The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-09-07

st. Paul Sept Tile Interest OF
the Railways Of the South in Conser-
walton" was the theme of w. w. Fin
ley president of the Southern Rail-
way, who spoke before the National
conservation congress today.
amy government policy that is TO
the best interest Of the people is to
the best interest of the railways
said Mr.. Finley ana any policy hurm-
ful of the railways is harmful to the
people / must therefore be undur-
stood rs presenting what I believe 20
be the interest Of the Southern poo
pie
Mr., Finley denied that the produce
tivity of the soil was decreasing. Tie
average wheat yield has grown from
II bushels per acre I'm 1861, to 1iG
bushels In the years since 1906. The
corn yield was not decreasing but re-
maincd stationary around 25.5 bushels
The cotton yield in the period of 1856
was 1854 pounds of lint cotton to the
acre ana in the present day it is 1851
pounds.
Long and proper use of the soil
increases it's productivity An estate
In Germany that produced l2.5 bus g.
els of wheat per acre 80 years aro.
now produces an average of i51 bush
ols per acre.
"At Rothamstcd, Eng, some inter
esting experiments in crop rotation
were made. one one plot POTATOES
were grown for l5 years. At the end
of that time the soil was In such con-
ditlon that II would not grow potatoes
at all It was then planted in barley
and produced an excellent yield. Au-
other crop followed the barley and tho
soil was then in condition 10 grow
potatutes again. ON this same expert
mental farm wheat has been sown for
50 years on the same soil without fer
tilizcrs and the yield has gone down
from 80 bushels Ia II. Ou another
tract wheat has been sowu continual
ly for 80 years with the use of a COM
plete fertilizer and AN agcrahe yiCld
of about 80 bushels has been main
| tanned. snl y
"The conversion Of raw matcrinL
near the source Of its origin, into the
finish product, ready for the con-
sumer is true conservation Tie
South is beginning to use its own raw
material in manufacturing in it's own
| district, but even yet large purpor-
tion Of raw material, which has pass 'd
! through the first stage of manufac-
turc, is shipped out 10 be coverted into
| the finished product elsewhere. This
is q waste Of energy which, under
| ideal conditions Of conservation would
not be tolerated.
"If the Southern Woodworking indus-
tries, are 10 thrive effectively, steps
must be taken for the conservation OF
Southern forests The people Of other
parts Of the country must look to the
South for an increasing proportion Of
| their timber supplies.
1.-THE railroads of the country are
interested In the conservation of soil,
Of forests and mines and of water
power. Conversely, the people are in
terested In the conservation and de-
velopment Of their transportation sys-
| TENS Without railroads the scale of
living would he much more restricted
ana many things which are now look
ed up as being almost necessaries of
life, would be either unattainable or
would he luxuries which only the
wealthy could enjoy
Mr.. Finley said that the question Of
preserving the forests OF the South
was a problem for the state legisa-
tors. ~
Ifree--SliyeI'aT Tea Set--I'rec.
NcAi MnNlay/ngli I