The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1919-02-14
FAMILY FOOD
FROM FARMS IN
SOUTHERN STATES
Department Of Agriculture Gives Idea
Of What Food Stuifs Should Be
Grown on Southern Farms.

How much food for the family
should the southern farm producer"
Sufficient to supply adequately the
needs Of the family throughout the
year, 80 as to minimize the purchases
of foodstuffs"; urges the United States
Department of Agriculture In a pub
location just issued, Farmers Bulletin
1015, Producing Family and Farm
Supplies on the Cotton Farm"
To reduce the traditional discrep-
ancy between the family food produc-
ton and consumption of the average
cotton farm and to develop self-suf-
ficiency Of homegrown rations, ne
cessitates radical change in the
cropping system of the southern
farmer. It involves a big opportunity
for the all-cotton man to rid himself
permanently Of the bonds. Of the adj
vance credit system which heretofore
has favored the importation of his
bean, bacon and bread supplies from
the northern and western States at
prices, often unreasonable, conse-
quent on middlemen profits.
Southern farmers are urged to raise
more vegetables and fruits on their
farms for family use. Favored with
long growing season and plenty of
rainfall, gardening in this region is an
easy and certain means and OF de-
creasing the annual canned goods"
bill. One group of IS town families
which became interested in vegetable
raising as means of seif-defense
against high living costs, raised an
average Of approximately $50 worth of
food per family on gardens ranging in
size from 300 to 499 square yards. The
average cash outlay for these gardens
was: Labor, $1.51; seeds, $1.51; and
fertilizer, &c; total cost Of 1884.
One man on three-quarters Of an
acrde recently raised for his family OF
four persons II kinds of vegetables, to
the value Of 1920 at a cash outlay of
SIS for preparation and 81 for seeds
man grew $3.50 worth of
vegetables on IN acres at an expense
of 1920. Forty-two quarts Of this pro-
duce was canned, while $2S worth was
sold, the balance being consumed by
the family.
For farm family of five adults, the
Federal Department of Agriculture
recommends garden of ~ acres,
containing about two-thirds of an
acre Of vegetables as we'll as one-half
acre Of late sweet potatoes and one
third acre Of late white potatoes. One
half an acre of fruit to consist of the
common fruits and berries adapted
to this latitude, is also suggested
The corn meal and wheat -four sup
plies for the average farm family
should be home-raised from one acre
of corn and three acres of wheat,
while one-half an acre of sugar cane
or sorghum will yield the essential 81 |
gallons of strip for the use of five
farm adults. II
Two cows that will produce an av-
erage Of two gallons of milk apiece
daily for ten months, which should be
bred to freshen about six months
apart, will provide the milk, butter,
and cottage cheese rations, in addi-
ton to raising couple of calves each |
year which may be sold for veal or
matured as future recruits for the
dairy products squad. In one south
ern community a beef club of fifteen
farmers has been formed. Each men,
Der Of the club agrees to grow, fatten
-