Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1918-11-21
SURPLUS FRUITS
and VEGETABLES
Much Canning Done by Volunteer
Women Workers of the De-
partment Of Agriculture.
CREDIT GIVEN MRS. HOUSTON
Wife Of Secretary Planned That Prod
ucts Be Utilized In New and Pa
trlotic Manner-Donated 70
Walter Reed Hospital.


Twenty-Five hundred and fifty quarts
Of canned vegetables, preserves and
jellies to tempt the appetites Of our
wounded boys In the Walter Reed hos
pital in Washington, as well as hum
dreds Of bushels OF fresh fruit and
vegetables, is the result Of a summer
of unceasing activity by women Of the
department of agriculture interested in
this work.
At the Arlington farm, where is car
ried on governmental experimentation
with fruits and vegetables, there has
been necessarily much waste product
in previous years. In order that accu-
rate observations during their entire
season might be made by the plant
specialists large share Of the fruits
and vegetables grown there Ind to be
allowed to come to full maturity on
the plants. Thus to a large extent the
FARMS products were too ripe to be
marketed when their value to the SCI
enlist was at an end.
How Project Started.
To Mrs. David F. Houston, wife Of
the secretary of agriculture, is due the
credit for these products being utilized
in new and patriotic way this year.
The Walter Reed hospital, filed with
our wounded from overseas, was to be,
If 1t could be managed, the recipient Of
all the surplus fruit and vegetables Of
the Arlington farm. Mrs. Houston
planned TINT all of the products which
were in prime condition and which
could be used ut once by the commits
sary department of the hospital should
be sent there directly. The surplus
was to be made by volunteers into
home dainties for the boys.
When it is realized that the lieuten-
ant in charge Of the commissary must
provide food for each soldier. wounded
or sick, alta maximum cost of so cents
a day, the exceeding value of these
preserves and jellies to the diet of
the invalids there may be better ap-
preciated. Perhaps no other one thing
which has been done for the hospital
has been SO much appreciated by the
boys themselves as this food. which
as they said, "tasted like home and
mother" sent through the untiring
work Of these women connected with
the department Of agriculture:
Girls Picked Ripe Products.
All the work was done through eff.
Client committees, One Of these was
composed Of girl workers from the de.
partment, who went out after work tc
the farms and did the picking when.
ever their chairman was notified that
the harvest was ready" As is quite
usual with crops, those grown by the
government did not accommodate
themselves to a regular schedule but
fluctuated from none ON some days tt
an amount that taxed every recruit t
the utmost at other times.
The War Relief association Of thu
department of agriculture supplied
help in the kitchen and for cans o.
supplies. However, large part Of thu
cans and spices were donated by thos'
interested In the work.
The recipes used were all home ones
although the work, especially the lat
ter part Of the summer, had to be don't
on commercial scale because Of th,
quantity Of fruit and vegetables await
able. Mrs. Houston and Miss Florenc'
e. Ward Of the states relations service
chairman Of the committee. lttl