Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1908-11-04
FARMERS MUST PAY
BIG BREAD BILL
THEREFORE BEST USE OF LAND
BECOMES MoMENToUs
QUESTION.
GOVERNMENT OPENS INvEsTIGA-
TIoN RELATING TO THE
MATTER.

of lands of the national conservation
commission is making progress to.
wards the completion of its share OF
the inventory of natural resources
which the commission is making.
This section has charge of the investi-
cations into the present condition
and use of agricultural land.
Two interesting questions upon
which data is being gathered is
whether the tendency is towards
larger or smaller farms and whether
soil productiveness per acre is in
creasing or decreasing. The answers
to these questions are not only vital
at present, since they will indicate
whether there is a noticeable trend
towards monopolization of the soil
and whether the diminution of fertil-
ity which is known to have taken
place in some districts is general,
but they are peculiarly significant in
connection with the prediction that
within half a century the population
of the United States will reach 200,-
100000
James ]. Hill, railroad organizer,
who presented some startling figures
on soil waste at the white house con-
ference of governors last May, said
recently that all the natural resour-
ces of the country put together Will
not be able to furnish profitable en-
ployment for such a population with
out conservation of the soil. With
the maximum possible acreage OF
wheat in fifty years, he predicted that
with a continuation of present meth
DDS of cultivation the nation would
be about $685., 100000 short OF the
amount necessary to pay its annual
bread bill. This deficit, he declared
could by no possibility be met, even
partially, through selling raw pro
ducts or manufactured articles
abroad. The only hope will lie in ag
riculture But agriculture, he said
would amply furnish both occupation
and a food supply, provided proper
methods of farming were employed
and that all agricultural land was
brought to it's full usefulness.
A half century is so short time
that the problems of fifty years hence
are almost the problems of today
People now alive will actually meet
them and have to solve them. Thlr
ty-six out of every 100 Americans are
farmers now, and last year American
farms yielded crops worth $7,412,
100000. Any advance or retrogres
sion in agriculture affects not only
the leading industry of the country
and the largest number of workers
directly, but all others as well, since
it Is the source of their food supply
Since there is comparatively little
public land left suitable for agricul
ture, the mere increase in population
from now on, even if the proportion
of farmers remains SO per cent ano
does not greatly increase as Mr.. Hill
prophesies, must result in a subdiv1
sion of the present farm area of the
country among large number OF
workers and a more intensive cult
walton of the soil.
The farmers themselves are awake
to the Importance of preventing fur
Their losses of the most fundamental
of all the natural resources and OF
increasing the efficiency of that which
remains. Hardly meeting of farm
ers' organizations this summer and
fall has failed to- pass resolutions en-
dorsing the work of the conservation
commission along this line. AT the
close of the session of the farmers
national congress in Madison, at
which representatives from all parts OF
the country were present, the first
resolution adopted was the follow
ing. which is typical of many others.
THAT we favor the movement for
the better conservation of the natural
resources of the country, especially
the conserving of soil. The move
ment to stop wantOn waste has not
commenced a moment too soon."