The Delta independent., 1907-03-15

system all too prevalent of raising the
same crop indefinitely on the same land.
until it has been worn out or so reduced
that the owner is in danger of poverty.
Even without fertilizers, the yield OF q
given area may be immensely increased
and its productive powers preserved
from exhaustion merely by the restora-
tive variety of change, which seems to
be law of all living things.
Some interesting facts have been
brought out by the work of the Mime
sofa State Agricultural School. With
only ordinary fertilization, and with
such farm culture as could be applied
to large areas, the average yield OF
wheat on the plots under experiment
for seven years was 1854 bushels per
acre; of oats, 67.2 bushels; of corn, 42.8
bushels and of hay. the average for
five years was 3.9l tons per acre. This
was accomplished merely by using a
system of five.year rotation; the land
being treated in this order: corn, wheat,
meadow, pasture, oats. The figures
given uCdl OouoiC ShC osSA O6S
yield from the farms of the State.
There is, therefore, no exaggeration in
the statement that our farm production
could be made twO-fold what it is by
the mere application of more careful
methods without any intensive cultiva-
tion whatever.
If the lands of the State were culti-
waited according to seven-year system
of rotation-grain, grain, grass, past
ure, grain, oats, without fertil-
izers, it is estimated on good authority
that the same amount of grain would
be gathered during the four seasons in
which it appears in this regular order
as is now obtained from cropping grain
every year. That is to say. the farmer
would obtain at the end of seven years
exactly the same amount of grain that
he now takes as the entire product of
his fields while in addition he would
have the whole amount of other crops
and of stock for which the three sea-
sons of vacation from grain growing
would furnish opportunity. He would.
while preserving the fertility of his
acres and guarding against soil deteri-
Grafton. add three-sevenths to the vol
ume of his material profits. Such is the
promise of the simplest of all improve
ments in method.
ENRICH THE LAND.
This is but the beginning of agricul-
tural possibilities. Calling in the aid
of the second method of increasing
yield and preserving soil productivity,
which is a more liberal use of fertilizing
material, such as is possible where
farms are of small size and cattle are
kept. there is abundant evidence of the
extraordinary results that may be OBJ
tanned. Illustrations may be found in
every part of the country where indi-
vidual small farmers have had the in
telligence to put the system into effect.
A recent report of the Department of
Agriculture cites the case of farm in
Pennsylvania which was so exhausted
as to be incapable of production. This
little tract of fifteen acres. devoted
strictly to dairying and treated each
year with every particle of the natural
fertilizers thus obtained, produces
revenue of about $1,000. or 1900 per
acre. annually. There is no secret in
the process, just as there is no uncer-
tainty in the result. And BY a comb-
nation OF judicious crop rotation. which
admits and requires diversification OF
farm industry. with careful fertilizing.
the estimate of doubled money value
for the yield of the present farm area
of the United States would be found
under the mark
INTENSIVE CULTIVATION.
The third factor in improvement.
better tillage, is most interesting of all
because it opens up unmeasured posi-
bilities. We no more know what is the
maximum food-bearing capacity of the
earth or of any small portion of its sur
face than we do the rate at which peo-
pie may be able to travel a century
from now. But what has been done is
sufficiently startling. 1t has been seen
that population of 5000, 600 people
in Japan is supported on 1900 cult
waited square miles, aided by the food
products obtained from the sea This
is because cultivation in Japan is truly
intensive: that is, it is no longer even
highly developed farming. but market
gardening. As we approach that sci
ence. the actual creation of soils for
growing purposes, the shelter of plants
from frost and unfavorable elements.
and the treatment of grains and vege-
tables by separate planting and indvid-
ual nurture all limitation, n,>,,, ,,rtb.