The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-10-14
FARM DESERTIONS
DANGEROUS TO EAST
New York Business Men to
Meet and Discuss Con-
ditiOnS.
Secretary Wilson Will APP
peal Against Abandonment
of Rural Districts.

Secretary Wilson and leading officials
of the Department OF Agriculture are
taking great interest in the problem Of
the deserted farm, which is becom-
ing more ana more acute in New York
State New England. and other parts
Of the East II s becoming a grave
problem as far west as Ohio, where the
abandoned farm is beginning To become
more numerous and where farm values
are lowering and the agricultural popu-
latiOn becoming scarcer, willie the popu-
lation OF The towns and cities is rapidly
increasing.
In about ten days, there VIII be held
a. Syracuse. Nov York, called together
by the Chamber Of Commerce OF that
city, what Secretary Wilson and the
agricultural officials here believe Will be
the most important meeting that mas
been held in this country 10 deal with
the deserted farm problem. Secretary
Wilson has been invited and will attend,
and is now preparing an address fl.
which he viii discuss the abandoned
farm and how to remedy IL.
Soil Experts Will Attend.
He will be accompanied to Syracuse
by the ablest soil experts OF the De-
paTtment OF Agriculture. among them
J. A. Bonstsel, expert in charge OF soil
utilization OF the Bureau OF Soils. and
William J. Spillman, in cnarge of farm
management investigation for the same
bureau. These experts have interesting
facts TO present concerning the causes
fOl the abandoned farm and how the
deserted farm can DE repoDulated and
rchabilitated. Incidentally, Mr.. Bon
steel, who is a New York man himself
has a large collection Of photos show
ing views OF abandoned farms in New
York. IL is d most striking collection
and VIII be presented with the aid Of
a sterSopticon.
City Takes Action.
Probably the most remarkable fact
about the Syracuse meeting is that il
has been called by men living in the
city, by 1890 active business mcn OF
Syracuse. who realize that the cities
are vitality interested In :he tendency
to abandon the farms in the East. This
is thought to be the first instance where
in city business organization has
taken up problem of this kind.
What the desertion OF the farm means
= New York state Is shown by The
tact that land there decreased in value
SleS'O0e'SO In the twenty years IRON.
this, and also showed there were IA oar
less farms in New York, in 1900. than IN
~ II likewise showed a 1C per cent
oe5,-ne in rural population as compared
That such falling of in farm values
aud farm population must iniure tile
BUSINESS OF the cities Is apparent The
same facts in general could have been
obtained by a study of PennsvlvsTis,
ana OH New Jersey. Vermont ami
h tllt massachusetts and New Hamp-
shlfe nave doLe something to counterfeit
'Ae tendency to desert the farm
Study the Cause.
Mr.. Bonsteel in discussing the ahan-
dorment OF farms and the Syracuse
meeting, said the Department Of AcrI-
culture WAS taking up a study OF the
causes Of depreciating land values in
New York and certain other States he
cause II interested not alone tie peoule
on the farms but in the cities as well.
IT is an Interstate. in fact a rational
problem said he. "Tne l,=,s-r,4 +i--,e
Is particularly opportune for t.is. from
tie fact that in the next ten years New,
11rk State is going to perfect a GOOD
system of public roads. The trolley
system Is being extended throughout
the country and rural free delivery and
other con yeniences are making forrnerIv
inaccessible parts accessible as places
In addition to the work OF the Fed
ersl Department OF Agriculture, the
sNew York State agricultural department
i studying farm labor conditions"
There are other phases of this aban-
dOned farm question that cannot he told
IN statistics Of values. For instance it
is said the percentage of insanity is in
creasing at high rate in those local
lues where the abandoned farms are
numerous.
Forests Growing Up.
One of the most striking facts reia-
tive to the abandonment OF farms Is
that in numerous cases the. once we'll
titled farm is reverting to forest, not
alone in New York but in other States.
A New England man. now living In
tie West was in Washington the other
day, having visited his birthplace in
the New Hampshire hills. He said az
most with tears in his eyes, that many
of the old places he had known we're
going back TO woods.
II Is the purpose of the Syracuse
meeting TO arouse interest in the aban-
doDed farm question and to set a move
ment on foot to solve il. Committees
viii be appointed 70 study conditions
ana devise remedies,
MRS SAGF tn PAY