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About The Coos Bay times. (Marshfield, Or.) 1906-1957 | View Entire Issue (March 20, 1915)
ftBWiiW it Hiawtrtt mi4.lt,tii. HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION IN i Wl United States Department of Agriculture Special Page Bulletins and Special Articles Issued by the Government, of Interest to the Northwest; . .... i J !! T)..n1tV nf Pnrlnvnl 111 flCi IfTfl f I nine? 1?4- Suggestions Covering a Wide icungc ox iicuviuvb, ivi.au., xv.. M..t. , Uu. Government Finds No Fooo Shortage Likely THE Department of Agriculture has Issued tho following state ment: The 1911 wheat crop of tho United States was estimated to ho 891,000, 000 bushels. Tho estimated Biirplus carried over from tho 1913 crop was nbout 70,000,000 bushels. There was, therefore, a total nvnllnblo sup ply of 907,000,000 bushels. As tho normal annual per capita consump tion of wheat In tho United States is about 5.3 bushels, 520,000,000 bushels should meet our normal do mestic requirements for food; In ad dition, 90,000,000 bushels nro re quired annually for seeding. Six hun dred and ten million bushels, there fore, should supply tho normal do mestic demand. This would leave a surplus of 357, 000,000 bushels. Of this surplus about 210,000,000 bushels were ex ported by January 30. This left 147, 000,000, or 10,000,000 bushels more than our average annual export for tho past five years, for export be tween February 1 and tho nppcar nuco of tho new crop, or for carry ing over Into tho next crop year. Tho amount Is sufficient to permit tho export of nearly 1,000,000 bushels n day until July 1, boforo which tlmo tho new crop will begin to bo avail able. This Is about the average re cent exportation. Tho largo demand for our wheat arises from tho fact that there was an estimated world's shortage of over 400,000,000 bushels outsldo of tho United Stntes; from tho fact that tho Husslan exportable surplus of 100,000,000 bushels Is not avnilablo generally, and from tho fact that tho belligerent nntlons nro eager to sc curo food supplies. If It were not for theso things wo should bo discussing ways and means of disposing of our tremendous surplus of food products. As hns been stated, tho new Amer ican crop will begin to appear before July. Tho Argentine crop 13 now coming, on tho markot. It Is estimated that from Hint source there will bo nvnllnblo 100,000,000 bushels. A Kurplus of 75,000,000 bushels or moro from India will be avalloblo In May and June. Tho Incrcaso In tho Fall-sown wheat ncreago of the United States In 1914 was 11.1 per tent, or over 4,000,000 acres: in the Northern homlsphoro generally the acreage of Winter wheat shows an Increase of from 3 to 33 per cent, as follows: Denmark 3 I'er Cent Italy 5 I'or Cent .Switzerland 10 Per Cent United Kingdom 10 Per Cent United States 11 Per Cent India 22 Per Cent Canada 33 Per Cent Hut supposo a shortage in wheat bhould devolop In tho next three months, what would bo the sltuatlou? There Is n great surplus In other food crops In tho United States, a number of which can bo used as sub stitutes. Wheat does not constitute moro than 12 per cent of tho normnl dlot, about tho samo as poultry and oggs. Mont and dairy products con stitute 4S per cent, vegetables 11 por por cont, fruits, nuts, sugar, fish and other Items tho remaining 19 por cont. There nro larger supplies of corn and other grains, meat animals, dairy products, potatoes and fruit at tho opening of 1915 than for many years. Tho most Important compet ing products nro corn and potntoos. This Is shown by tho fact that whllo tho normal consumption of wheat is 5.3 bushels In Mnlno it Is only 4.7 bushels, and in Michigan flvo. In tho wheat-growing stntes whero wheat Is abundant, Bitch ns Minne sota, tho nverago Is 7.2, whereas In tho South, whore corn Is much used, the averngo Is four bushels. Nor mally about 3 per cent of tho corn crop Is consumed as food. Of our total crop about 80.000,000 bushels would ho used for food, tho remain der could bo used for foods and sub stitutes used for animals. Tho potato production In tho United States averages 3.8 bushels per capita. This year tho avnilablo Hiipply Is 4.1 bushels. Tho averago prlco of moat animals was 7 per cent cheaper In January than a year ago, huttor 2 per tent lower, tho prlco of chickens slightly lower, of potatoes 35 per cent lower, nnd of apples it was 37 per cent lower. It would seem that tho United States Is not likely to ho threatened with a shortngo of foodstuffs. Mixed Flour Bread Experiments BAKING experiments to test tho vnluo of making bread of potnto mcal mixed with wheat flour are now being undertaken by tho U. S. Department of Agriculture's nnrnnii nf Chemistry. This Is to test tho possibilities of tho potato In tho samo manner as Germany and Aus tria aro now advising their people to do. The increased cost of living thrnnclimit tho world has emphasized tho fact that flour made of other substances thnn wheat, or of these substances mixed with wheat, might provide people with healthful food quite as nutritious as tho puro wheat flour and at tho samo tlmo cheaper. Austrian bakers nro now compelled by law to uso at least 30 per cent potato-meal In making their bread. The Durcau of Chemistry's potato meal bread has been baked with from 25 to 50 per cent potato-meal and tho remaining perccntago wheat. Tho most satisfactory loaves In com bining economy and appearance were those made with tho minimum per ccntago nllowcd In Austria or less. Tho loaves mado with moro than 30 per cent potato-meal were not so satisfactory, as thoy were heavier and less nttractlvo In form. Tho bread has a rather coarso texture and dark appearance, but possesses a distinc tive nnd agreeablo flavor. It also re tains molsturo for n much longer period than ordinary wheat bread. Potato Flake. The Bureau of Chemistry used tho Imported "potato flako" in somo of Its experiments and In others mcnl mado by slicing, milling and drying potatoes on a small scale In Its labor atories. It should bo added that such ordinary "potato flour" as Is on our American mnrkets Is not tho samo as tho German "potato flako" or Walz mchl which has given such satisfac tory results In tho experiments. The question hns been raised as to whether tho ordinary cooked potato might not bo satisfactorily substitut ed for tho prepared potato-meal. Tho experimenters bcllcvo that It might servo the samo purpose if used in just Uiq right proportion, but this would bo difficult for tho averago housowlfo to determine, ns thcro is great danger of using too much and producing a very soggy loaf. How ever, tho custom of adding a very llttlo potato Is already used by many housekeepers to keep their bread moist and this practlco can very well bo recommended for more general uso. IJanann and Chestnut Dread. Dried bannnns, rlpo and unripe, nnd chestnuts aro other substitutes for wheat flour with which experi ments nro being mnde by tho bu reau of chemistry. Still other prod ucts which offer promlso of furnish ing tho public with a cheap and nu tritious bread aro tho following: nrnn, soy bean, white bean, millet, kaflr, mllo, dashcen, cottonseed flour, ontmcnl, cassava, buckwheat, rye, corn gluten, kaoliang, rlco (polished nnd nntural), peas, potato (IrlBh and sweet), corn moal (whlto and yel low). Tho breads mado from theso vari ous Ingredients have already been photographed and analyzed. Tho flours from which tho breads wero mado aro being nnalyzed that It may bo known exactly how nutritious they nro in comparison with tho pure wheat flour. Tho soy benn nnd cot tonseed flours, when mixed with wheat flours In proper proportions (about 25 per cont), glvo a bread with about twlco tho amount of pro tein (musclo-bulldlng element) that ordinary wheat bread contains. Irfiw Makes Mixed Flour Unpopular. Tho bureau of chemistry Is making theso experiments In splto of tho fact that thcro is a law which makes It difficult for manufacturers to mnko mixed flour satisfactorily. This law surrounds tho manufacture of mixed flour with so mnny restrictions that tho business has not become a popular ono. The result Is there is vory llttlo mixed flour nt present manufactured and offered for sale. The mixed flour act was passed In 1898 before thcro was a fooil and drugs act, and wns passed for tho tho purposo of raising a war revenue at a tlmo when many of the common articles of food did not command so high a prlco as now. Tho tax of 4 cents which Is now Imposed on every barrel of mixed flour Is not In itself a heavy ono; it is tho collection of It with tho attend ant regulations and restrictions that hamper any manufacturer who would llko to make such flours. It should bo stated In connection with tho mixing of other matorials with wheat flour in making brend that this cannot always bo dono eco nomically. There must bo taken Into consideration tho prevailing market prices of tho commodities to bo UBcd. This nrtlclo Is written primarily for tho purposo of bringing to tho attention of tho public tho fact that In order to obtain good, nutritious nnd wholcsomo bread it Is not ncc essary to uso an entirely wheat flour. A mixture will In many cases produce a bread which Is quite as satisfactory. With this a matter of common knowledge, It Is believed In times of over-production and tho consequent favorablo m'arket prices of substances sultablo for mixing with wheat flour that bakers may wish to experiment with certain mixtures. Caro Bhould bo taken, however, in marketing or soiling of bread to which hns been ndded In appreciable nmount nny Ingredient other thnn wheat, that no .deception Is practiced and that tho consumers aro awnro of tho kind of bicad being furnished them. Use Cactus Solution in Arsenical Sprays AN ENTOMOLOGIST of tho De partment of Agriculture, who had seen Mexicans add cactus to whitewash In order to mnko It. stick to boards, derived from this tho idea that cactus solution would make ar senical sprays for killing Insects ad here to plants nnd tint's protect tho plauto against Insect ravages for a longer period. As tho result of n scries of experiments with tho ordi nary "prickly pear" or (Opuntla llndhclmorl) Engolm, which Is plen tiful In tho Southwest, It hns been found that It sliced prickly pears or indeed any other cactus of sufficient size, nro added to tho water beforo tho zinc nrscnlto or Paris green and tho Hmo aro put In, tho mixture will stick to tho plants much better thnn bo effective for a much longur period. Tho experiments wero mndo with tho cucumber and similar plants, which nro attacked by tho bolted cucumber beetle, (Dlabrotlra baltca ta.) and It was found that In regions whero prickly pears nro obtalnnblo tho method Is excellent to prevent dntnngo by Insects with habits simi lar to.thoso of the belted cucumber beetle, such as tho 12-spotted cucum ber beetle, otc. Tfio method used was ns follows: Tho spines wero first burned from tho prickly pears, then sliced nt right angles to tho spine, or In cases of largo pears, cut both ways. Tho sliced cactus was then put In water and nllowcd to conk over night. It was found that 15 pounds of spiny cactus to 50 gallons of water is about tho proper proportion. Whero too much cactus Is used It Interferes with tho spray. Tho wator over-night tlrnws out tho muci laginous substance from tho cactus, which makes tho adhesive for tho poisonous substances. Cac.tus grown on low, wet soil possesses less of this mucillnglnous substnuco nnd moro water than cactus growing In high, dry regions. Another test wns mado with cactus solution as compared with whale-oil soap. Very careful notes woro mado and It wns found that tho soap equaled tho cactus In spreading power, but tho cactus spray adhered better than tho soap spray. There foro tho cactus wns favored, since, heavy dews will wash poison with Blight ndheslvo qualities from tho foliage In a short time. Tho water from tho cactus was drawn off, and with It In ono set of experiments wero mixed thrco pounds of zinc arsnnlte with 50 gal lons of water. This was used in sprnys on sugar beet plants Infested with tho striped cucumber beetle. Check experiments showed that' In about six days after spraying all tho booties were dend. In another experiment one-halt pound of Paris green nnd two pounds of lime wero used with 50 gallons of the water of tho cactus solution. Again tho spray, within n fow ilnva. killed all tho beetles. European Starling U Found Pent in 0 . N ITS annual report for u. , A fiscal year, tho bureau 0. i?,lut cal survey of the Unite? S nt 'T?' partment of Agricultu o r p follows on tho European Z. " Introduced Into tl r i. "n.e: years ago ". nearly 25 starling hns gradual ....?? from Now York C It. ' ran ko It It fouud In the nolElilinrunn,1.no of Conoctlcut. KTO'tatfi York, Pennsylvania and ,." setts. During Us mlgrat Ions l?Sch1' of food it ranges much forth J?1 tho original center and occ ur. i m sldcrablo numbers as far 2?tLcon as the District of Columbia. lh " ...u oiuiuug is markedly nn. ous. osncclnllv i, u..J 'nsec"T- - '"I'w k J3 to jo ei.;; Um??B, Ur mo$ "scf" Wrdi So f orous, especially n Hummer : ?.!' preys upon mnnv ...!... "cr 1 ect it lost iu , It h grnln o vcr; ts It I tho ornlmr.llpf u u Pes W preys upon many noxious varWi?. I" Ahl " it is t0 i)0 e "; (Is. proi reps but It i, as Is known, It 1ms not proved V fruits, an lnB ."-. '" ' "M flocks It Is likely to bocnZ '1 Af In addition. It nrr-fn-., , tics, boxes, or recesses In bulMi.. or nesting sites and thus I, b J Into direct competition with certain Tho bird Is steadily extending iu territory, and It will bo wlso to wit. draw all protection from It, as hu already been dono In Connectlcnt Now Jersey, Now York nnd Peanni. vnnln, including tlm rent,... It ',. abundance, with n view of checking .. ......wuou uu mil l-illl. ino tilt). ment of theso birds from ono state to another has been prohibited under heavy pennlty by net of Congress. Under ordinary circumstances. oven nfter nil protection Is with drawn, tho bird will probably proie to ho capablo of taking caro of Itself That ultimately It will spread orer a largo part of tho United States Is highly probable. Hoy-Cholera Remedy Makers Misuse Facts THE attention of the bureau of in Imnl industry of tho United States Dopnrtmcnt of Agriculture hat been cnlled to tho fact that tho mik ors of a medicine sold ns a hog-chol-era remedy nro misusing Oovernment figures of tho results obtained hx FodernI agents by tho uso of antl-hoK-cholera serum, as evidence of th hufflcncy of their medicine. In several mngnztnes tnoro have appeared resil ing notlcc3 In which thcro nro sttte nionts that this medlclno has resulted In saving mnny hogs from hog chol era In Pettis County, Missouri, Mont gomery County, Indiana, nnd Dajlis County, Iowa. Tho figures given to Indicato the results nro exactly thoso reported to tho department by its agents as show ing tho uso nnd effect of antl-hof-cholera serum In sick herds. For example, tho Oovernment fig ures on tho uso of scrum, which are misused In this way by tlio medlclna concern, nro as follows: I'ottlH County, Missouri Hogs In In fected herds treated, S904, liogi loit, 103S. Montgomery County, Indiana Num ber of tick hogs In Infected herdi treated, 4562; Iioks lost, 894. Dallas County, Iowa -Number of xlck Iior-s In Infected herds treated, CCSCj hog lost, 1998. It Is scarcely posslblo that any remedy could havo been used on identically the samo number o( hogs and with exactly the same results u tho nntl-hog-cholcra scrum. On this point tho Inspector In charge In Pet tis County, Missouri, says: "As far as wo aro ablo to accrtaln, none ot this remedy has been used In Pettli County." Farmers nnd others, therefore, art warned not to confuso this "remedj with tho nntl-hog-cholera serum which Is tho ono method of treatment used by tho Federal Department ci Agriculture. - Progress. "And you actually went to ask old Dllllngor for his daughter's hand! "Yes, I did." "How'd you get along!" "Fine. Not tho least bit of trou ble. Ho talked war talk all the time I was there -and never gavo me chanco to say a word." ClovelwH Plain Dealer.