The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1898-10-28

our wills ny dIcaulhB IL nelOlcllauu.
An interesting glimpse Of ag1cul.
tural conditions In Germany IS given IN
recent report of Walter J. Hoffman,
United States consul at Mannheim to
the State Department. Mr. Hoffman
states that the value of agricultural
land In his consular district is unusu-
ally high, the holdings per capita are
small, and the owners consequently are
compelled to plant only the most re-
muneratiye crops. The German farmer
IS peTforce an intensive farmer, and
generally produces full crops He must
utilize every means Of retaining or even
extending the arabic surface; as q rule,
the farms are devoid Of small under
growth, stumps, stones, creeping vines,
cto. In draining and lrrigating the
farmers are experts. In addition to all
this the German Government Is en-
dcayoring. both by legislation and edu
cation, to enable the farmer to com
pote with his rivals An interesting
Illustration of the attempt 20 extend
the arabic surface IS afforded by an UNI
dertaklng at present I'm progress In the
valley Of the Rhine, east of the city Of
Mannheim. The valley Is about TWEEN
ty miles wide Mt this point, the lower
or river terrace consisting OF agrcul-
tural lands exceedingly rich I'm loan
and old nver deposits, while two miles
east OF The river the second terrace
rises TO n height of about forty feet
most OF which consists entirely Of line
sand, covered at various places by n
thin film of loan and now used for the
training of pines. There are several
miles of this artificial forest, beyond It
being better soil and ordinary farm
lands used for raising wheat, oats, p0-
tatoes and carrots. The reclamation of
the land covered 10y this sand terrace Is
now I'm progress, the removal of the
sand having been begun last spring.
Specially constructed drcdgtS are used,
and the material Is transported by cars
over a temporary track. About six
acres had been exp sed on June I. The
top crust OF loan has been carefully re-
moved from the sand terrace and car
ried down 10 the newly exposed sur
face of sterile river gravel TO form new
acreage being there distributed and
having depth of about six or eight
Inches. over great portion of this
new surface young cabbage plants are
growing. and other crops win Dee start
cd as rapidly as the loan IS deposited
and leyclcd This illustration a. hY
one among many showing the rigN
economy necessary Ia the thickly pop
ulated countries OF Europe II IS IN
striking contrast 20 the advantages
which the American farmer enjoys
aud NJ the same time contains lesson
for him. In America Il Is only of late
years that Intensive farming has he,u
thought Of or practiced. Our acres
have been plentiful. land has been
cheap, large farms have becu the rule
and single crops, raised without roia.
ton until the soil has become exhaust
al, have constituted the scope of the
farmers cndeavor. The American
farmer has not been required to exon.
omize IN the quantity OF MS land or to
husband lts strength, as farther west
were millions of acres of public land
awaiting settlement Conditions ar,
changing. however, and rapidly The
necessity for economy ls pressing more
closely upon the farmer An increas
ing amount Of thought and attention
"a being devoted TO Intensive farming
20 the utilization Of every foot OF avail
4 able land. 70 the divOTslflcadOn OF
crops, 10 the culture of the soil. and So
forth. Eventually the American farm
or must approximate 10 European
methods as an increasing population
creates new demands upon the soil. II
the use of machinery and IA the raising
OF large crops the American farmer {,
the worlds tutor but. on the othci
hand, the small farmer Of ovcrc-owdes
/ Europe teaches the American many I
lesson 10 the ways Of extracting
maximum Of product from a minimum
Of area.
]
A man says Il shall" and u woman
II Will"