424 
DIGESTIVE ORGANS AND FOOD 
our 18 pounds per person each year, England used 65 pounds 
and Canada 57 pounds.” 
We should not only eat more fish but study the conditions 
under which fish live in order that fish may become more 
abundant in our fresh-water streams and lakes. Fish freshly 
caught is one of the food delicacies. Many of our fresh¬ 
water lakes and ponds could be made to supply an abundance 
of fish food if some intelligent care were taken to supply 
these ponds with the varieties best adapted to live in them. 
Perch, pike, bass, and bullheads have a wide range of adap¬ 
tation and will thrive in most of our fresh-water ponds. We 
have not as yet begun to utilize properly the larger streams 
of our country which can be made to support a great number 
of food-fish if the water in them is reasonably pure. Where 
the streams are utilized to carry away the sewage of cities 
and towns, the water becomes so polluted that fish cannot 
live in it. 
2. Improving the Varieties of Animals and Plants. — If one 
compares the domesticated animals and plants in common 
use 20 years ago with those of to-day, many improvements 
are easily noted. These are due to a large number of experi¬ 
ments that have been carried on largely by the United States 
Department of Agriculture and the many state experiment 
stations. Here new varieties are tested and old varieties 
improved for the benefit of man. The net result of all these 
experiments has been to increase greatly the usefulness of 
our many domesticated animals and plants. The up-to-date 
farmer is thoroughly familiar with the latest discoveries 
in this field and often pays high prices for improved seed 
in order that he may obtain a larger yield. By keeping in 
touch with such improvements, the farmers have greatly 
increased the total food supply. 
3. War Gardens. — This is a garden in a back lot or other 
hithertofwaste land that is being used for the purpose of 
increasing food production. In addition to the large number 
