Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1910-09-22
LOOKING AHEAD.
A Discussion of Our Food Supply
and Demand.

dlOuS the lines Oh Improvement during
the short period of our existence as a
nation.
Unlike the histories OF some coun-
tries, it is not the number of wars or
conquests or bloody battles fought
which most impresses us, but 1t is the
marvellous advancement made along
the paths Of peaceful progress.
1t is safe 10 say that no other coun-
try in the world can furnish a parallel
/, TO the progress of our own country
along the line Of the peaceful arts,
which In reality are the only elements
which tend to make nation powerful
and progressive. When noting the
rapid development in other ways we
must also consider agriculture. In no
other industry or occupation have we
made such strides as in the art of
agriculture. for in recent years 1t has
actually become an art When con-
sidering the past we can butt conjec-
ture what 1t will be bnpfred or
even a much less number of years
from now. We are already approach
us ShC ILLhC "hCu LhC iIOthOho anu
conditions of farm life are to undergo
a great change from what they now
are and have been in the past
This change will not be entirely due
to the farmers. but rather to meet an
economic condition which has just
arisen within recent years.
Last year the value of all our farm
products was the largest it has ever
been. reaching the enormous sum of
over SS,000,OOO.0OO. Although this sum
is larger than that of any previous
year. yet our exports were not so large
as those of previous years. while the
agricultural imports were the largest
they have ever been This is the flrst
time in the history of our country that
we have had this condition to contend
with. Hitherto our agricultural exports
have far exceeded the imports. but
the time is not far distant when the
exports will not even equal the i'm
ports. Ever since our ancestors first
crossed the Allegheny mountains and
commenced the cultivation Of the so
called unlimited western plains" has
the United States been looked upon
as the principal granary of the world.
This was a natural condition. The
overcrowded countries of Europe were
unable to produce food products
enough for their own USE and their
people were obliged to search in for
eign lands for the products which they
needed. The United States was in ev-
cry way well fitted TO supply their
wants. Instead of their overcrowded
millions Of acres of the best agricul-
tural lands in the world. which needed
only to be cultivated. Thus we sup
piled our own growing population and
at the same time furnished a large
part to the people Of Europe.
Under this condition the natural re-
suit was to settle the west as fast az
possible and consequently to encour-
age the extensive instead of the in
tensive cultivation of the soil But at
that time our population was nearly
100000 people. while now it is nearly
1O0.000,000 people.
For many years the increase in popu-
lation nearly corresponded to the in
crease i'm the cultivated acres. but Of
late years this condition has disap-
peared. There are two reasons for
this result First. the natural in
crease is greater each year than in the
one preceding it. and. besides. nave
nearly million immigrants coming to
our land annually. This causes the
home consumption to be much greater
each year. But not only this; the "un-
limited western plains" have ceased to
exist. We can no longer bring the
vast number of acres of virgin soil
under cultivation as formerly.
All the best part of the western land
has been taken by the home seekers
excepting that which has been re-
served for the Indians. The best terri
tory now left is the irrigation. which
can be claimed but slowly.
With this condition and the demand
for our own products coming from our
own people it is Il natural result that
the tendency should be reversed to-
ward intensive instead of extensive
farming. 1t is estimated that within
a dozen years we will not produce the
food crops for our own use. while in
the past we have been producing for
the people Of all parts of the world.
Probably the most noticeable ex-
ample of this case is In the meat sup
ply. In order TO produce large quaint
ties of meat cheaply we must have an
OF good grazing land. With
the settling and cultivation Of the
west the industry of herding has been
the first TO be affected
The United States has been produc-
ing one fourth the beef of the whole
world and five years ago exported
733 100000 pounds. but this has been
reduced by half in the last FIVE years.
This Is mainly due TO the vast ranges
being divided into small farms for the