The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1911-08-26
SOL Oilers ARE
TAUGHT HOW
TO- TILL SOIL
Germany Experiments in the
Army in Teaching Sol
diers to Farm.
MEANS CHEAP LANDS
For Them as a Result Of a
Law Passed Several
Years sAgo.
S CHEAP LANDS


BERLIN, Aug. -Far-reachine
experiments are being made in the
German army in teaching he Soldiers
both practical and theoretical farm
ing during their service in the ranks.
Many OF the soldiers, even those
from the cities, become so Interested
that when they have finished their
term they take advantage of a law
passed some years ago, by which
they are enabled to purchase small
plots of land by the payment in
ready money of a quarter of its
value. In this way it is hoped to
stem the rush of people from the
agricultural districts to 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
half an acre to Twenty-Five acres. 1t
charges interest at the rate of only
three and one-half per cent on the
of the purchase
money, and also advances money for
the erection of houses and barns.
The tenant may pay on as much as
he likes every year, and after GER
tain number of years the property
becomes his own. In some instances
large plots of land are acquired
from private owners blythe state and
laid out in contiguous small farms,
which are sold in similar manner
to farm laborers. These, by sys-
tenn of cooperative working, are en-
abled to cultivate their land at a
much cheaper rate than If they were
working alone. The idea of the
gradual purchase system is spread
ing rapidly through the govern
ment's efforts, and many rural dis
tricts, hitherto sparsely populated
and poorly cultivated, are becoming
thriving agricultural centers. The
government has appointed $50 COM
missioners to assist in the purchase
of real estate by ex-soldiers and
thrifty workers.
The hoof and mouth disease Is
now making such ravages among
German hocks that even the agrarian
an organs admit that the meat sup
ply is seriously threatened. An on
cial report of the imperial govern
ment, dated July 81. shows that a.
s26 farms, located in 4,sGs different
districts, are affected. One result Of
the spread of the disease has been
a reduction in the number of cattle
in the country.
According to the latest official re-
ports the number Of all live stock,
except swine, brought to market this
year has been smaller than in 1910.
1t is claimed by the agrarian news
papers that the disease was brought
into Germany in June, 1910, from
Russia, and that. despite the rigor-
Gus precautionary measures of tho
authorities, it has spread to it's 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
neat ana VI CAO oRA lid 49,
summer. The potato crop also, as ls
feared, will be much shorter than
usual; and this means much for the
meat supply, since the waste potato
alcohol distilleries is one OF the
principal feeding materials for fat
tening live stock. The oats crop
has also been seriously injured by
adverse weather conditions.
The number of immigrants leaving
the German North Sea coast this
year is much less than in 1910. For
the first seven months of the year
UIamburg reported a reduction of
$4,000 in a total of 1898. The
causes assigned for the lighter out
go this year are in part the unfa-
vorable business situation in the
United States and more rigid appli-
cation OF the American immigration
laws. Another cause, however. is
the evidently prosperous condition
of the chief countries that now sup
My the bulk Of the Immigrants into