David F. Houston, an American politician, played a pivotal role in shaping national economic policy as Secretary of Agriculture under President Woodrow Wilson. His innovative approaches to agricultural reform laid the groundwork for modern agricultural practices and helped alleviate rural poverty during a critical juncture in American history.

"The ease with which barley may be substituted directly for wheat in human food and its usefulness to replace wheat milling by-products as feed in the production of the milk supply render its abundant production important."


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"The duty of the individual farmer, at this time, is to increase his production, particularly of food crops."



"Corn is the leading food and feed crop of the United States in geographic range of production, acreage, and quantity of product. The vital importance of a large acreage of this crop, properly cared for, therefore, is obvious."



"It is obvious that the greatest and most important service that is required of our agriculture under existing conditions is an enlarged production of the staple food crops."



"Barley, where it succeeds, yields a larger weight of feed per acre than any other small grain crop."



"The high food value of field beans and the shortage of supply due to the light yields of 1915 and 1916 render them of great importance in the regions to which they are adapted."



"The importance to the nation of a generously adequate food supply for the coming year cannot be overemphasized, in view of the economic problems which may arise as a result of the entrance of the United States into the war."



"The most effective step that may be taken to increase the production of these crops is to enlarge the acreage devoted to them in the regions where they are grown habitually."



"By the immediate preservation of eggs for home consumption through the use of water glass or lime water, larger supplies of fresh eggs may be made available for marketing later in the season, when production is less and prices higher."



"The usefulness of cow-peas and soy-beans as human food has been recognized only recently in this country."

