A PROGRAM 283 



small grains and tilled crops, care should be taken to avoid 

 undue encroachment on the area used for pasturage or hay 

 which is required for live-stock production. 



Authority should be granted the Secretary of Agriculture to 

 advance to farmers under proper safeguards seeds required to 

 insure the production of crops decided to be necessary for the 

 welfare of the nation. 



THE SCHOOL CHILDREN'S PART 



We appeal to the youth of the nation to put forth every 

 effort to produce foodstuffs in gardens and fields. There 

 could be no better expression of true patriotic devotion to the 

 country. It has been demonstrated through the boys' and 

 girls' clubs that it is possible for the farm family to supply itself 

 with much of the food required, thereby releasing the commer- 

 cial product of the country for the needs of the neople in the 

 cities and in foreign lands. 



In a normal season it is certain that there will be large quan- 

 tities of perishable products which can not be properly pre- 

 served in the home. To meet this emergency it is recom- 

 mended that local and municipal drying and canning establish- 

 ments be improvised to conserve this material. 



KEEPING UP THE MEAT SUPPLY 



The live-stock holdings of the farmers of the United States 

 are already too low. It would be most unfortunate if these 

 numbers were diminished further under the pressure of the 

 present demand for food. Indeed, an early increase of the 

 animal products of the country should be made. Such an in- 

 crease must come chiefly through the enlarging of our feed 

 supply by more successful methods of feeding, and through more 

 complete control of contagious diseases. 



Milk production could be increased fully one-fourth by more 

 liberal and intelligent feeding. Pork production could be in- 

 creased substantially through the more extensive use of fall 

 litters, better care, and feeding. The poultry products of the 

 United States could be doubled within a year. 



