The Daily Missoulian., 1909-01-23

time to time Some lignites and other
low grade Goals are readily gasified,
and, through the development OF in
ternal combustion engines, check the
consumption of high grade Goals. Peat
is becoming important; 1t is estimated
that 100000 900 tons are available in
the United states. Its value is en-
hanced because Of distribution
through states generally remote from
the fields of coal, oil and natural gas.
Mineral Resources.
The uses of all our mineral re-
sources are interdependent. This is
especially true of coal and iron, Of
which neither can be produced or used
without aid from the other, and in the
production or reduction Of all other
minerals both coal and iron are en-
ployed The same standa I'd minerals
are necessary to the development of
power of which the use Is increasing
more rapidly than that of any other
commodity.
The building operations of the
country now aggregate about $1,000,-
900, 900 per year. The direct and indi-
rect losses from fire in the United
States during 1907 Appropriated $780,
900 ,0O0 or one-half of the cost of con-
struction. or this loss four-fifths, or
an average of $1,000,o00 per day, could
be prevented, as shown by comparison
with the standards of construction
and the fire losses in the larger Euro
pean countries
"a from
mines and reduced to metals, these
resources are capitalized; but after
thus being changed to a more val
liable form they should be so used as
to reduce to a minimum the loss by
rust, electrolytic action and other
waste.
There is urgent need for greater
safety to the miner. The loss of life
| through mine accidents is appalling,
and preventive measures can not be
| taken too soon.
The national government should ex-
| ercise such control of the mineral
| fuels and phosphate rocks now in it's
| possession as to check waste and pro-
long our supply.
While the distribution and guam
! substances are known in a general
way, there is imperative need for fur
| ther surveys and Investigations and
| for researches concerning the less
| known minerals.
Public Lands.
The total area of continental United
states is 1900, 100000 acres. OF this
| but little more than two-ffths is in
| farms, and less than one-half of the
farm area is improved and made a
source of crop production. We have
nearly 100000 farms; they average
LAG acres each The value of the farms
is nearly one-fourth the wealth of the
United States. The large number of
persons engaged in agricultural pur-
suits is more than 100000
| We grow one-fifth Of the world s
wheat crop, three-fifths of it's cotton
crop, and four-fifths of its corn crop.
We plant nearly 5O,OOO,OOc acres of
wheat annually, with an average yield
of about IA bushels per acre; 100000,
900 acres of corn, yielding an average
of 25 bushels per acre; and 30,00000O
acres of cotton; yielding about 49,
0OO,0 900 bales.
| We had on January /, 1908, 71,000,
900 cattle. worth 81, 5O0OO,OO0; $4,000,
900 sheep, worth $211OOO00O, and Sc,
| OOO, 900 swine worth $339, 900, 000 The
census of 1900 showed $137000,00C
worth of poultry in this country
which produced, in 1899, 293, 900 00C
dozen eggs.
There has been a slight increase in
the average yield of our great staple
farm products, but neither the in
crease in acreage nor the yield pei
acre has kept pace with our increase
in population. Within a century we
| will probably have to feed three times
as many people as now; and the mair
bulk of our food supply must bt
| grown on our own soil. \ 4
Awaiting Plow.
The area of cultivated land ma,
possibly be doubled. In addition t.
the land awaiting the plow, 75,0O0,OO
acres of swamp land can be reclaimed
40. 900, 900 acres of desert land irri
gated and millions of acres of brusf
and wooded land cleared. Our popu
lation will increase continuously, bu
there is a definite limit to the in
crease of our cultivated acreage
Hence we must greatly increase th'
yield per acre. The average yield o
wheat in the United States Is les
than IA bushels per acre, in German.
2S bushels, and in England 80 bushels
We get 80 bushels Of oats per acre
England nearly As, and German.
more than AZ. Our soils are fertile
but our mode of farming neither con
serves the soil nor secures full GRO
returns. Soil fertility need not be di
minished, but may be increased. Tn
large yields now obtained from farm
in Europe which have been cult
waited for a thousand years prove thi
conclusively. Proper management
will double our average yield per acre
The United States can grow the farm
products needed by a population NOR
than three times as great as our coun
try now contains.
The greatest unnecessary loss of ou
soil is preventable erosion. Secon
: only to this is the waste, misuse an
nonuse of fertilizer derived from ami
mails and man.
The losses to farm products due t
injurious mammals Is estimated a
s130, 100000 annually; the loss throug
plant diseases reaches several hundre
million dollars; and tie loss throug
| t,,1. s, Mt y,