Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-12-10

If real estate, domestic animals, other
live stock implements and machinery
are included, the farmers capital has
increased since the census valuation by
probably $8,O0O,OOO, 600, the present
valuation being probably $2S.00O OOO,-
Co.,"
The report, which contains some in
teresting figures on meat production.
the result of recent large and search
ing investigation by the department,
says:
I'm the last census year, 1900, 03,
500 900 meat animals were slaughtered
and exported. Every time the clock
ticks a second during ten hours Of
workday the farmer drives nine meat
animals to the butcher. The meat
production of 1900 in pounds attained
such great numbers that they may be
better understood IL reduced to the
average of the census private family,
40 persons. To such a family in 1900
the farmer supplied 1,O14 pounds of
meat, amounting to half ton, and
then had one-eighth of his supply left
over for the foreigner. 1t is upon the
selling of this surplus in foreign coun-
tries that the farmer depends for the
maintenance Of profitable prices for
his meat animals.
1.-The mighty production Of the farm
for one-third of century has come
out Of an agriculture having many
faults, yet the course of agriculture In
this country. bad as 1t may seem In Its
unscientific aspect. has had large eco
nomic justification. While pioneers.
poor and In debt, are establishing them
selves they have no capital, even II
they had the knowledge. They must
have buildings, machinery and live
stock, even at the expense Of the soil.
Millions upon millions Of acres Of fresh
land have been coming into production
faster than domestic consumption has
required A more scientific agriculture
would have raised wheat that no one
wanted to eat, corn to store on the
farm and perhaps eventually to be used
for fuel and cotton not worth the pick
ing. So 1t has happened. with reason,
that the production per acre has been
low, but there is no likelihood that
low production is fixed and that the
farmer must continue his extensive
system. When consumption demands
and when prices sustain the farmer
will respond. The doors of knowledge
and example are opening wider to him.
1t would be no work Of magic to dou-
BILE or even treble the production OF
cotton per acre. The corn crop per
acre can be increased by one-half with
in quarter of century and without
any pretense that the limit has been
reached No wizards services are
needed for this, but just education.
The same statement Is applicable to
wheat and many other crops. One
fourth Of the dairy cows Of the coun-
try do not pay for their feed. and more
than half Of them do not return any
profit. In proportion as the dairyman
weighs the milk Of each COW and ap-
plies the Babcock test will he increase
the supply Of milk, butter and cheese.
1t is merely a matter Of education.
The egg production per hen will be In,
creased by at least dozen per year
within generation, and there are poul-
trymen who are not enthusiasts who
foretell double that increase.
"Cotton planters are now out Of their
former bondage to future maintenance,
and in the middle west there has been
a conversion of a million agricultural
debtors. paying high rates of interest,
into financially independent farmers,
debt free and begging the banks to
receive their savings at as small
rate of interest as per cent.
Farmers are using their new capital
to abolish the waste places of the land
and along many lines Of improved pro
duction. Formerly there was plenty OF
farm labor and dearth Of farming
capital. Now these conditions are re-
versed, and labor is scarce and capital
abundant. Notwithstanding the farm
ers' inability to do some things for
want Of labor, the new situation Is
great improvement upon the old one.
The farmer can now employ every la
Dor saving device and thus reduce both
the labor and the cost Of production.
He can raise his land to 9. higher state
of fertility than can be made by chem
ical fertilizers alone, because he can
advance the needed capital for per-
manent soil Improvement and Is In a
position to await results. He can pro-
duce things that require years for the
first crop, as in the case of fruits. He
can provide such capital as is needed
to distribute his products, and thus CO.
operation is open to him to greater
extent than ever before. He can Sc
cure better education for his children
to the end, among other things, that
they nav do better with the old farm
than he did.
1.-The farmers standard Of living is
rising higher and higher. The COM
mon things Of his farm go to the city
to become luxuries. BE is becoming
traveller, and he has his telephone and
his daily mail and newspaper. His
life is helpful to body and sane to
mind, and the noise and fever Of the
city have not become the craving Of
his nerves or his ideal Of the every
day pleasures Of life. A new dignity
has come to agriculture along with Its
economic strength, and the farmer has
a new horizon far back Of that Of his
prairie and his mountains which Is
more promising than the sky line Of
the city.