The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1892-12-15
Farm Values.

Governor Northen in his last in
augural address gave the figures show
ing the large increase in the taxable
value Of the property of the state dur
ing the past decade These figures were
gratifying to all who have the interest
of the state at heart; but their effect
was mared by the fact that nearly the
entire increase was urban, and the per-
centage of increase in the value of farm
lands was very small The figures are
particularly striking when we consider
that our state is classed as agricultural,
and that upon the farm a majority OF
our people depend for their livelihood
and our state for its financial and com
mercial standing. In arriving at the
causes that have led to these results LEI
us consider upon what the value of our
farm lands depend. The land itself
does not constitute the farmers wealth
but the constituents of the soil are his
capital If these constituents serve fol
the nutrition of plants his land is pro
ductive and valuable, otherwise il
yields but little and is of small value.
Outside of the productive features as
the basis of the value of our lands
other things are to be considered as
forming a part oe the valuation. For
however valuable the products, if the
cost of making approximates or exceeds
its worth, there being little or no net
earning from the soil, its value will not
be enhanced by reason of its produc.
tiveness.
The three great questions therefore to
be considered by the practical and theor-
etrlcal agriculturalist are-how to in
crease the productiyeless of the soil.
how to reduce the cost of making, and
how to obtain the h est price in tho
market,
; Rational Agriculture" says a writer
sin contradiction to the spoliation sys-
tenn of farmi lg is based upon the prin-
ciples of restitution"
The farme~ each year with the gath
cred crop takes from the soil part of
its actual value. This must be restored,
or to that extent his capital is impaired,
and, like the man living beyond the in
terest on his money, consumes each year
a portion of his principal, thus impov-
erishing himself eventually. The rota-
tiCn of crops as method of restitution
has been repeatedly considered in these
reports. When the crops are removed
from the soil it should be remembered
that no rotation will restore land, and
that all crops exhaust TO some extent
certainly as to their own reproduction
The physical and chemical condition OF
the soil may be improved and existing
nutritious matter converted into an
available form, thus compensating for
exhaustion. but no permanent improve
ment is accomplished. On the other
hand if the crop is allowed to remain on
the land, extracting as it has certain
tln OF
its product in barn manure in returned
to the field the soil will increase in pro-
ductiveness, In any elaborate consid-
Grafton of the compensation, that the
soil for removed crops it would be neces-
sary to deal with each crop separately
and to go into the results obtained by
scientific investigation work two com
prohensives to find space in these re-
ports.
A study of these mltters are however
of vital Importance not only where it is
sought to restore land after a certain
crop, but also as indicating the class OF
fertilizer essential to the production of
that crop. We would not be under
stood as in anyway detracting from the
merits of rotation, but simply as sug-
costing that in studying methods of re-
storing land or of holding them to their
present standard, not only should such
crops be planted and rotation adopted as
will result in the least exhaustion, but
the plant nutrition of the crop as often
as possible returned to the soil.
This may in great degree be accom-
plished and yet the crop utilized as food
for farm animals. Commercial fertilizer
while we approve their use at the proper
time and in the proper place have too
often led to total abandonment of the
manure pile, and farmers have grown
lax in returning to the soil, plant food
with which little care need only be
taken to prevent spoliation of their land
and which may be used to renovate and
restore it.
Care should be taken in saving barn