The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-10-31

mat PJ,oVVtVvv VI $o,NV,UU year anu
start at least 1000 agricultural schools
in the United States At 5000 year
each, in the shape o. model farms
This model farm would be simply a tract
Of land conforming in size, soil treat
ment, crop selection and rotation, and
methods OF cultivation TO modern ag-
ricultural methods.
Its purpose would be to furnish to
ell its neighborhood a working model
for common instruction. Cultivating
perhaps, from forty 10 sixty acres, It
could exhibit on that area the
advantage tillage which the small
farm makes possible; Of seed spe-
cially chosen and tested by experiment
at agricultural college farms; OF proper
fertilization. stock raising alienation
or crops, and the whole scientific and
improved system Of cultivation, seeding,
harvesting. and marketing The farm
ers Of a county could see, must see. as
they passed its borders how their daily
labors might bring increased and i'm
proved results.
The example could not fan to i'm
press itself upon an industry becoming
each year more conscious Of its defects
and it's needs. AS fast as il was fol-
lowed. ii would improve farm condi-
lions. make this a for Of enterprise
more attractive 20 the young and the
intelligent. and add enormously 20 the
volume OF farm products which cOnsti-
tutes our enduring national wealth.
How shall We BE FedF
1T is as well assured as any future
event can be that the population Of the
United States viii be 2OO.OOO,OOO by about
the middle OF the present century. or in
less than fifty years. Millions OF per-
sons now living will see the 2JO.0o0 900
people here and the first question is.
How are they to be fed? There will be
many grave problems accompanying
such a human growth. but we may for
the time being dismiss all the others
until we have considered the primary
one of the bare maintenance of life.
Where and how are we 10 obtain loaves
enough TO feed these coming millions?
'The average yearly consumption OF
wheat per capita varies considerably
with seasons and prices. but II rises
steadily with our constantly advancing
standard Of comfort For the last three
years It has been either slightly under
q
and seed. Suppose that Il IS six and one
half bushels per capita, which Is GER
tainly within the mark. II will then re-
Quire. unless we are 10 fall 20 lower
scale Of living. total product Of l3o0.000,-
600 bushels OF wheat for our bread sup
ply II we do not export any. From 1880
TO 1906 inclusive, our crop averaged
81 78S. 900 bushels annually. Twice only
in our history have we exceeded 100 =
10000 bushels.
1T is fair to say that 650O00000 bushels
IS our present average capacity OF
course. with an increasing population
may come a somewhat increased total
production, though Il viii not advance
as rapidly as many suppose. We grew
504 Isl. 41O bushels I'm 1SS2. when our popu-
latiou was n little over 52,oooOoo. and
654 CS7. 000 bushels On 1907. twent 1--we
years later. The increase in wheat yield.
during these years. when much OF the
new land OF the West was being brought
under the plow. was a little over .
! per cent. while population Increased g.
1 000C00 or over 63 per cent Obviously.
the supply and demand OF bread will
not keep pace through the working OF
any law Of nature.
Acreage VIII BE Limited.
Moreover, possible increase Of wheat
| production by increasing acreage IS
limited. We have no longer a great
area Of free public lands. Some wheat
will be grown on reclaimed arid land.
though this Is mostly devoted TO the rails
/ ing OF fruit and fodder plants Some
I land will be drained. and there are a
/ few acres OF public land left on which
Hr~.
population makes new demands upon
the soil. anc e. Is more likely on
/ the whole that wheat acreage will be
reduced. TO raise all the other food sup
/ plies consumed by 200.0o0,00o people. than
( that 81 VIII be enlarged.
Nothing but q material rise in price
could accomplish this. and We may. per-
haps. assume that a steady and certain
price Of 81 or $3.50 per bushel would raise
with better work on the farm. our total
annual wheat product TO 100000, 0oC
/ bushels. which would be 50 per cent
more than the present average. This is
the extreme limit of probability.
1.-THE country could do no more with
( present methods Of culture. unless Il
took land Just as necessary for other
purposes and devoted II 10 wheat rails
/ ing We are left, practically. with a
shortage Of 100000 bushels in our wheat
supply, even II We consume every grain
we raise This amount we should have
TO procure from some other source.
Where are We TO get It. and how is IT
10 be paid for?
supply Not I'm Sight.
Where in the whole world is there a
surplus Of 100000 bushels? We our
selves furnish the great surplus in the
past Canada is now rapidly approach
/ ing us. and so IS Argentina. But with
the present rate OF immigration into the
Canadian Northwest, and with a rapid
| Increase OF population throughout the
/ Dominion il viii not be long before they
need 100000 600 bushels for their own use.
! They may be able to sell 100000 or
! even 2O0.00O,0OO bushels, and they are
close 70 our markets. but all they could
give would not furnish as the 4o0.0C0O0C
bushels we must have. N7nchurla will
eventually produce mr. neat hut its
development will probably no more than
supply. II il does not fan below. the
| increasing demand of China and Japan.
Russia and Argentina and Australia to-
gether are scarcely keeping up with the
worlds present necessities. Wheat bread
and a high civilization go together. and
as labor conditions everywhere improve,
more and more people who once lived
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