The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1911-01-05
ROBINSON SPEAKS
FOR CONSERVATION
Declares 1t Is a Fundamental
Movement for Larger Returns
to Earnest Effort.

| \ =. .o-s tAA "
impress upon the people of South Da-
kota the great Importance attached to
the great Joint meeting of conserva-
tionists, developers, good readers and
dry farmers which is to be held in
Pierre on January % to % inclusive.
II do not think SO much of gen.
uine educational and i~nspirational val
ue was ever before crowded into a
weeks program for any gathering in
South Dakota as Is being provided for
this meeting. The states most vital
interests will be discussed by the men
most competent to treat the various
TOPICS, many of the speakers being Of
national reputation, and In addition
every opportunity will be afforded the
delegates to express their views on
every proposition advanced.
ut is hardly necessary to dwell upon
the benefits to be derived from the
conservation Of our natural
In soil, in waterpower, timber and
manhood. 1t Is the way of accom-
plishing it that Interests every one and
it is these ways which have been tried
out that will be discussed.
The most vital problem of all per-
tains to the conservation, cultivation
and development of our soil. Climatic
EollulliollS III Sotlli iFo ShSll
that in the average year scientific Gull
~ivation along the lines best adapted
to our condition will add so per cent
to the productiveness of the soil over
ordinary cultivation by old methods.
The significance of this fact is ire
mendous.
Under ordinary methods the aver
age yield in South Dakota for the past
20 years for wheat production has been
about II bushe to the acre. Let us
reduce the advantage of approved
farming to terms of wheat. The in
crease would be six bushels per acre
annually. We have $1,000, 900 acres of
land upon which this increase can be
secured The general adoption Of the
most approved modern methods of ag-
riculture in South Dakota developed
to its maximum means, then, an addi-
ton of the equivalent of $780, 900, 900
bushels of wheat annually over what
we can hope to produc by the old line
operations.
Indeed, If reduced to terms of corn
the increased profit would be vastly
greater. There is not a single ques-
ton about the accuracy of this state.
rent. Enterpfisfrg farmers have prov
en- the truth of 1t In every portion of
the state. Time and again in good
seasons have examined fields where
the results of good cultivation was
much more than a so per cent increase
above the average for that particular
region.
The past season was below the ay-
erage for the central portion of the
state, u every careful farmer using
the new methods produced really bump
er crops. l do not know an excep-
ton to this rule where hail storms did
not intervene. On a lot of farms which
came within my own observation, I saw
10 to 20 bushels of wheat to the acre
nn1 Or X %~ IN I,,~lo1-L-c -.
acre. where neiShhe c!Hs lands badly
farmed We're practical failures. The
only reason for the difference was In
the quality of cultivation. The meet
ing last June where 1000 citizens We're
in attendance had a powerful Influence
In awakening LAM owners to the adj
vantage n the duty of adopting
modern methods.
w hope to have q much larger at
tendance this winter and to set g. fire
of enthusiasm blazing which will ulti-
mately result in inducing the great
majority of land owners to following
the scientific principles of agriculture
which mean tremendous additions to
the product of labor and positive in
crease in the cash supplies of the peo-
pie. Nothing "a be more pre-eminent-
ly practical.
There are man. other features of
h program, but the chief thought T
want to advance is that this is q move
ment which is to result In making all
of the people more prosperous and con-
sequently more happy. 1t Is a move
nlent worthy the assistance pa
tronage of every public spirited citi-
zen. 1t is a movement in the line
of public b~enefaction commended in the
farmer who makes two blades of grass
grow where one grew before.
1T is difficult to. emphasize a
proposition after continuously speak
ing in superlatives of it, but I am sure
nothing the people OF South Dakota
can undertake is SO pregnant with cash
returns as is effort expended in devel-
oping modern scientific agricultural
methods adapted to u peculiar con-
ditions and that the conservation and
development congress is a fundamental
movement in that direction"