The Washington herald., 1908-06-06
By FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

ing plants. He will keep pace with every
movement Of the scientific world which
! can be turned to his advantage He will
! be able greatly to increase the quantity
/ and quality Of his wheat and corn, vege-
tables and fruit. cotton and wool, with
out having TO add a single acre 10 his
field
But suppose this forward movement is
slower than now seems probable: suppose
the average farmer OF ninety years hence
does only as well as the best farmers of
to-day. Even that would mean the IN
crease OK the present yield OF corn from
three billion TO seven billion bushels a
year on the present acreage. The aver
ase wheat land in this country now yields
HIteen bushels per acre Yet there are
to-day many farmers who are n-oSncinJ
/ IOIly-nVe bushels an acre on land that
forty years ago was considered rich when
Il gave an average Of fifteen bushels.
Leaving aside the wonderful innro,,e-
ment IN the heredity OF the plant-Iife
STOCK which is helping the farmer every
Jay the development OF the science OF
SOL chemistry is certain to add TO the
power OF the farmers arm GROWING
crops need certain chemical foods tust as
much as human beings do. Our chemical
| diet Is taken as compounded into bread
and meat The bill OF fare for the nlante
is more candid and there must be nitro
gen. potash, and phosphorus The needs
] OF different soils and Of various nlants
dif1er Just as the requirements of animals
diner The advanced farmer OF to-day
aided and abetted by Uncle Jimmy,
Wilson'S bright young men. is studying
the needs Of his soil and the appetite of
his crops.
Commercial fertilizers will SUNNY the
demands Of the plants for suitable food
/ The right kind Of fertilizer will he an
pied and the result will be uniformly
helpful The cost OF fertilizers will be de-
creased. The tobacco grower must needs
give his plants potash. To-day the potash
comes from German mines and costs
cents pound. new way has been found
TO obtain a supply from our granite
mountains by the simple process Of grind
ing the rocks 10 a powder 10 be sold az
! IL cents pound. Granite-grown to-
bacco is commercial success in Virginia
helds to-day. as II was a scientifce sue
| cess IN the Department Of Agriculture
experiment stations two years ago. Nj
trogen Is everywhere present in the air
out until lately ii was necessary TO en-
plOy nitrate Of soda as a means of getting
II into the soil II there wasn't time 10 de-
vote a year 20 growing clover TO be
/ plowed under. The nitrate came from
south America and was expensive Now
| the waters OF Niagara move the wheels
OF the machinery which captures the nj
/ trogen from the air and imprisons Il IN
] 70 hn
who needs IL
/ The ninety years are certain To reveal
other great economies Of which the aver
age farmer Of to-day does not dream.
There are probably 100000 horses and
mules IN this country for which there will
be no need in the good year 200. The
cheaper and stronger machine will drive
the horse and the mule from the fields.
! This movement IS already beginning The
millions OF animals whose usefulness will
have ceased before 200 now consume each
year the products Of 100000 arces OF
land II devoted 10 potatoes this land
would yield three times the present total
world crop. Under the most advanced Of
modern conditions these acres could be
made 20 support 50O00.0O0 COWS. enough 10
give a quart Of milk a day 10 every one
OF the 80. oo0.OOO people we will have when
America is grown.
By the elimination OF the horse and the
utilization Of the swamp lands the farm
Ing acreage OF the country can de dou-
bled without touching the forests or other
Idle lands OF the country. II but one-half
Of the land be counted as available for
farms, ninety years hence there will be
five acres for every two persons in the
] fry ,Fv--r
what the Chinese have now.
There are indications that the demand
upon the farms will change in character.
While the American people are not likely
10 become strict vegetarianS within the
space Of ninety years. they probably will
eat much less meat in proportion 20 popu-
lation than they now consume Medical
science and economy will unite 10 bring
about changed conditions on this line. Il
has been demonstrated that for every bit
OF animal food eaten there Is a vegetable
counterpart. Vegetarian races have a ca
pacity for endurance which equals IL Il
does not surpass, that Of the meat eaters.
The economist Will urge that the lost
motion expended IN growing cattle for
food be conserved.
We eat poTterhouse steaks at . cents A
pound, when we might buy beans al 4
cents a pound. and there is more nutri-
ton in the pound OF beans than in the
pound Of beef Il requires four years to
grow a single good beef steer Under
the most favorable conditions II requires
the products Of six acres Of land for one
summer 70 make him ready for the block.
When prepared for the table his flesh
viii furnish a single meal for about 100
persons. The same six acres Of ground
would have grown enough beans 10 feed
5000 people one meal. And the bean
eaters would have derived more strength
and nOurishment from their food than the
beef-eaters.
The mathematical theories Of the econ
omist are never realized In actual life. and
never will be. but there is no doubt that
the American people in the coming ninety
years will learn to save much that now
goes to waste. The housewives of the
American farm throw away more cooked
food each year than is consumed by their
sisters Of Russia. Who has not sat al
the board OF a farmer upon which was
diers? Such wanton waste as that will
be stopped.
Another great saving that is coming
will be brought about by better knowl-
edge OF the science Of cooking. The farm
er's wife Of the latter end Of the century
will prepare her meals on an electric
range-woOd is too valuable 10 burn-and
she will prepare only enough for the needs
Of her family. The food will be better
prepared than II is nowadays in the aver
age home and its whOiesOmeness will
make more Of Il available for the uses Of
the body. little well-cooked food is bet