The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-09-14
SAVE THE SOIL! Will
Be CRY THIS SESSION
National Conservation Congress
Will Meet at Kansas City,
September 1927.

Kansas City. Mo-, Special: During the
40 years from 1860 to 1900 the United States
lost more fertility on It's old acreage than
1t gained by the addition of virgin acres.
| America has been mining its soil rather
than farming It,
These statements seem rather extrava-
giant but they are made on the authority
OF Henry Wallace. OF Iowa, whose word
about agriculture and agricultural condi-
tons is accepted generally without ques-
ton. 1t is Mr.. Wallace who characterized
the American agriculturists of the last
century as soil pirates rather than soil
farmers. Mr.. Wallace has been a farm
er himself for the last SO years and at
the same time a careful student OF farm
Ing. He is the president of the national
conservation congress, which Is to meet
In Kansas City, SeptemberS25-N, and 1t Is
largely through his motion that this con-
servation Is to deal almost exclusively
with soil conservation. President Taft
will speak at the opening session of the
congress, September %, and "Conserva-
ton" will be his subject.
The two previous congresses hardly
touched the matter OF the farmer and the
farm. In Seattle two years ago forests
were almost the sole topic: in St. Paul last
year public lands were discussed mainly.
Mr.. Wallace believes that soil conserva-
tion is of at least as much Importance to
America today as the conservation OF the
forests and protection of public lands.
Soil fertility is a problem quite as Inn
portant to the man who consumes farm
products as to the man who produces
them" said Mr.. Wallace at the conserva-
ton headquarters here Neither the
farmer ncr TIE consumer realizes the ex-
tent to which our unrivaled soil fertility
has been wasted. Although untold mill
liors OF virgin acres needing neither ak
nor thing spade have been added to our
cultivated area year by year for 80 years,
1t Is only the last few years that the aver
age yield per acre has shown a tendency
to increase: and that small Increase has
been due to awakened agricultural depart
ments IN state and nation. the real study
OF agriculture In our colleges and expert
ment stations.
For more than 40 years previous to
the last decade we have lost more fer
tility on the old acreage than we gained
by the addition Of the virgin acres. We
have, speaking generally. been mining. not
farming, our soil fertility and sending 1t
all over the world at the bare cost of min
Ing On some of the best soils naturally
In the world we produce less wheat per
acre than any nation on the old world
save Russia and India, where the soil
has been farmed for thousands Of years.
Enough has been done to show that we
can farm as well as mine fertility, create
as well as waste.
THE conservation o. this soil fertility,
the greatest asset remaining to the Amer
lean people, will be the main burden Of
the discussion OF the third national con-
servation congress. It will meet In Kan
sas City, In the very heart of the coun-
try that must feed and clothe the hun
cry nations The cities are beginning to
realize that they must have q bread and
butter foundation under them and are in
terested in farm problems as never be-
fore
THE farmers life Is quite as important
as his work. In order to make farm life
satisfying to the boys and girls who are
growing up on these prairies, an effort
will be made at this congress TO develop
the social side as we'll as the Industrial
side; to interest the farmers wife and
daughters as well as the farmer and his
sons The educational and religious side
Of the farm will be considered as well as
its material side. and by those best quail
flied to speak on this important phase of
farm life. The best methods OF co-opera-
ton will have a place on the program In
short, nothing which vitality concerns the
farmer and his family will be out of place
on the program at Kansas City.
81 earnestly ask the cooperation of
every farmer and every farm organization
aud every man who is interested in the de-
velopment of character on the farm or in
the town. We can add in the next five
years rs per cent to the Yields Of the crops
grown on the farms of the United States.
and thus put the means OF cheaper living
within the reachgof our constantly grow
ing city population while at the same time
bring about period Of better living on
the farm"