The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-02-24

sburg Inois-Theme was Soil Urges It's Conservation and

provided the average yield per acre
OF the same crops in Germany had
been raised, and assuming produc-
ton of so bushels of corn to the acre,
would have amounted to the stupen-
dous total during the year 1909 OF
IS, Csc. 900. 900.
During the past five years the aver
age yield OF corn per acre in Illinois
was only 35.7 bushels, compared with
SS.s bushels in Ohio. s9.s bushels in
Massachusetts. and s9.7 bushels In
Maine.
AS to wheat, Illinois during the
same period, averaged onlJ 1876 bush
els per acre, while New York aver
aged 1873 bushels; Vermont. 24.5
bushels. and Maine, 25.s bushels.
Only 81 bushels of potatoes per
acre are raised on the average, where
as New York, Massachusetts, Vermont
and New Hampshire raised more than
100 bushels to the acre during the
past five years, and Maine obtained an
average yield of EOS bushels, or al
most 21s times the average of the
state of Illinois.
Every experiment, wherever tried,
looking to better methods, more care
IN the selection of seed, scientific
drainage, more intelligent fertiliza-
ton. and more thorough cultivation,
demonstrates beyond the shadow of
doubt that the average yield per
acre Of the nations farms can be
doubled
A New York Record.
Listen to this record of a farm in
New York state: IS bushels OF pota-
toes per acre. so bushels of shelled
corn per acre from 200 acre field:
50 tons OF beets, tons OF hay per
acre. This was the result not of So
called intensive farming Just intelli-
gent farming. and it was not in one OF
those favored fertile valleys in the
central or southern part OF the state,
but was away up in the extreme
northern part, at the north end of
Lake Champlain, within twelve miles
OF the Canadian line.
There is not farm in any agricul-
tural state in the Union where sim
liar record cannot be made il the
farmer can be taught similar intelli-
gent methods, but in the language of
the Apostle. How shall they believe
who have not hearo, and how shall
they hear without a preacher
Better Methods Needed.
The first requisite in this vitality
necessary campaign of education is a
thorough awakening OF our people to
a realization OF the startling signifi-
canoe, the overshadowing importance
of this condition; then systematic,
perservering work for better methods.
The general government should give
it first place among the questions
pressing for consideration
Money should be provided literally
and expended honestly and intelli-
gently. Every scheme for the reclama-
ton OF arid land by the government
should be pushed to completion and
the land opened to settlement at the
earliest possible moment.
Land susceptible OF cultivation, eth
er by irrigation or without it. that is
included in forest reserves should be
excluded from such reserves and
made available for settlement under
such conditions as will insure prompt
intelligent and continuous cultivation
State Action Urged.
Each state should take similar ac-
Ition. Boards of Trade, Chambers OF
Commerce. and other public associa-
tons should take up the work.
The railroad should cooperate with
the state agricultural colleges and
with all institutions having depart
ments of agriculture, in arranging for
meeting of farmers in villages and
country school houses, for the pur-
pose Of preaching this great gospel of
better methods which means more
profitable farming.
The state legislature should regard
the agricultural colleges as an espe-
cial ward Of the state, and this col
lege and it's requirements should
stand first and in the list OF subjects
for consideration and should be at
the head Of the list In making appro-
priations for maintenance and i'm
proyement Of state institutions.
Reads From Letter.
want to read to you letter from
the head of one of the best and most
efficient agricultural colleges in the
United States, and you will wonder
that any state can be SO short-sight-
ed, so derelict in its duty to An insti-
tuition which is In a class by itself in
its contribution to the upbuilding Of
agriculture and prosperity OF the
state.
no.