The Mena weekly star., 1919-03-06

@Eew much food for the family should the southern farm produce ?"
 Sufficient to supply adequately the needs of the family turnout the year so as to minimize the purchases of foodstutfs,s urges the United States Department of Agriculture in pub lication just issued, Farmers Bulletin 1915, Producing Family and Farm Supplies on the Cotton Farm"
 To reduce the traditional discrep- ancy between the family food pro- duction and consumption of the aver age cotton farm and to develop self sufiiciency of nome grown rations, nee essitates q radical change in the crop ping system of the southern farmer. It involves big opportunity for the all-eotton man to rid himself perman- ently of the bonds of the advance 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, consequent on middlemen prifts.
 Southern farmers are urged to raise more vegetables and fruits on their farms for family use. Favored with a long growing season and plen- ty of rainfall, gardening in this reg ion is an easy and certain means of decreasing the annual ''eanned goods" bill. One group of 35 town families which became interested in vegeta- ble raising as a means of self-defense against high living costs, raised an average of approximately $50 worth of food per family on gardens rang ing in size from 300 to 499 square yards. The average cash outlay foi these gardens was: Labor $151, seeds s1.5l; and fertilizer 52c; 9 total cost of S354.
 Food From Small Plots.
 One man on three-quarters of an acre recently raised for his family of four persons II kinds of vegetables, to the value of $9720, at a cash out lay of s5 for preparation and $2 for seeds. Another man grew $S7.90 worth of vegetables on l4 acres at an expense Of s7.20. Forty-two quarts of this produce was canned. while S2S worth was sold, the balance being consumed by the family.
 For a farm family of five adults, the Federal Department of Agricul- ture recommends a garden of 1is acres. containing about two-thirds of an acre of vegetables as well as one half acre of late sweet potatoes and enc third-aere of late white potatoes. pne-haif an acre of fruit to consist of the common fruits and berries adaptd to this latitude, is also sug- gested.
 The corn meal and wheat flour 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 6l gallons of sirup for the use of five farm adults.
 Two cows that will produce an av- craze of two gallons of milk apiece daily for ten months, which should be bred to freshen about months apart will provide the milk, butter and cot. tage cheese rations, in addition to raising q couple of calves each year which may be sold for veal or maturec as future recruits for the dairy pro ducts squad. In one southern com. munity a beef club of fifteen farmers has been formed Each member oi the club agrees to grow, fatten anC dress at least one beef animal every fifteen months for distribution among the members of the club This simpl, scheme provides an abundant supply of fresh beef at times when 1t i needed.
 
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