South

nat IL may be possible within a. year or two to grow perfect smyrna figs-the superior imported type-in many loca1i- ties of the south, is the conclusion of the United States department of agricul- ture specialists based upon recent in- vestigations. Developments this season. it IS said. indicate not only that such an industry can be established, but have snoWn that an unexpected condition ex- ists: That Smyrna fig trees, some of large size, already are growing in the south. They have not borne fruit because the fertilizing insect, blastophaga, has not been present. The insect was in- U toduced' from California in one section thls year and apparently has established itself.
 Ever since the successful establishment of the capri fig fertilizing insect in Cal ifornia and the production of consider able quantities of Smyrna figs on the west coast, it has been the hope of many people in the south and the, depart. ment Of agriculture to establish a sim liar industry in the gulf states As many people in the south know, there are in number of towns and villages large fig trees which are sterile. Recent in- vestigations by c. P. Rixford of the fed eral bureau of plant industry, and Sooi 50 IT, AhutTeli, nOftlculLur1St or the Southern railway, have shown that many or these sterile trees are, in reality smyrna trees which have not borne fruit owing to the absence of the particular insect necessary to fertilize the flowers. Both male-called capri trees-and female smyrna fig trees, are present.
 With the cooperation of Mrs. l.. M Russell, a grower at Brunswick, Ga., number of the fertilizing insects were introduced from California last summer and apparently have become established on two large trees in that city. It Is believed that they will survive the com ing winter, in which case the necessary step to the production of Smyrna figs, in at least one locality in the south, will have been taken. Once production has beer, demonstrated it is believed the new field will be developed by plantings in
 many localities.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-07

firm. For hay they are cut earlier, when. most of the pods are we'll formed. When grown for hay, peas are usually planted with oats or some other grain crop.
 When intended for use in silos peas usually are planted with bald barley and has higher feeding value than corn ensilage. but should be fed in connec- tton with grain ration. It is espe- cially good for dairy cattle but also has given excellent results in fattening beef cattle and sheep. When peass are grown for green manure large-vined sort should be selected. The most favorable time for blowing under is when the lower pods are well filled. It should be re- manure crop Is profitable only in sections where sufficient soil moisture is pres ent to cause the quick decay of the vege- table matter turned under.
 Although peas are pastured in some regions, many farmers are discontinuing the practice because they consider it wasteful, and are harvesting all or a part of their crop and feeding 1t in a feed lot. The use of alfalfa or sweet clover pasture in connection with the feeding of field peas noticeably increases the rapidity with which animals gain in weight. St tS4
 The pea weevil is the most serious in- sect enemy of the field pea. Eggs are laid on the young pod and the larva. on matching, bores into the young pea. The insect may be combated by fumigat- ing the seed before planting. or where 1t has gained a strong foothold, by 3dis- continuing the growing of peas for sew eral years Powderly mildew and leaf spot or pea blight are the chief diseases of the field pea Rotation of crops is the best remedy if the diseases affect a considerable area Small areas may be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-07
Let Them Grow

Housewives can help the meat situa- ton by buying three-pound broilers and friers and refusing to use tsquab chick enS' weighing pound, one-half or less. Dressed poultry specialists of the United Sattes department of agriculture urge this as conservation measure. Serving nder-edeveloped or "squab chickens in hotels and restaurants and homes ia regarded as waste. for if kept tour weeks longer Including two weeks oi crate fleshing, such fowls would weigh about three pounds. Moreover, under proper feeding, chicken makes the ex- tra flesh largely from such by-products not ordinarily used for human food, such as but.ermilk, skim milk and low grade grains.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-07
When Will We Co-Operate

We are meeting with many illustrious examples of opportunity in the past, through the force of the necessity of war.
 We are told that we have to conserve food,that we have to take very great care of the conduct and the attitude which we asslifne toward one potato. In the Rio Grande valley of Texas, to say nothing of the northwest. could be raised enough good products to feed the war ring nations of Europe. Yet we do not take advantage of those great oppor- tunities.
 May not this war unlock the grea, storehouses of opportunity and may II not unlock something vastly more nec- essary to the continued advancement of our land. May 1t not unlock the tight minds of many people to see that by eos operation we all may have plenty. to see that by a proper system of produc- tivity, we may all be happy and that pauperism may be swept away from the earth as well as the misunderstandings of our people and the people yet to come.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-07
Cottage Cheese Salad

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 Nutritious salad makes good dish for a home luncheon. As they are rich in protein. cheese salads take the place of cold meat dishes. The following Is an inexpensive, nutritious cottage cheese salad:
 Mix thoroughly one pound of cheese. one and one-half tablespoonfuls of cream. one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and salt to taste. First fill rectangular tin mold with cold water. to chill and wet the surface After removing the water. line the bottom of the mold with waxed paper; then pack the cheese in three layers. putting two or three parallel strips of pimiento. lettuce leaf. of chopped nuts. between layers. Cover with waxed paper and set in a cool place until ready to serve; then run knife around the sides and invert the mold. Cut in slices and serve on lettuce leaves with French dressing and waters. Minced olives may be used instead of the pars- ley. and chopped nuts also may be added.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-07

believed would assist in bettering the milk supply
 A special feature of the ordinance is the grading of milk and cream, which is believed to be of paramount impor- tance. A great sanitary and economic question will be solved, 1t is asserted, if practical grading of milk, with the con- sequent grading or selling price, can be enforced. Three grades are considered Certified" grade A and grade B. Pas teurization Is compulsory for grade B. but optional for the others Community health departments must determine from their own experience the score and bac- teria1 count permitted for grades A and E, which represent the largest quantities of milk sold Grade A must be of such quality that there will be no question as to it's purity and safety. Grade can be of lower grade than A because pas teurlzation Is obligatory. No grade below that of Is recognized.
 Milk at 15 cents quart is as cheap source of protein as sirloin steak at 34 cents a pound or eggs at 419 cents dozen. Milk at the same price is as cheap a source of energy as sirloin steak at 21.2 cents a pound or eggs at 20 cents dozen. Portein and energy are two ia1- portant necessities for which we eat food. Milk contains the body building
  stances, such as lime and phosphorus needed to renew body wastes and pro- mote growth by forming new tissues and fluids, and it also supplies the energy for carrying on body functions.
 The average person in this country uses only little more than half pint of milk daily This quantity can be in- creased very profitably when safe milk Is available. Many persons think of milk only as beverage, but if they lin- derstood that 1t is in reality nourish- inS food they would increase the allow ance. Economy in the diet does not al- ways depend on limiting the use of cer- tain foods, but 1t Is sometimes a ques- ton of actually increasing the use of foods which furnish nutritive material at relatively low cost. Milk belongs to the latter class and the housewife would do we'll to study it's food value and decide whether her family is using as much as it should
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-07

One of the important measures urged
 by the department of agriculture to help
 meet the labor needs this year is the largest possible production and fullest use of farm labor-saving machinery. Tne department has actively interested itself in securing priority for raw materials used in the manufacture of farm imple- ments and also in securing favorable consideration at the hands of transporta- tion committees to provide facilities for moving the materials to the manufactur- CTS. and the completed products from the manufacturers to the distributors and also to the farmers. Both those deal- ing with priorities of materials and those dealing with priorities of transports tion have eyinced complete willingness to assist. This Is indicated by the fact that the priorities committee of the war industries board gave raw materials needed for farm implements 8 position of preference over all articles except those urgently required for military and naval purposes, and that the transpor- tation committee took steps to secure the prompt movement of the raw materials and of the manufactured articles
 The farm labor problem has present ed and continues to present. many diffi- culties, Secretary Houston said the other day. It is one of two or three subjects to which the department has given more thought than to any other, he said, not only since this country entered the war, but for many months prior to that time. There has been before the farmers the question of retaining a sufficient num- Der of year-round skilled laborers and also of meeting the urgent periods. Farmers in the neighborhood of cities, where there has been great redirection of labor and capital, and also where the cantonments and other special enter prises have been under way, have been greatly embarrassed, Secretary Houston said.
 Constructive effort, according to the secretary, is needed along several lines. which may be briefly stated as follows: A systematic survey of the farm labor situation to ascertain the possible needs of farmers and to determine ways of meeting them, the promotion of fuller CO., operation in the utilization of labor among farmers in the same community, the further development of machinery for assisting in the transfer of labor, mak- ing available labor which heretofore has not been fully regularly utilized, the of men for agricultural pur- poses as far as possible by replacing them with women. the largest possible production and the fullest use of farm machinery.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-07
Food Variety

We must have food to grow, to keep warm. and to work. Our food must be nutritious in that 1t, does all these things It is also important that it should taste good. It will not only be better rel ished, but 1t will be better utilized by the body if 1t does. Food will be more healthful, more palatable, and more nutritious if 1t Is varied. Variety may be secured by selecting for the daily diet something from each of the follow ing five groups of food: CD Fruits and vegetables. (2) Milk, meat. eggs, cheese, fish, peas. beans, and nuts. (3) Cereals. (Q Sweets, (5) Fats.