The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-07-18
TO REDEEM SOIL IS
OUR GREATEST TASK
w. ,, sPILLMAN.
Farm Expert Tells How Resources
Can Be Saved and Exodus From
Country Stopped.
w. ,. sPiLLMAN.

WASHINGTON, July l6.-"The loss
OF thousands Of finished American
farmers who are pouring into Canada
every year Is serious after-effect OF
wasteful exploitation and the failure
10 conserve this country's natural re-
sources, especially the soil. The fer
| tility OF our soil has been reduced be-
low the point or profitable production
IN many OF our communities, and peo-
pie instead OF remaining at home and
building up impoverished farms. are
migrating In search OF virgin land"
This explanation OF the Canadian
movement was made a few days ago
by w. J. Spillman, the expert on farm
management brought into the depart
ment OF agriculture by Secretary Will
son little more than eight years ago
and now chief of an important branch
OF the department which has done
much toward bridging the chasm be-
tween science and practical farming.
Mr. Spillman thinks that the stream
OF migration which is flowing over the
northern borders should act as a
warning TO the farmers OF America
and show them the need OF restoring
and maintaining the productivity or
the soil. From his standpoint, this is
the most important phase OF the whole
conservation problem.
Some OF the American emigrants
are taking up the lands in Manitoba.
Alberta and Saskatchewan, where
there is almost stampede TO estab-
lish farms on the virgin soil In the
belief that the fertility OF the land Is
''inexhaustible." Similar claims were
made few years ago about the pral-
ries Of the West and Middle West EX-
perience has proven, however, that
no soil Is inexhaustible unless cared
for under an approved system OF farm
management.
This country has been prodigal in
the utilization OF all its natural re-
sources. especially the soil, and we
are now paying the penalty said Mr.
Spillman before leaving Washington
for a field trip. In many OF our
older communities soil fertility Is
greatly reduced. The depreciation OF
the soil due 10 primitive methods o.
farming means a reduced income Tor
the farmer because OF reduced ca
pacity OF the land and an increase III
the cost OF food because OF low yields,
Many of our farmers instead or stay
ing at home and adopting methods q,
renovating their WORKOUT soils, mn
il easier 10 sell the old farm, and pac
up and move on.
I'VE are facing a new situation. NO
longer does the Improvement OF IAN"
I'm the west meet the loss due 10 the
abandonment OF older lands III the
east combined with the Increased de-
mand for the products OF the farm
That the same process OF soil exhaus-
ton which caused the decrease OF as-
ricultural population and Abandonment
of farms in the east is now going on
in the west and middle west Is EVIL
denced by the decreased yields per
acre on land which a decade or so
ago was considered the richest In ing
country.
There is a solution to the problem
which confronts US, and am eonndeht
that the American farmer Is INDUS
trious and competent enough TO work
Il out on the ground. Abandoning or
selling the farm to move 10 Canada
does not help matters in this direc'
ton. Abuse of the soil must stop
The period OF exploitive farming Is
past. Single cropping and failure to
fertilize the land properly will con
time as the causes OF the non-suc-
cess of some farmers, but not as many
as in the years past.
The situation is hopeful, though.
The main thing that Is needed is
sufficient number of teachers VINO not
only understand the problems con
corning the farmer but understands
the proper methods TO pursue In build
ing up the soil There is a nation
wide effort at the present time both
! by the government and by the states
directed toward the restoration OF SOIL
| fertility. Progress is being made and
the farmers in many parts OF the coun-
try are increasing their profits steadily
through the application of correct
farming methods to take the place OF
the old system OF mining the soil"