Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-08-28

of a quarter OF its value. In TINS way
it is hoped to stem the rush OF peo-
pie from the agricultural districts 10
the cities. which has caused so much
anxiety to the authorities OF recent
years
The Prussian state itself sells much
of its reclaimed moor lands in this
manner in plots ranging from hall
an acre to % acres. 1t charges IN
terest at the rate of only Il per
cent on three-quarters OF the pur-
chase money and also advances
money for the erection of houses and
barns. The tenant may pay OF as
much as he likes every year and af-
ter a certain number of years the
property becomes his own. In some
instances larger plots of land are &C
CURED from private owners by the
state and laid out in contiguous small
farms, which are sold in similar
manner to>farm laborers. These, by
a system of cooperative Norking are
enabled to cultivate their land at a
much cheaper rate than If they were
working alone. The idea Of the grad
ual purchase system is spreading rap
idly through the government efforts
and many rural districts, hitherto
sparsely populated and poorly cult
waited are becoming thriving agricUl-
turaI centers. The government has
appointed 150 commissioners to as
sist in the purchase of real estate by
ex-soldiers and thrifty workers.
The hoof and mouth disease is now
Z r-.r-orre= aynnup German
focks that even the Agrarian organs
admit that the meat supply Of the
country is seriously threatened. An
Official report of the imperial govern
ment. dated July 81, shows that 81
go farms, located in 4,SGS different
districts, are affected. One result OF
the spread Of the disease has been
reduction in the number of cattle
in the country.
According TO the latest ohicial re
ports the number Of all live stock, eX-
cept swine, brought TO market this
year has been smaller than in 1910.
II is claimed by the Agrarian news
papers that the disease was brought
into Germany in June, 1910. from
Russia and that, despite the rigorous
precautionary measures of the
authorities. it has spread to its pres
ent proportions in the brief space OF
one year Just now the meat supply
is further threatened by the certainty
that all sorts OF animal food products
will be scarce and high. The grass
crop has been greatly damaged by the
protracted heat and drought of the
spring and summer The potato crop
I, CHI Drf
er than usual: and this means much
for the meat supply, since the waste
of potato alcohol distilleries is one
of the principal feeding materials for
fattening live stock. The oats crop
has also been seriously injured by ad-
verse weather conditions.
The number of emigrants leaving
the German North Sea ports this year
is much less than in 1910. For the
first seven months of the year Ham
burg reported a reduction of $4,000
in a total Of 49.73S. The causes as
signed for the lighter outgo this year
are in part the unfavorable business
situation in the United States and the
more rigid application Of the Ameri-
tGu iii dtlOli laws <NAOL-ANA
cause. however, is evidently prosper
Gus condition of the chief countries
that now supply the bulk Of the i'm
migrants into the United States. This
year Germany itself is feeling very
keenly the shortage in the supply Of
Russian farm laborers, due to the
fact that Russia is now enjoying I'M
usual prosperity, wages have been
raised, and the people are conse-
quentIy staying at home. The short
age of Russian labOrers has amount
ed to the proportions Of a calamity
for the farmers in the eastern Ger
man provinces. Fewer Galicians and
Hungarian laborers. too, are coming
into Germany this year, owing to
more prosperous times in those coun-
tries: the same thing is true in re-
gard TO Italy.