Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-23
CONSERVATION CONGRESS.
By Frederic J. Haskin.

The number of notable men VINO VIII
he in attendance upon the third Natlohai
Conservation Congress, which VIII opeh
in Kansas City Monday, September ID
will make this gathering one OF the most
important ever held in the country Inc
personnel of the honorary guests Will IN
clude President Taft. Secretaries wilson
and Fisher representatives OF a NUMBER
of foreign governments. judges OF the Su-
preme Court. the mayors OF many cities.
the governors Of many states, the presi-
drn.s OF colleges and universities ana
number or prominent clersymcn ana ecu
Gators The official guests. III addition 10
the officers of the Congress. VIII lncluue
fifteen delegates appointed by the gov
ernor of each state and territory. flVe
delegates appointed by the mayor OF eacn
city having a population above 2o.Un, and
three from selected number of cities
below that. Delegates will also be in
attendance from the chambers of COM
merce. the boards of trade and other or
ganizations interested in the conservation
Of the natural resources OF the country.
:: *
This years conservation congress will
be the most important ever held The
first one. which was
Most Important held in Seattle in 1909,
dealt with questions
Congress. Of the far west in
Guiding chiefly water power and forestry.
The second. held last year in st. Paul,
was devoted especially to the considera-
tion of public lands and their utilization.
This third Congress. held in Kansas City.
will deal entirely with the conservation of
the farm and everything pertaining to
the interest of the farmer. AS Kansas
City Is located in the central part of the
country, in the heart of the greatest farm
areas of the world. this subject can be
considered here with especial significance.
The National Grange and various other
farmers organizations are actively in
terested in the congress. and it is expect
ed that several thousand farmers will be
in attendance.
The conservation of soil fertility will
be one of the most important subjects
considered. In New England and various
other parts of the country there are hun
dreds of abandoned farms which are use
less and valueless because the soil has
become sterile and unproductive. The
rich fields of the middle west show no
signs of being overworked. but their
term Of service has been comparatively
short. This congress aims to help the
farmer provide for the fertility of the
SOIL 50 that there is no possibility of its
becoming exhausted.
The country has practically come to the
end Of its virgin SOIL AT present only two
civilized countries India
Larger Crops and Russia. grow poorer
81, average crops per acre
AOAoou' than the United States.
Where England gets thirty-two bushels
weld to the acre and Germany twenty
eight. America falls below fifteen. The
chief reason is that American farmers,
an a WHOLE are behind in their under
standing of the soil and its needs There
will be several experts upon this question
in attendance upon the congress. Prof.
Cyril Hopkins OF the University of ILL
nois will speak upon "The Chemistry of
tie Soil" He has revolutionized farming
in Illinois by analysis of the soil. Any
farmer in the state may send to him a
sample of the soil from his farm and
prof. Hopkins will analyze it and tell
him what constituents il lacks TO make
u fertile.
Henry Wallace. the president of the