The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-09-22
SOIL CONSERVATION
CHEF TOPIC :
NATIONAL CONSERVATION nv,
GREss WILL MEET AT k.x
sAs CITY NEXT WEEK
Country Sad to Have Lost More p,
Country Said to Have Lost More l.,
Than Has Been Gained by N.w
Acreage Mining Soil Instead ..
Farming It.

Kansas City, Mo-, Sept. 1S.-Dn,
ing the 40 years from 1850 to ls0o
the United States lost more fertility
on its old acreage than it gained hv
the addition of virgin acres. Americ.
has been mining its soil rather than
farming it.
These statements are made on tho
authority of Henry Wallace, of Iowa
who characterizes many American
agriculturists of the last century a.
soil pirates rather than soil farmers
Mr.. Wallace has been farmer
himself for the last so years and at
the same time a careful student of
farming. He is president of the ma.
tional conservation congress which il
to meet in Kansas City, Sept. 1921,
and it is largely through his motion
that this gathering is to deal almost
exclusively with soil conservation
President Taft will speak on conser.
walton at the opening session.
The two previous congresses hardly
touched the subject of the farmer
and the farm. In Seattle two years
ago forests were almost the sole topic
and in st. Paul last year public lands
were discussed mainly. Mr.. Wallace
believes that soil conservation is Of
at least as much Importance to
America today as the conservation Of
the forests and protection of public
lands.
"Soil fertility is problem quite
as important to the man who con-
sumes farm products as to the man
who produces Them" said Mr.. Wal
lace at the conservation headquar-
tiers here today. Neither the farm.
er nor the consumer realizes the ex.
tent to which our unrivaled soil fer.
tility has been wasted.
although untold millions of virgin
acres needing neither ak nor tilling
spade have been added to our cult
waited area year by year for fifty
years, it is only in the last few years
that the average yield per acre h9
shown. a tendency to increase; and
that small increase has been due to-
awakened agricultural departments
in state and nation, the real study OF
agriculture in our colleges and ex-
pertinent stations.
Loss Greater Than New Acreage.
"For more than forty years pre-
vious to the last decade we have LOST
more fertility 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
mining. On some Of the best SOILS
naturally in the world we produce
less wheat than any nation in the ola
world save Russia and India, where
the soil has been farmed for tnou'
sands of years. Enough has oeen
done to show that we can farm az
we'll as mine fertility, create as well
as waste.
"The conservation of this soil Ter
tility, the greatest asset remaining "
the American people, will be tne
main burden of the discussion OF inc
third national conservation congress
It will meet in Kansas City, In 'ne
heart of the country that must iesu
and clothe the hungry nations. ine
cities are beginning to realize tnas
they must have bread and Ou'.''
foundation under them and are III
terested in farm problems as never
before.
Question of Environment.
"The farmers environment IS qui''
as important as his work. To sa'l''
~ the boys and girls who are grow
ing upon these prairies' an emu
will be made at this congress 10 "
velop the social side as well as W.
industrial side, and to interest LII ~
farmers wife and daughters as wen
as the farmer and his sons. iuo
educational and religious side Oh ~
farm will be considered, and by 'nvss
best qualified to speak on TINS - -
portant phase. The best metnou' 40
cooperation will have a place Oh 81. ..h
program. In short, nothing WIG ,v
concerns the farmer and his lamr
will be out Of place on the pros''
at Kansas City. ,on
II earnestly ask the co-opela' ~.
OF every farmer and every larm ~.
ganixation, and every man VINO !,
terested in the development OF on~
acter on the farm or In the 'o o.
We can add in the next five years ,ns
per cent to the yields OF the olt .ad
grown on the farms Of the JIM ~
states, and thus put the mear' ~
cheaper. living within the reach 10.
our constantly growing city popa ,ne
ton while at the same time Dilne IN
about . period Of better liV'ne