University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1910-09-18
FARMING THE HOPE
Of OZARK REGION
Prof c. F. Marbut Tells ofthe
Possibilities of Missouri's
Mountain Section.
DESCRIPTION, OF SOILS
Part of the Ozarks Especially
Adapted for Dairying-
Social Conditions.

The only hope of that section of
Southern Missouri known as the Ozark
region is agriculture-that is the belief
of c. F. Marbut, professor of geology
at the University of Missouri, who has
just completed an exhaustive study
of soils and conditions in the Ozarks
covering several years. The results
of his research work and his conclus-
ions are contained in bulletin just
issued by the Agricultural Experiment
Station at the University.
Agriculture, including Animal Hus-
bandry. is the only permanent indus
try to which the Ozark region as
whole is adapted" he says. There
is a great deal of the region that can
never, or probably will never. be con-
verted into tillable land. yet for the
region as whole agriculture will be-
come its most important industry.
That part Of it not adapted to agri-
culture will be utilized for growing
timber.
Fruit growing can never consti-
tute the great fundamental industry
of the region. That must be stock
raising and dairying. The land must
be reset to grass.
Exact Character Of Soils
Take map Of the Ozark region, put
your finger on any spot you may Sc
lect, then consult the bulletin and you
can learn the exact character Of the
soil at that spot-what the agricultu-
raj possibilities are II any; what meth
cd of farming is necessary or If not
farming, what allied industry is best
suited to the locality. If perchance,
yourfinger happened to strike noun
tain covered with rock, the bulletin
will tell just what formation of rock
lit is or just what timber is to be
found, and all about the agricultural
and water facilities adjacent. Al
though it is intended merely as pre-
liminary report of the soil survey. its
t125 pages treat in detail of conditions
fand exact description of the various
kinds Of soils. The Ozarks, he refers
to in one place as unique" and the
t"only region of its kind in the world"
Concerning the soils in general he
tsays:
LA large part of the area has soil
of only moderate fertility and there
fore soil that will not stand abuse
indefinitely. 1t does not smile upon
the farmer who refuses to treat it well
and to supply it with food. It does
not lavish great wealth on the soil
robber simply because it has not the
great wealth to expend upon him. On
the other hand it is of such char
acter that it will not refuse to reward
to the fullest extent the hand that
feeds it. It's response to good treat
ment is prompt and full. 1t returns
to the farmer products Of many times
more value than the value of the food
that he gives it.
"The Ozark farmer, however, has
not learned to treat his soil like he
treats his horse. He is unable to hear
the cry Of the starved soil as he hears
that Of his live stock, though the value
of the response of the sold to good
Treatment is probably greater than
that Of live stock. The latter can
move about from place to place and
often gain sustenance regardless of
Treatment by the owner, the former
cannot do SO.
1.-THE roughness of the country and
the occurrence Of mineral deposits OF
considerable value in parts Of 1t have
caused the people to turn great deal
of their attention to mining. neglect.
ing their farms. The land has become
poor in proportion to this neglect"
Good Drainage There.
In describing the system Of farm
ing best adapted to the, region, Prof
Marbut says there are several rea.
sons why dairying is proven to be
more profitable than any other branch
of agriculture. The first is cleanli.
ness.
"Of all the area of the Central Mis-.
sissippi Valley the Ozark area" he
says, "has greater freedom from mud
The universal presence Of stones and
gravel in the soil insures solid roads
and good drainage under ordinary con
ditions. The thorough drainage Of
the soil prevents the accumulation Of
surplus water during the winter and
the consequent heaving Of the soil
The absence of suspended matter from
the water supply is another factos
in the cleanliness Of the region. The
running water is universally clear ex