The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1909-01-28
Cash Feed Store
I. II. DenCll, Mgr.
Telephone, ,'i-l2.
Manchester Depot, W.


accomplished by the authorization Of q
joint committee on cooperation, to bs
fcmposed Of six members Of the state
conservation commissions aud three
members OF the national conservation
commission. with Its chairman and
secretary. This committee Is TO devise
ways and means for effective coopera-
tion between all forces working for the
conservation OF national resources
Mr. Plnchot takes occasion 10 recog.
nlze the work Of the secretary Of the
commission, Thomas II. shipp. and the
secretaries Of the four sections Of wa
ters. forests, lands and minerals.
Messrs. W. J. MCGEE. overton w.
Price, George w. Woodruff and J. A.
Holmes respectively. without whose
services. together with the government
experts. the making Of the national In.
yentory would have been impossible.
The Ave secretaries sign the report
with him.
The report OF the commission In de-
voted mainly 10 an inventory OF the
country's resources In minerals. lands.
forests and waters, closing with a sec
ton on national efficiency"
The mineral production OF the Unit
ed States for 1907 exceeded $2-000,00O.-
900 aud contributed o. per cent Of the
total freight traffic of the country.
The waste IN the extraction and treat
ment OF mineral products during the
same year was equivalent TO more
than $500, 100000. The available and
easily accessible supplies OF coal In the
United States aggregate approximately
/, 400 900 100000 tons. At the present
Increasing rate OF production this sup
ply Will be so depleted as TO approach
exhaustion before the middle OF the
next century. The high grade Iron
ores (the only iron ores available for
use under existing conditlons) cannot
be expected TO last beyond the middle
Of the present century. The same N
true OF the petroleum supply. The sup
ply OF stone, clay. cement. lime, sand
and salt Is ample. while the stock OF
the precious metals and OF copper.
lead, zinc. sulphur, asphalt, graphite.
quicksilver mica and the rare metals
cannot well be estimated. but II clenr-
ly cxhausiible within one TO three cen
turies unless unexpected deposits are
found.
The consumption OF nearly all our
mineral products Is increasing far
more rapidly than our population. A
stray CLEAN OF light In the otherwise
gloomy mineral situation IL seen in
the fact that while the production OF
coal Is increasing enormously. the
waste and loss IN mining are diminish
Ing. There IL urgent need OF greater
safety TO the miner. The loss OF life
through mine accidents Is appalling.
Stress IL laid on the assertion that
four fifths Of the country's fire losses.
or an average Of 81. 000. 900 day, could
be prevented II the precautions taken
In Europe we're adopted here.
Speaking OF the nations cnltivahle
area. the report declares that there has
been a slight increase In the average
yield OF our great staple farm prod
ucts, but neither the Increase In acre
age nor the yield per acre has kept
pace with our Increase In population.
within century we shall probably
have to feed three times M many
people as now. and the main bulk OF
our food supply must be grown on our
own soil. We have now nearly 0'ooo'-
900 farms, averaging 148 acres each,
but only little more than two'nfths
OF the area OF continental United states
IL under cultivation. The United
States can grow the farm products
needed by population more than three
times as great as our country now con-
tains. but we must greatly Increase
the yield per acre.
The greatest unnecessary waste OF
our soil is prcventable erosion. Second
only TO this IL the waste. nonuse ana
misuse OF fertilizer derived from AMI
mails and men. other great causes OF
loss are due 10 Injurious mammals.
plant diseases and insects. Most OF
these farm losses are preyentnble.
The present public land laws ~
whole do not subserve the best inter
ests OF the people. Title TO the surface
Of the remaining nonminerai public
lands should be granted only to actual
homemakers.
Next TO our need OF food and water
comes our need Of timber. declares The
report The preservation by use under
the methods Of practical forestry OF
all public forest lands either In state
or federal ownership Is essential to
the permanent public welfare. Enec-
tive and Immediate cooperation by pi.
ynte enterprise. state ownership ana
federal ownership Is needed II the pub
llc interest IL 10 be subseryed. by rea-
sonable thrift we can produce a con-
slant timber supply beyond our present
need aud with II conserve the useful
ness OF our streams for irrigation, wa
ter supply. navigation and power.
or the 7o,Doo0oo 10000 cubic feet
Of water annually flowing into the sea
less than per cent is restrained and
utilized for municipality and commo'
niiy supply; less than per cent tos
some 10 per cent of that In the aria
aud seiniarid regions) IA used for irri-
Cation. perhaps per cent Ia used Tor
navigation aud less than per cent for
power,
The freshets are attended by -
structiye soil erosion. The soil matter
annually carried into lower rivers ana
harbors on Into the sea Ia computed ~
100000 tons soil wash reduces BY
10 10 20 per cent the productivity OF
upland farms aud Increases channel
cutting and bar building in the rivers.
The annual loss 10 this farms alcns u
syo0,OJ0.1O0 and large losses follow
the fouling of the waters and the d.
minisLsd navigation Of the streams.
loogTisuED on PACE FOUR