The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-01-22

at @62.OJU,UD, were urnzed, wnne an
equal quantity was allowed to escape
into the mir. The daily waste OF natu.
raj gas-the most perfect known fuel
is over 1,OOO,O00.00O cubic feet, OF
enough to supply every city in the
United States Of over 100.O popula.
ton.
Phosphate rock, used for fertilizer
represents the slow accumulation OF
organic matter during past ages. In
most countries 1t is scrupulously pre-.
served. In this country 1t IS extern.
sively exported. and largely for this
reason its production is increasing rap
idly. The original supply cannot long
withstand the increasing demand
The consumption of nearly all our
mineral products is increasing far
more rapidly than our population. In
many cases the waste Is increa Using
more rapidly than the number of our
people. In 1776 but a few dozen
pounds of iron were In use by the av-
erage family. Now our annual con.
sumption is over i 200 pounds per cap
tta. In 1912 no coal was used. Now
the consumption is over FIVE tons and
the waste nearly three tons per capita
While the production OF coal Is III
creasing enormously, the waste and
loss in mining are diminishing. The
chief waste is in imperfect combustion
in furnaces and fire boxes.
With increasing Industries new min
eral resources become available from
time to time. Some lignites and other
low grade Goals are readily gasifed
and, through the development Of in
'ternal combustion engines, check the
consumption Of high grade Goals. Peat
is becoming important. 1t is estimated
that Il, COG. O00. 600 tons are available in
the United States. It's value is en-
HANGED because of distribution through
states generally remote from the fields
of coal, oil and natural gas.
The building operations Of the coun-
try now aggregate about $1,000. 600. 900
per year. The direct and indirect
losses from fire in the United States
during 1907 Appropriated $450OCo,-
600, or one-half the cost of construc-
ton. OF this loss four-fifths, or an
average of $1,oo0.OoO per day. could
be prevented. assshown by comparison
with the standards of construction
and fire losses in the larger European
countries.
So far as the ores are taken from the
mines and reduced to metals. these
resources are capitalized, but after
thus being changed to more valua-
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 cannot aLe
taken too soon.
The national government should eX-
crcise such control of the mineral fuels
and phosphate rocks now in it's pos
session as to check waste and prolong
our supply.
Lands.
The total land area of continental
United States is 1,9GO, 100000 acres
OF this but little more than two-fifths
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
14G acres each. The value of the
farms is nearly one-fourth the wealth
of the United States. There are more
than 30o,OOO,o0O acres of public graz
ing land. The number of persons en-
gagged in agricultural pursuits is more
than 100000.
We grow one-fifth of the world s
wheat crop. three-ifths of its cotton
crop and four-dfths of its corn crop.
We plant nearly 100000 acres of
wheat annually, with an average yield
of about fourteen bushels per acre;
100000 acres Of corn, yielding an
average of twenty-five bushels per
yielding about 100000 bales.
We had on Jan. /. 1908, 71,OOO, 600
cattle, worth $3.50. 100000; 54,oOo,o 600
sheep, worth $211 100000, and 56,Oo0,-
coo swine, worth 100000. The
census Of 1900 showed $137, 0Oo, 900
worth of poultry III this country, which
produced in 1890 293. 100000 dozen
eggs.
There has been a 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 a century we shall prob
ably have to feed three times as many
people Us now, and the main bulk of
our food supply must be grown ON cur
own soil.
The area Of cultivated land may pos
sibly be doubled. In addition to the
land awaiting the plow. 100000
acres of swamp land can be reclaimed,
40 GOO 600 acres of desert land irrigated
and millions Of acres of brush and
wooded land cleared. Our population
will increase continuously. but, there
Is 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 fourteen
bushels per acre. in Germany twenty
eight bushels and in England thirty
two bushels.
The greatest unnecessary loss of our
soil Is preventable erosion. Second
only to this are the waste, nonuse and