Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-11-16
INCREASED DEMAND FOR PROD.
ucTs OF FARM TO De MET BY
CARING FOR LAND.
FARMS WEARING OUT
ONLY WHERE NEGLECTED
c. E. Wilson Points to An illustration
Of Good and Bad Farming on Ad-
joining Quarter seetions-Farmer.
Insist Young Men Who Go to School
Don't Go Back to Soil TilIins
Special to Times-Republican.

40 apparent temporary shortage IN
any OF the things that go to make up
the food supply of the people of this
country, somebody begins to tell us
about the inevitable date when we
shall commence to consume more
than the land can be made to produce.
This is answered by the confident pre-
diction that improved methods of
farming" and the opening up of new
farming regions will enable the pro-
Queer to keep ahead of demand for so
long time yet that speculation on
the final outcome Of the matter will
be out Of order for centuries to come.
Improved methods of farming" to
most OF us means the invention and
use of new kinds of machinery, un-
thought of as yet, and scientific agri-
cultural education including chemistry,
botany, meteorology and other sciences
about which the ordinary farmer never
has and never will greatly concern HIM
self, however, much such education
might increase his efficiency. Said
farmer the other day: Just stop and
think about it. How many of the farm
er boys you know graduated in
an agricultural SCHOOL, and then re-
turned to the farm? Not one in ten.
The study Of agricultural science will
be done by few and these will be the
teachers Of the real farmers who will
continue to secure their agricultural
education thru the reading of farm
journals and bulletins from agricul-
tural schools and thru experience"
Not many miles from this town and
with only one intervening neighbor
live two farmers each on a quarter
section of land. At the beginning,
good many years ago there was but
little difference in the quality Of the
soil or in the improvements There is
great difference now, and an even
greater difference in the quality and
quantity of the crops that the two
places produce. On one of these farms
this year 1000 bushels of good corn
have been taken from a field Of a little
less than thirtyf1 five acres. A forty
acre field of oats threshed out 1000
bushels of good grain. On the other
farm the oats were a complete failure
and with much less pasture and hay
ground than on the place, with which
this is compared there will be taken
not more than 500 bushels of half
ripened corn. For years this same
thing has happened on these same
farms. A few lines concerning their
respective management accounts for
the difference. From the beginning one
man has been always looking out for
the maintenance of the fertility of his
soil. Every winter he feeds a car of
cattle whether the indications are for
gain or loss as the direct result of
the transaction Raw material seldom
leaves that farm. The manure spreader
and clover seed are Indispensable.
There isn't a run down. acre in the
farm. It's getting better every year.
The other place is worn out. 1t has
been farmed and farmed but never
seeded down. 1t is leased for this year
at ridiculously low price but not so
10 low that any profit can possibly
come to the man who farmed it. 1t is
this kind of farming that makes a state
corn yield thirty bushels per acre when
men gets sixty to eighty in every To-
cality. Acquaintance with many farm
ers in many different places enables
one to recall numerous instances where
men who have given little attention to
agricultural science are every year
raising abundant crops simply because
they do not allow their land to become
worn out. Improvement" in this mat
ter alone will take care of increased
demand for food supplies for long
time to come. So far as the resident
his farm to the highest degree of fer
tlltty without sacrificing the opportun-
ity for profit for single year by the
simple means we'll known to every
modern-day farmer and the other fell
low who rents his land ought to know
without being told that mutual Coop
Grafton along this line would greatly
benefit both himself and the man who
farms his acres.
John Lewis, of Alden. owns a farm Of
bottom land near the Iowa river. Like
the fertile valleys OF Egypt this place
has been enriched by the countless in
undations Of the stream that has over
spread the land and left sediment there
brought down from regions farther
toward its source. Unlike the famous
oriental river, however, the Iowa has
refused to confine its spreading oper-
atoms to any particular season of the
year and more times than he can or
wishes to recall Mr.. Lewis has been
compelled to stand heiplessly, by and
see fine half grown corn or oats crop
ruined by rampage OF the river. Now,
SO far as appearances and temperament