The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1908-01-23
ENHANCING
FARM VALUES

This essay, by ii. Il. COOK, or denmark,
won one of the Averill prizes awarded at
the Syracuse Conference
Land values will be enhanced
through the revitalizing of dormant
natural forces. Soils must be made
productive through drainage. cultiva-
ton, animal feeding and the scien-
tific use of fertilizers. Profits will be
increased by selecting plants and
breeding animals of high quality,
such as the wealthy city trade de-
mands.
Two avenues Of effort are in view
The first lies through federal and
State support, established as a prin-
ciple by the Morrill, act and subse-
quent kindred legislation. The ma
ton and the State, acting concor-
dainty, are to work out agricultural
education as it relates to the col
lege secondary and common schools,
enabling every land worker to un-
derstand the laws of plant and ami
NAL life; to establish workable and
sane system of forestry, which shall
make the present woodland profitable
as harvested farm crop, and make
possible the reforesting of nom
valuable cultural soils upon higher
attitudes, to conserve the water sup
ply needed for municipal and irriga-
ton purposes; to aid in developing
the waste water-power through cleo
tricity into heat, light and power; to
facilitate mail and parcel distribu-
ton; to inaugurate complete study
of Latin-American markets; to pro-
vide, through legislation, an equal
opportunity for success in each of our
rapid activities, and to promote
rapid transportation into remote To-
calities by means of good roads and
trolleys, thus urbanizing them in re-
spect to world knowledge and move
ments of men and things; to install,
in conjunction with local organiza-
ton, a system of inspection and
guarantee with. trademark identifi-
cation, for farm and livestock pro-
ducts, and to adapt cooperative dairy
methods to their sale, and to assist
in directing the legislative and local
thought for the good of every class
and interest, the prosperity Of each
being Influenced by the welfare of
the whole.
The second effort must be local.
Thorough individual and organized
action, soil improvement, supple
mented by plant and animal breed
ing, will increase production, thus
decreasing its cost both in labor and
capital, reducing the expenditure of
human energy for support, and leav-
ing to man more time for self-im-
provement, thereby lessening the de-
sire to leave the land.
When the country church and
school, the great directive agencies,
become identified with country life,
they will receive more liberal sup
port from their constituencies.
Details will work out rapidly. The
tenant system, with the present de-
moralizing short contract heightened,
must be made true partnership be-
tween worker and owner. The labor
problem will disappear through the
intelligent adjustment Of activities
which will give equal opportunity to
buy brain force and skill. The Grange
will be supported as the one insti-
tuition through which our educational
and economic wants may best be
made known to the world. Enor-
nous wastes must be checked in un-
balanced rations for stock. in plant
feeding, in forest growth and by the
removal of fence brush. Domestic
economy must give us centralized
cooking and laundry work, and teach
the housewife a knowledge Of the
value Of human foods.