The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-07

such prodigality In It's use that now
when the settlement is practically
past we find ourselves confronted with
Increased demands for food, which
must be met by soils that have been
! depleted OF much of their yielding
power. This is an important factor in
lie recent increase in the cost OF
food
Fundamental Problems.
THE problem of cheap and abundant
food is fundamental one in all in
dustrial development. 1t was the
abundance and cheapness of food that
made possi..e the marvellous progress
Witnessed in this country during the
past century. During last sixty
years we I've brought into cultiva-
tion the largest and richest body Of
agricultural land in the world. While
this land was new and rich, the pro.
duction OF abundant crops was accom-
plished at little expense, and with lit
tie knowledge OF the principles OF
conservation of soil fertility. This
period of exploitive farming is now
past. The cost of production Is now
enhanced by low yields, or the use OF
expensive methods of obtaining high
yields. Whether the era Of cheap and
abundant food is past depends on our
people to develop eneaper and better
means Of production than now prevail.
We no longer have unlimited unde-
veloped agricultural resources. Future
increase of production must come
largely from better methods of farm
Ing. Whether we, as nation. shall
attain these improved methods after
long period Of depression, accom-
conditions, as has been the case in
older countries, or whether we shalt
attack the problem resolutely and in
nsentiy and adopt improved meth
DDS as soon as the situation demands,
depends on the efficiency OF those
agencies that in the recent years have
been built up in this country with
view to meeting the problems of soil
conservation and agricultural re-
adjustment,
at is not strange that in many
communities exploitive farming con-
tinues beyond its legitimate life. In
fact. such change could hardly pro-
coed Ia the older settled States, while
the unbounded West offered the renter
and the farm laborer the opportunity
to acquire home by gift from the
government on soil fertile enough to
permit for one or two generations
profitable farming with little equip
ment other than energy and courage.
at the Same time the nation as
whole did not suffer for increased pro-
duction. for the rich Western soils
kept pace with the increased demand
for food. But at present the bringing
into cultivation Of new lands in the
West no longer meets the loss due to
abandonment Of Eastern lands. A
counter-current Of immigration is
flowing from the West back upon
the cheaper lands Of the Atlantic Sea-
board. Tho exhaustion OF free lands
has increased the price of all, and
makes It moro difficult for a young
man to acquire home upon the land.
Hence there is an increase OF tenant
farming. The increased price Of food
has affected other industries; city
people are beginning to turn toward
the land. The Agricultural Depart
ment annually receives hundreds of
featuring industries asking for infor.
nation that will enable them to be-
come farmers.
With the increased value of farm
products. exports. especially in bread
stuffs. have greatly decreased. In the
last five years the amount OF wheat
annually shipped abroad has dropped
I from 212.o0o,0oo to 114.o0o,00o bushels
| If we are to retain a favorable bal
ance of trade 1t must be not by In
| creased acreage as in the past, but
by increase in yields per acre; for we
no longer have unlimited virgin soil
to exploit.
Remedy for EVIL.
ITO remedy the growing evil, we
must increase the number OF live stock
/, on our farms. Also where land is
| farmed by renters the leases must be
| made for longer term, and where
| the renter has not sufficient capital
| the domestic animals must be supplied
by the landlord We must give more
attention to the condition of our pas
| lures. many of which are overgrazed
to point of worthlessness. Cows are
turned into pastures before the grass
has attained vitality. Pastures which
formerly supported one animal on two
acres now support only one on ten
acres. The ranges of the West have
been decreasing from being settled by
farmers: hence there is a serious
shortage of live stock in the country.
( and this must be remedied by raising
more young stock on the farms of ths
East.
Modern and improved methods of
soil management give remarkable re.
suits. Two years ago the Agricultural
Department induced farmer in New
iorR STATE TO grow four acres of po-
tatoes under Its direction. The farmer
had been growing potatoes for sixty
years in that locality without selection
Of seed to improve the quality. His
ordinary yield was forty bushels to
the acre On being furnished new
and improved seed the our acres pro-
duced $50 bushels to the acre.
I'm 1908. 500 farmers in Alabama
raised 1926 demonstration acres Of
corn under the direction of the de-
partment Tho average yield was
SS IA bushels per acre; the average
yield for the State was 10 Ia bushels
per acre.
In South Carolina SIS farmers grew
Els acres OF cotton in plats under
the same direction. The average was
1905 pounds of seed cotton to the acre
In the same State 537 farmers grew