Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-17

crops being grown. 1t is probable that
under these circumstances the increased
yield Of the land now cultivated would
not only give Us all the grain that we
should require for food, but .atso all the
foodstnhs. partly as by-product from the
gram and partly grown. that would be
required for raising the cattle, sheep and
other animals necessary to supply the
whole of our wants. r-
! 1t is now beginning to be understood
that intensive farming of the land also
| involves intensive cattle raising, and that
1t IS very advantageous greatly To
| reduce the amount of grass land and in
stead to grow crops intensivcly cult
waited, as in this way a given amount of
land can be made to produce much lar
ger yield.
Sulphate of ammonia is particularly
good fertilizer for the purpose of growing
sugar beet, and here again it Is probable
that the availability of large quantities
of this fertilizer at very much lower
! price than at present prevails would ena-
bic us to produce the whole of our sugar
at home. especially as the by-product OBJ
tanned in the form Of crushings from the
beet is a very valuable food for cattle
raising. and also as the crop is a very
suitable one for growing alternately with
wheat.
If it was found that Il larger amount
of fertilizer than the 100000 tons of sui
phate of ammonia. which would be the
principal by-product from the 100000
tons Of coal turned into electricity, could
be advantageously nsed this would be
very economically produced from the
electrical station by the oxidation of at
mospheric nitrogen. giving a valuable
fertilizer in the form Of nitrate Of lime.
This could be made internationally by
means of current filling up the load curve
and would not necessitate the exuendi-
ture of any more money on plant for
generation or transmission Of the cur
rent. 1t would. however, require the
burning of additional coal, and this in
itself would add to the suphatc Of am
mona available.
At present it is considered quite right
and reasonable to canalize rivers and
make great works for adding to the fer
tility of countries by means of irriga-
ton. but believe that in the future tho
time will come when it will be thought
no more wonderful largely to control our
weather than it is now thought wonder
full to control the water after it has fall
leu on the land. think that it will be
possible to acquire knowledge which will
enable us largely to control by electri-
cal means the sunshine which reaches
US, and. in a climate which usually has
ample moisture III the atmosphere, to
produce rainfall when and where we re-
quire it.
kf,.n.
from the coal in the form of tar and
light oils. The effect of their abundant
production and sale at low price would
be most important to the country. as the
large quantity of tar produced would en-
able us to make good roads. which We
much need, and which would have. the
lowest cost of upkcep, and the light oils
would, when carburettors have been fur
Their developed, so long way toward
supplying the fuel for our motor ears
ana other motor vehicles which we now
have to import from abroad.
AS there must be an enormous develop
ment in the way of motor traction these
two by-prodllcts become most important
The necessity for labor-savinG appliances
used in agriculture must greatly add to
the number of motors which can not, &C
coriine to present. knowledge. be re-
placed by electricity, and these. no doubt,
would be made to burn the heavier oils
which would be produced as q part Of
the coal by-products.
Considering the general effect of the
all-electric scheme, in which, with put
small exception, the whole of the coal
used would be turned into electricity, he
first important effect would be the saving
of some Sc,0oo00 to 90.oOo.Oo0 tons of coal
o year. AS We should produce the whole
of our food requirements, we should not
have to export our capital in the form of
coal to help pay our food bill In inns
way. by making these two savings, we
could prolong the useful life of our coal
measures two and a half times. and SUN
have 2oUUO0O tons of coal year avail
able for the use of our steamships over
and above the coal required here.
The saving of labor now employed in
raising the vast amount Of coal which we
now waste or send abroad. and also the
labor employed in Transporting this coal
and using 1t for all the various purposes
for which il is now required. together
with the labor employed in cleaning up
and getting rid of the effects of burning
coal according to our present methods.
would be available for additional manu-
featuring of articles now imported.
Cheap electricity would greatly stimuli
late all manufacturing operations. which
would. in turn. enable labor. to be much
better remunerated than at present. and
to enjoy a much higher standard Of COM
fort. The higher.value Of labor would in
it's turn stimulate inventiveness and the
production of all sorts of labor-saving
appliances which. with cheap electricity.
would enable us to produce in the future
under suitable market conditions at
cheaper rates than now. notwithstanding
the better return labor would obtain.
At present. although the using of our
coal may mean commercial activity. 1t
certainly means the desolation of the
country in parts where 1t is largely used.
Instead of this harm being done to the
country by our coal, we should fertilize
the, lands by its means, and might even.
as have indicated. use it in the future
tn increase our sunshine.-New York
! Times.
Deafness Cannot be Cured
hv local publications, as they cannot