Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-06-04
BACK TO THE FARM
President Much Interested In the
Campaign.
He Believes Population ms important
~ the Conservation of Natural
Resources - Secretary Wilson
Agrees With Him.

Back to the farms is the slogan
| which President Roosevelt wants the
agricultural department to take up and
exploit in every section OF the country.
The President IS willing to do his part
toward creating movement designed
to turn the tide back toward the soil.
Recently he has done n good deal OF
talking to callers on the subject He
| feels that IL Is important to the life OF
the nation that the propaganda In the
interest Of the cultivation OF tho soil be
started. Coupled with the Idea that
| there shall be set on foot national
movement IN the interest Of repopulatin
the farms Is the thought that farm life
shall be made more inviting. that the
| federal government shall undertake this
work OF retaining the millions OF acres
Of waste land now practically useless
| by reason OF the lack Of drainage, and
that the tillable lands Of the country
shall be brought to higher state Of
fertility. It may be that the President
before he leaves office will make series
Of speeches in which he will set forth
his ideas on this subject. He looks up
on it as a movement akin TO that for the
preservation OF the natural resources OF
the country, and one Of equal import
ent of the Bos' On Transcript
James Wilson. secretary of agriculture.
is in accord with the President He said
tie other day that he would like to see
a great agricultural newspaper started at
the national capital which would devote
itself to this general movement He Is
now doing something in the way Of en-
couraging men to take UP the cultivation
Of the soil. Just now his department is
agitating in favor OF smaller farms and
more intensified farming. His depart
ment ha5 just put out its first appeal on
this subject. in the great corn belt. or
at least that portion of 1t comprised In
Indiana Illinois Iowa, northern Miss
ouri. eastern Kansas. eastern Nebraska
southeastern South Dakota and southern
Minnesota the majority OF the farms
contain lGo acres" said the department
Farm. of only eighty acres are com
paratively scarce, and not many farm
ers consider less than 100 acres sufficient
to furnish respectable living Yet nc
careful observer can travel this region
without being convinced that many q
man would have larger net profit and
an easier and happier life If he farmed
less extensively and more intensively
Good farms in this section are wortt
$40 to 500 an acre. or $500 to $4,000 fol
100 acres. To this must be added zoo
TO 5000 for teams, stock. machinery
feed and seed. making total Investment
OF $4,000 to $4,000 How can the young
man who has nothing to start on secure
; such place This is the problem that nov
confronts the majority OF young farm
lers.
"ren to fifteen years ago many mer
10
bought farms and have since paid 70
! them, but they bought at a fraction o
the present prices Take the moderate
price of s75 an acre, or 81. 900 for GO acres
and add 5000 for equipment. making
total of $4,000. TIE interest on s14,00
at five percent, which Is the lowest rat
lobtainable amounts TO 800 per annun
To expect to clear this each year afte
lpayng running expenses and livin
land have money left to pay on the prin
lcipal requires moro confidence than tn
leverage man possesses. Even II h
takes the risk and wins, tie chances ar
few that ne will he able to pay his debt
land have his home clear by the time h
is old enough to he relieved from labol
II he Is to remain on the farm, only tw
propositions remain open to him. II
can rent. with small chance Of ever owr
ing n farm. or he can 60 elsewhere
. search OF cheaper land. neither Of whic
courses is very inviting. The large an
cunt OF money necessary for the pun
chase OF a farm and the dim prospe'
of ever obtaining 1t discourage the farl
boy, and as a result he begins, althoug
~ reluctantly perhaps, to look for oth'
most Of this region, and many can con
y mand more. A single man can save {
- much out of $40 on the farm as out
., s55 or SEQ In the city, A married man ca
- usually secure SIS or SO a month.
~ house. garden. milk fuel. chance
8 keep poultry. and often feed for pi
10 This Is much more to him than $50
month or s., 80 a day In town.
~ THE hours required on the farm a
u not very much longer than IN other o
10 cIpations The farmer Is inclined to "a
u he works sixteen hours n day II he ris
IS at fvc o'clock and retires at nine. but
We most cases, after counting out mea
IL and rest periods. It Is found he has II
n actually been at work more than elev,
or twelve hours. In winter the hours q