The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1909-11-03
1t is as well assured as any future

1t is as well assured as any future
event can be that the population of
the United States will be zoe, 900 900
by about the middle of the present
century. Millions of persons now liv-
ing will see the 2OO,O0O,O00 persons
here. How are they to be fed?
Suppose the average yearly per
capita consumption of wheat is six
and one-half bushels. 1t will then re-
quire 1.300,000,000 bushels of wheat
for Que bread supply. Twice only in
our history have we exceeded 700,-
100000 bushels.
Possible increase of wheat produce
ton by increasing acreage is limited
We have no longer a great area Of
free public lands.
We will be left practically with a
shortage of 400.0O0,000 bushels. A
supply to meet the coming new de-
mand is nowhere in sight. I have
said many times in different articles
and addresses that a price of over
rather than under 81 per bushel
might be expected hereafter.
Suppose the United States pro-
duccd % bushels per acre, or
double its present showing. That
"OuNu NC ifOthiHK eNtFbOfOlnlfy.
In view of what European coun-
tries have done with inferior
Soils. II would have added 634,-
OOO,OOO bushels to our product
last year.
Such close and careful cultivation
as will yield the highest profit per
acre can best be given to land when
it is cultivated in small farms. Ten
farmers, each cultivating from 40 to
$50 acres, with the most approved
tilage methods, each can earn a profit
equal to that taken from two to three
times the same area by slovenly
tillage.
To raise the productivity of our
soil SO per cent would be an increase
greater in value than the entire VOL
ume of our foreign trade.
These results can be brought about
by such instruction as we now give
in our technical schools and insti-
tutes for the trades.
We cannot wait for the work of the
agricultural colleges, because the
emergency is one for the present gen.
ration.
If L could have my way I should
build couple of warships less a year
| would take that $5,000,OeO a year
and start at least 1000 agricultural
schools in the United States at $4,000
a year each, in the shape of model
farms.
| would require a small amount of
land, all told, to place a model farm
in every agricultural county in the
United States.
There should be a trained man TO
each farm, say of eighty acres; and
general superintendent, thoroughly
trained agriculturist, to manage three
or four counties and visit the different
farms. All such farms might be put
under the general supervision of the
agricultural college of the state.
If any farmer was in doubt he
could visit it, see with his own eyes
and find out what he ought to have
done and what he could do the next
time.
To direct the minds of the young TO
work upon the land as an honorable
and desirable career, and to prepare
them for work when they return there
by suitable instruction is to promote
good citizenship and national security. |
The farmer must cultivate no more
land than he can till thoroughly. With |
less labor he gets more results. Official |
statistics show that the net profit from
one crop of twenty bushels of wheat |
to the acre is as great as that from |
TWO crops of sixteen bushels to the
acre.
There must be rotation of crops. !
Ten years of single cropping will pretty |
nearly wear out any but the richest |
soil.
There must be soil renovation by |
'ertilizing, and the best fertilizer is
manure.
Every farmer can and should keen
some cattle, sheep and hogs on his
place. The farmer cannot prosper I'M
IL stock raising becomes inseparable
rom agriculture.
IL waste could be stopped it would
ave more money for the farmer than
he railroads could if they carried all
lis grain to market free of charge.
AND THE