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, '. f . A- - V ?. i - K POLK f OUNTY NEWS f s ' I fl I - As?-' mm1 i- 1 1 .A 0- i I , whh - j j&4 w n: m-r ,&'4t p"v--w n? n, w Gtr-Piokourrr WicH MiVP to 3Ar mrisoAr )W &$J ':aJM j! V-RV i Ik Profiting Bu War Lesson. She ProDosesNever Again to Be Confronted Bu the Danger of Famine By LLOYD ALLEN, Special Staff Correspondent. (O.pyrijht hy WcMern Newspaper I'nlon.) ONlON. KuKlaml hail sucn n nar- riw escape from famine while clinuaii submarines were sinking food ships rigjit at her very doors that a national movement is well under way to prevent the reeur renee of any such danger. Not (hilt the Kuglish people expect nnoiher war. It's simply a case where war called the attention of everyone liere to tlie fact tluit the nation was iirodticing only a 11' weivks' supply of foodstuffs; the country had moved to town, and the nation was depending on ships to linn? in food that might well enough have been raised in the Iiritish isles. Kight in the middle of the world's greatest war It was ntcessary to suddenly turn back the great ki renEN CABINET 18 Not what hrP"l b 't the nay e l.iku fthat happn?J, ilt'ttTinlnrs our cipt;ri n. Not what Wf he. but do, riaVes our mm of Joy or nrrow. Most of us nn If we hor make this world a palace or a prison. HURRY-UP DISHES. The housekeeper who keep n l!t of dishes that may be quickly pr?- pHred for a Mid- rind of enc large lemon, rook for fifteen- tnitintes and add two tahlespo)ii fuls of told wnter mixel with three of corn starch; etMik two nuiiutes, ndl ciniiNnion aud vnnilln. Kake with two crusts. T"'J ',,n emergency is V'liPj Hurried or tw 1 by unospec ted company and ine ome is so much more gen- of the head n pes- L't vour Flaiuiard he l.iich and al though you may not ia h It you can hardly fail to !! hlphcr than If you aimed at some infericr txcrllcn John Ilawcs. THRIFTY IDEAS FCR THE HOUSEWIFE. jorASAiro mc suta SArrwy or rj?Acn?fij eSAfiysv? h7?x ot3MrjH-AiAjs CAAT T?ACrO3VJ!.rr0JfA&L farm boy and girl migra tion from city to the soil and correct, almost over niglir, a food shortage that threatened to engulf the British empire. While the flower of British manhood was tichtlng In France the agricultural balance was turned In the home land with the aid of the older men, the boys, ., thousands of women educated and brought up to city, life, and above all other things, with tractors. " The situation was saved. But the lesson of un productive farm lands has been learned. Hence forth tber&wlll be a department of food production In the British government charged with the duty of maintaining and without a doubt bettering the wartime crop record, a record of which England Is justly proud because, lu the midst of a period where the services of every hand was needed in munition mnking, the country went from a "12 weeks' food production" era to a point where the land of England was producing enough food to last 40 weeks. Sir Charles Fielding, the director of food production, believes that eventually, possibly sooner than the world expects, England will be harvesting enough food to last through every one of the 52 weeks in th year, barring, perhaps, some additional cattle food thnt will be needed when the British herds are increased to 2,000,000 head, the number that will be required to properly supply the population with milk. Back In 1914 the English were Importing four fifths of all cereals consumed and one-half of the meat supply. The new program will certainly put 1914 into the place it. deserves the low-water mark in English farming. Will Guarantee Prices to Farmers. Success with the national "after the war farm scheme" defends largely on what kind of a price guarantee the government will be willing to give the farmer for his principal crops. The depart ment of food production has it in mind to ask for certain fixed prices that will run through a terra of at least ten years. It is believed that at least n decatle will be required to firmly establish the now era, and in the meantime give the farmer a fair deal. "The farmer Is not gree'dyVSir Charles Fielding, himself a farmer, declared the other day. "We mnst remember the farmer has his living to make and he has a right to reasonable security, and to ' the assurance that he will get a fair return for his work and his expenditure. I believe that the Im portance of agriculture Is being realized In this country at last. If it hud been realized lu the first year of the war we should never have known such perilous times as those through which we have passed. But we got through somehow and the ' prospects are better now. Slf Onirics Is constantly pointing out that big crop production here lu England is going to be 'one of the factors In settling the nation's war debt. He has warned that England "must not go back to her old ways and spend three hundred millions n veur for Imported food. Our exports would hnve'to pay for that food before they paid for nnvthlng else, and It would be an utterly tin necfHK.ry expenditure. The food Is hero In our own country, only waiting to be taken out of the soil." . . It was in March, 1017, Just before America "" ' ill w.wxa- T?! . declared war on Ger many, that the British government foresaw grave difficulties with the food situation should the war last much longer. And it was quite evident that the war would last "quite some time," as the British phrase it. American .strength on the battle front, and in ship building, could not be expected for many months. About that time the war-food program started in real earnest. Attention Turned to Tractor. Iord Lee it was who suggested the traclor scheme for breaking up the soil of farms then suffering from the shortage in horses (50 per cent of farm horses were in the army) and for plowing tip the grass lands of the big estates. It was in the minds of all those men connected with the ,food production department to make 1918 the banner crop year in England's history. Originally it was planned to adopt a small tractor as a standard, aad turn them out by the thousand In British factories standardized. Some 6,000 would be needed to do the job thoroughly. It was thought. .Sudden urgent demands on the factories for increased supplies of munitions caused the abandonment of the first plan, and the next step was to order the first shipment of small tractors from America. . Weeks and months were lost testing out the initial lot of machines and then, after a desirable model bad been developed, came the terrible win ter of 1018 In America tying up railroad trans portation and preventing t,he shipment of ma chines that should have been at. that very moment engaged In turning over the soil of Bitine ducal estate perhaps. Actual shipment of 1,500 tractdrs was made in America. No more reached England in time to he of service In preparing for the 1918 crop. So ' every possible kind , of mechanical power was mobilized to haul plows. Some giant machines built for hauling heavy artillery In Itussia were trundled out to (he English fields and performed excellent service. Ancient sets of "sfenni tackle" were Inspected, quickly repaired aud put to work. Sometimes two engines are used on a field, one at each end of the furrow. The Idea Is to keep thj; heavy weight of the engine off the grounrl thnt Is to be put-under cultivation for the reason that, post experience had shown, the engine's weight acted as n press on certain kinds of chalky, stiWty English soil, causing the plow to turn up large solid square chunks of earth that were absolute fixtures in the field week on end. These chunks, when struck by n sledge hammer, gave forth a dull kind of thud and the hammer left a small Indentation.- Sometimes, In the dry days of May usually, on month after the planting season Is over, the chunks automatically crumble overnight, leaving a perfectly level field that has apparently been cultivated into dust. The "steam tackles" worked all fall and winter making ready for the 1918 rop, and, all told, plowed up n million and n quarter acres of soil. The tractors, that Is the gasoline rigs, small und large, plowed up something like a million acres last year. Approximately two-third of ll land In Eng land is held in the big parks and estates. It Is At first glance- it appears manifestly unfair that so small rn amount of the park lands was put to work. As a matter of fact the whole matter was handled .with thorough British jus tice; wherever park lands were found that should have been plowed, the land was plowed. More will be cultivated h peace time, it is generally believed. In order to satisfy a popular demand In some sections thousands of acres of grass lands were plowed unecoiiomieally, largely for the purpose of conducting the "more-food crusade" In a man ner that appeared, fair to the smaller landholders. There Is talk now, and the plan will probably be carried out, of bringing the ducal parks, with large wooded areas, into a general scheme of pro ductive forestry in order to increase the national resources. The earl of Selbourne's plan, which follows, appears popular, however. On many of the old places venerable trees were sacrificed during the war to fill the need for lumber. Special Committee Makes Investigation. At the direction of the British government a special committee, headed b the earl of Sef- bourne, has investigated the whole larming situ ation in England and has submitted its report. It Is interesting to note that the committee asks for the provision of good cottages for agri cultural laborers with ample gardens attached to them. Hereafter, if the recommendations of the com mittee are carried out, the state will see to it that no land sullnble for farming will be used for golf links. "It must be clearly understood," the report reads, "that henceforth bad fnrming is a danger to the state, and that the waste of good land on game or games is inconsistent with patriotism. There will be plenty of room for game or golf, but too much game, or golf links carved out of fat land, make an inroad on the production of food stuffs which can no longer be defended." Mind you, this admonition is not addressed to England at w:g but to England at peace, and the report as a whole is an effort to guide England's new-found fanning industry through the trying days of reconstruction. Minimum Wage Proposed. For the fnrm hand there should be a regulated minimum wag set by duly appointed wage boards In each administrative county, acting in conjunction with (he local govcrnjnent officials, as well us acting harmoniously with the wage boards In adjoining counties. ; The impnrtlal eye of the committee rests on the great estate and park evil, where two-thirds of England's acres rest, virtually uncultivated, and the recommendation is made, with careful use of phraseology in order to completely cover the case, that these unfilled lands be taken over by the board of agriculture, acting for the government, ami a system of crops planted under the direction of an expert estate manager. Three years' warning should be given (he estate owner, and then if nothing has been done toward actual farming, the estate goes into government management for a period of only five years, how ever. Committees, appointed locally, are to Judge on the capability of tenant farmers, and where such men are found negligent, or wanting' In propel knowledge of comiieteiit cultivation, the tenant can be evicted. Back of all this is the knowledge that great things were accomplished in agriculture during the war days; thot England was n fair farming country until the middle of the last century, and that neighboring European countries have suc ceeded lu establishing farming on a profitable basis. So the men at the helm feel confident that sihle menu is stored. . The fond to be served will ) pend upon the lime of day. If it is dinner a mere elabor ate menu will be needed than for a lunchcoii or supper. Try not to ue dishes for these occasions for the daily menus, but keep them just for the emergency. Provided you .are sure of proper re sults, it is fatal to 'one's peace of mind to experiment n an unusual dish. Keep in your closet or on th". emergency shelf such foods as shred ded codfish, sardines, canned salmon, tuna, crab and clams, canned toma toes, soup, grated cheese, salad dress ing, preserves, dates, nuts and marsh mallows. This Iit could lie enlarged ndeflnitely and other attractive things may be added. An omelet is a dish generally well liked ; it may be preceded by a cream of tomato soup, which is soon prepared and followed by a potato salad If one is fortunate enough to have a few cold potatoes on hand, If not, cook a few, cut in dice and serve in a cream sauce. A cup of tea witl a cookie or piece of cake and a dish of preserves for dessert will make a most satisfying meal. The canned soup, of course, quickly reheated and saves preparing one. oisn; a saiaa or tne soiiu part of the can of tomatoes with a bit of salmon or tuna will make a fine salad with n good dressing. A can of pineapple with marshmallows and whipped cream with a tablespoonful or two of salad dressing makes most delicious sweet salad, which may bo served with wafers, a cup of cocoa or coffee as a dessert. A pretty table, with a few well cooked dishes and a henrty welcome will niake a feast for any guest. "Business without optimism must fail. No pessimist can succeed in any enterprise. The man who believes in his vocation, who lives for It, who wor'tfs for it, who knows it can and should be successful, is the man who has hope in his heart for the future, not only for himself and his own business in a selfish way, but for his entire country; that man or woman is a pood citizen and an asset to his country." Is VARIETY OF PIE. To prepare chicken pie cut a well cleaned chicken into pieces, and place in a saucepan, adding the neck, giblets and the skinned feet. To prepare the feet, wash well, flieD plunge them into boiling water then dip in cold water, when the outside skin will be easily re moved. Add one cupful Of finely diced celery, one large carrot cut In dice, two large chopped onions, cook all together until the chicken is tender. Iteniove the breast to cool and remove the meat. Place the wings, legs and thighs in a glass casserole and add the meat from the breast, the other vegetables aud six quartered and parboiled potatoes. Thicken the gravy with flour mixed with cream or rich milk, cover with baking powder biscuit dough after sea soning well and bake until brown. Fruit Mince Pie. Take one pound each of raisins, dried peaches, one-half pound of dried nprlcots, one .pound of prunes, one-half pound of candied citron, orange and lemon peel shredded fine; two quarts of cranberries. Put all through the meat chopper using (he coarsest knife. Place in a preserving kettle and add two and one-half pounds of lirown sugar and n cupful of any canned fruit juice or water. Cook slowly and carefully for one hour, then cool and add five pounds of chopped apple with the peeling left on. Add one pound of suet chopped fine, one pound of the seedless raisins, four tnblespoonfuls of cinnamon, one of ginger, one of cloves, one of allspice and one-half of nutmeg and one of salt. Cover with one quart of cider boiled ten minutes. Mix thoroughly and can boiling hot. Mince From Preserves Take one glass of spice grape Jam, one pint Jar of cherries, free from Juice, one pint Jar of peaches, sliced and strained, one pint of plums, pits removed anil strained from the Juice; one glassful of quince preserves, one glassful of apple butter, four quarts or chopped apple, one cupful of chopped suet, one pound of raisins, four ounces each of candled lemon, citron and orange peel shredded fine, two tnblespoonfuls of cinnamon, one tablespoonful of nut meg, one-half tablespoonful each of cloves, allspice and ginger. It' is the accepted custom th.sr days to have as fancy a bread board as one can afford and use it on the table, cut ting tie bread as it Is needed. Si-rve smaller crtions ; a whole s!i- is often taken when half is all lliat is eaten. ?n spite of care there will always be leftovers, but not one crumb should be wasted. For the crumbs and pieces which cannot tie served again if tmxe.l with other f ioil, keep a small paper box and scrape in all these bits for the birds; there are many days in winter when the seeds and all food are covered with snow and a well-swept board for a dining table for the birds, sprin kled with the waste which cannot be eaten by the family, will make n feast for the little feathered friends. Tea Bread. Take one cupful each of milk and well-dried and rolled bread crumbs, one egg, one-half cup ful of corn syrup, one and one-fourth cupfuls of flour, three-fourths of a cup of barley flour, four teaspoonfuls of baking powder weil sifted with the flour, two teaspoonfuls of salt, three tnblespoonfuls of fat and one cupful of raisins. Soften the crumbs in th milk, add the beaten egg and syrup. Sift together the flour, salt and bak ing powder, add the raisins, then mix all together and beat well. Turn into a well-greased pan and allow it ! rise for twenty minutes. Bake in a moderate oven one-half hour. Nuts may be substituted "for half of the raisins. This recipe makes two small loaves. Bread Crumb Bread. Take two thirds of a cup of lukewarm water, one cup 'of milk, one tablespoonful of sugar, one and one-half teaspoonfnls of salt, one and one-half tablespoon fuls of fat, one yeast cake, one and two-thirds cupfuls of bread crumbs and two and three-fourths cupfuls of flour. Pour thi, scalded milk over the fat, salt atid', sugar, add crumbs and water, and softened yeast when cool enough. Add flour gradually and knead ten -minutes. Let rise untU double in bulk,, then shape Into a large loaf and let rise again. Bake one hour. ' There are 'three kinds of people In the world, the wills, the won'ts and the can'ts. The first accomplish ev erything, the Beco'nd oppose every thing:, and the third fail In everything. Davidson. t i nt. !....,. m In the remaining third thnt the war marvels of with prudent legislation the future of farming ra)sm, n,,, food production went accomplished. can be assured in Engluad. one cupful f water, the Juice nod TASTY DISHES. Soup in various forms is an eeononrt not to be overlooked. A dish of hot soup, though not containing much nutriment, will be a good beginning for a light dinner, making with a good dessert a sat isfying meal. A salad Is always a welcome dish, though not n necessity mn-u snupit; ujiu inexpensive a salau adds to any meal, while a most elnbo-" rate tyid expensive combination may be served if the cost is not to be considered. Date Custard. Pie. Kinsc half a pound of dates In cold water to cover and remove the pits. Cut in quarters and press through a puree sieve, add the pulp to one pint of scalded milk with. two lightly beaten eggs and a pinch of salt. Fill a deep pla,te lined with pastry, dust with grated nut meg and bake as for custard pie. Cannelon of Beef. Tuke two pounds of uncooked 'meat chopped fine. Meat from the shoulder or chuck may be used. Add two tablespoonfuls of sweet fat, two egg yolks or one egg; one- fourth of a cup of bread crumbs; tw teaspoonfuls of parsley and nutmeg t taste. .Mix nil the Ingredients and form Into a roll, place It wrapped In oiled paper on a rack in a baking pan. Boast in a hot oven for thirty minutes. When done remove the paper, season well with salt and pepper und place on a hot platter. Serve with brown sauce. Rice and Pineapple Dessert. With n small amount of cooked rice and a cupful or less of pineapple, If shredded or crushed all the better, u most dainty dessert may be prepared. Mix the rice, pineapple and sugar or honey tn sweeten, then fold In as much whipped sweetened and flavored whipped cream as the amount of rice will warrant. Serve In sherbet glasses with a cherry for garnish. Dates, apricots, pears or bananas may be used In place of the pineapple. A tablespoonful or two of collage cheese may he added to a salad dress ng, or to the sahid Itself, Improving ulther. i