Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-01-23

ing land. The number. of persons en-
gagged In agricultural pursuits Is more
than 100000.
| we grow one-fifth of the world =
wheat crop, three-ffths of its cotton
crop, and four-fifths of It's corn crop.
We plant nearly 100000 acres Of
wheat annually. with an average yield
OF about IA bushels per acre; 100000
| 600 acres of corn. yielding an average
Of rs bushels per acre; and 10000 900
acres of cotton, yielding about 10000.
| 900 bales.
We had on January /, 1908, II ,0oo,.
600 cattle, worth $1,250,0OO,O 900: 81.
100000 sheep worth $211 100000, and
56,O00,000 swine, worth 1899 ,000, 900.
The census of 1900 showed $137, 000,-
900 worth Of poultry in this country,
which produced in 1899 293,O00,000
dozen eggs.
There has been slight increase In
| the average yield of our great staple
farm products, but neither the increase
In acreage nor the yield per acre has
kept pace with our increase In popula-
ton. Within century we shall prob
ably have to feed three times as many
people as now; and the main bulk of
our food supply must be grown on our
own soil.
The area of cultivated land may pos
sibly be doubled. In addition to the
land awaiting the pillow, 100000
acres of swamp land can be reclaimed,
100000 acres of desert land irrigat-
ed, and millions Of acres of brush and
wooded land cleared. Our population
will Increase continuously, but there Is
a definite limit to the increase of our
cultivated acreage. Hence we must
greatly Increase the yield per acre.
The average yield Of wheat In
the United States Is less than IA BUSH
els per acre, in Germany 28 bushels,
and in England 80 bushels. We get
80 bushels of oats per acre, England
nearly As, and Germany more than AZ.
Our soils are fertile, but our mode Of
| farming neither conserves the soil nor
secures full crop returns. Soil fertil.
| ity need not be diminished, but may
be increased. The large yields now OBJ
tanned from farms in Europe which
have been cultivated for thousand
years prove this conclusively. Proper
management will double our average
yield per acre. The United States can
grow the farm products needed by a
population more than three times as
great as our country now contains.
The greatest unnecessary loss Of our
soil Is preventable erosiorA Second
only to this is the waste, nonuse, and
misuse of fertilizer derived from anil
mails and men,
The losses to farm products due to
injurious mammals Is estimated et
$3.50 100000 annually: the loss through
plant diseases reaches several hun
dred million dollars; and the loss
through insects is reckoned at $685.
100000. The damage by birds is bal
anced by their benefcent work in de-
stroying noxious insects. Losses due
to the elements are large, but no esti-
mate has been made of them. Losses
tn live stock from these causes are
diminishing because Of protection and
| feeding during winter. The annual
| losses from disease among domestic
animals are: Horses, LIZ per cent; cat
tie. 2 per cent; sheep, 90 per cent,
and swine 81 per cent Most OF these
farm losses are preventable.
There Is a tendency toward consoli-
dation of farm lands The estimated
square miles, or about 3 per cent of
the improved land. The causes 81
abandonment differ In different parts
Of the country. Where most prevail
ent. it Is caused principally by erosion
and exhaustion Of the soil
Need Definite Land Policy.
Each citizen Of the United States
owns an equal undivided interest in
about 375,000,000 acres Of public lands,
exclusive Of Alaska and the insular
possessions. Besides this there are
about 235, 100000 acres Of national for.
ests, national parks, and other lands
devoted to public use.
Good business sense demands that d
definite land policy be formulated. The
national conservation commission be-
lieves that the following will serve as
basis therefor:
1. Every part Of the public lands
should be devoted to the use which
will best subserve the interests of the
whole people.
Q. The classification Of all public
lands Is necessary for their admins
tration in the interests of the people
8. The timber, the minerals, and
the surface of the public lands should
be disposed of separately
a. Public lands more valuable for
conserving water supply. timber and
natural beauties or wonders than for
agriculture should be held for the use
of the people from all except mineral
entry.
5. Title to the surface of the re-
naming nonmineral public lands
should be granted only to actual home
makers.
6. Pending the transfer of title TO
the remaining public lands they should
be administered by the government
and their use should be allowed In
way to prevent or control waste and
monopoly.
The present public land laws as a
whole do not subserve the best inter-
ests Of the nation They should be
modified SO far as may be required to
bring them into conformity with the
foregoing outline of policy.
Forests.
Next to our need of food and water
comes our need Of timber.
Our industries which subsist wholly