The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-09-02

ed TO the different purposes will
change almost as much as it has
during the past century. These
changes will occur especially in
the eastern part of the United
States, because there the forest is
not confined, as it is in the west,
to high attitudes, where agricul-
ture is generally impracticable In
the west the forests, with few ex-
ceptions, as in the low country
around Puget Sound, are in the
mountains, which rise in the midst
OF semi-arid plains, and their orig
lnal area OF $50, 900 square miles
half Of which lies in the Sierra
Nevada and in the Cascades and
half III the Rockies, has changed
but very little since settlement. In
the west the increase of agricul-
tural land must be secured chiefly
through the irrigation of the semi
arid land.
If We take a long look ahead in
10 the future and try to picture to
ourselves what will be the ulti-
mate proportion of farm, forest,
range and desert in this country
so years from now, in the light Of
the increasing demand for agricul-
tural land and of an approximate
knowledge of the climatic condi-
tons and the physical properties
OF the different lands in this coun-
try, we shall get something like
the condition shown in the dia-
gram.
The area devoted to agriculture
in half century, instead of being
81 per cent. Of the total area, as it
is now, will be nearer so per cent.
That this is not an overestimate Is
indicated by the fact that during
the last fifty years the improved
farms land Of this country has ad-
vanced from 10000, 900 acres to
415,ooo, 900 acres, an increase OF
nearly SO per cent.
With more intensive methods
Of cultivation larger yield will un-
doubtedly be obtained from the
same area, yet the area itself under
agricultural crops will have to be
increased, especially if we are to
remain an exporting country.
In Belgium the arabic land
forms IS per cent, Of the total land
area, in Denmark 6S, in France 48,
and in Germany Al. These coun-
tries are not exporters of cereals,
although their methods OF cultiva-
ton are highly developed. France
is especially interesting as a cri-
telion, because its methods are
most intensive and it is the only
country that is self-sustaining; it
produces SO per cent. of all the
cereals which It consumes. There
is little doubt that our population
IN the next so years, will reach
10000, 900, or about so persons
per square mile. Whether the
acreage of improved farm land will
increase at a much faster rate than
the population, as has been the
case IN the past, or whether it will
grow at the same or even slower
rate than the population, the
future alone can tell; but increase
it must.
In mountainous Switzerland
only II per cent, of the land is cul-
tlvated, and in Sweden and Nor
way, situated in an unfavorable
climate and with scanty popula-
ton (29 and IS persons per square
mile, respectively, the proportion
of arabic land is 81 per cent. and
IS per cent, respectively.
Land chiefly valuable for graz
ing viii form about one fifth of the
extent of the United States proper.
This land originally lay west of
the one hundredth meridian, in the
plains and mountain valleys, but
with the advance of dry farming
its eastern boundary has been
shifted farther west to about the
one hundred and third meridian.
This land receives but a scanty
rainfall and can produce neither
forest nor field crop, but supports