Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1906-09-28

fertility. Yet the waste Of our
treasure has proceeded so far tina,
the actual value of the soil for pro-
ductive purposes has already de-
Perforated more than it should have
done in Eve centuries of use.
On the new lands of the west,
where once the wheat yield was from
90 to 80 bushels per acre, it is now
l2 to ls. Frankly, and without
shame, this Is attributed to "wear-
ing OUT" Of the soil, as if the earth
were a garment that must be des-
troyed by the wearing. If the
earth, the mother of humanity. Is
to "wear out," what is to become
of the race. The fact is that soils,
properly trea.ed, maintain their
productlveness indefinitely under
cultivation. The further fact is
that, with the disappearance of
pestilence and the dlscontinance of
war that belong to the future. all
contributing to the growth of popn-
lation, the productive capacity Of
the soul must be sustained at its
highest point or the world suffer.
The single Intelligent advance on
pra actlcal lines made by public author
ity within the last quarter of CEN
tury is the reclamation law Initia-
ted and inspired and paid for by a
few western railway companies, it
provides for real addition to the
source of food supply and the OPP
portunity for employment But 1t
is only light breeze blowing IN the
face Of a cyclone. If every project
contemplated as feasible were execu-
ted, and if all were completed In
stantly by the rub of magic lamp,
some 90, 900, 900 acres would be ad.
ded to the arabic national domain.
And If only 40 acres of this were as.
signed to each family, it would
supply the needs of the actual addi
Lion to population, by natural in
create and by immigration, for lest
than three years.
J Certain it Is that the time hal
! come for setting our household il
, order and creating serious study o.
! national activity and economy &C
J cording to a truer insight and {
more rational mood.
The first step is to realize our de
:. pendence upon the cultivation of tn
t soil The next step will be to con
: centrate popular interest and inven
tion and hope upon that neglecte
' occupation. We are still clinginI
TO the skirts of civilization bor
of great cities. We at this yer
e moment use slang which calls tn
e stupid man "a farmer" Genius ha
r Stunned the farm and expended II
n self upon mechanical appliances an
b commerce and the manifold activ
e ties whose favorable reactions filte
o back slowly to the plot of groun
o upon which stand solidly the re,
Il master of himself and of his destiny
Il II we comprehend our probler
a anght all this will change and
d larger comprehension of agricultul
as our main resource and our mo-
se digniied and independent occup'
ton will for the future direct
ID their just aim in the improvemel
re of methods and the increase of vie
a the wisdom and the science and Il
le willing labor of the millions wi
Y. thus may transmit to. posterity s
b. unimpaired Inheritance.
N There are three essentials TO al
Is. agriculture worthy of the nam
If. The first is rotation of crops. o
re low average yield Is due TO the an
th aqated system all too prevalent
ar raising the same crop indefinitely
is. the same land until 1t has been wo
out or so reduced that the owner
at IN danger Of poverty. Even wit
an out fertilizing, the yield of Civ
o. area may be immensely increas
,ss and its productive diversion p
it's served from exhaustion merely
no the restorative variety of ehanI