Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-23
RAISE PRODUCE HERE
Secretary Wilson Against I'm
porting Foodstuffs.
GIVES ADVICE TO FARMERS
Suggests That Land Near Centers of
Population Be Utilized-Work
of Southern League.
GIVES ADVICE TO FARMERS

Fifteen thousand bushels of potatoes,
imported from Scotland for American
consumption, led Secretary Of Agricul-
ture Wilson today to express himself
strongly on the subject of Americans
feeding themselves.
Il cannot for the life Of me see,' said
he. why there is not more Of the ma
terial people have to eat raised near the
centers of population that consume 1t.
Take land around New York. There they
are close to one Of the biggest markets
in the world, and there is no reason the
people there should not raise all the po-
tatoes they want instead Of importing
them from Scotland or anywhere else.
IF people would only understand it.
they can buy farm land cheaper within
an hour of New York or any other big
eastern city than they can buy 1t In
Iowa. This is true In New York and New
Jersey and Pennsylvania and Maryland
and throughout the east. OF course, the
land needs attention and fertilizers to
put it in condition for raising good crops.
but when this is once done the farmer
Is close to a constant market. There Is
no reason to import food that can be
raised at home. but suppose it Is like
the search for the Holy Grail. there is
the natural inclination Of humanity to
look all over the world for something
that really is waiting for them next to
their own front door,"
Agents to Demonstrate.
The work Of demonstration farming
that the Department Of Agriculture has
been doing in the south has borne fruit
in the formation of the National Sol
Fertility League, whose object is to gel
the state and national governments to put
a farm demonstration agent in every
county where agriculture is the CHIEF
industry. The league has watched the
farm demonstration work instituted by
the late DR.. 8. A. Knapp OF the Depart.
ment of Agriculture and was astonishec
at the remarkable results following the
application Of up-to-date farming meth
DDS to the lands Of the south. Now the
league wants to extend work of thi:
sort over the whole country. Among the
men prominent in the league are Presi
Champ Clark, James j. Hill and b. F
Yoakum, chairman of the Frisco lines
j. s. B. Thompson Of Atlanta, president
of the Atlantic Compress Company, ant
of the Southern railway. have been ap
pointed members of the advisory com
mittee and will represent the interests o.
the southeast in the councils Of TIT
league.
Believes in Demonstration.
Mr.. Thompson will do everything in hi
power to aid in carrying on the work o
the league. He believes thoroughly in tn
work being done by the demonstration
agents and is confident that the fedora
government and various states can maxi
no wiser investment than by providing
for the extension Of this work on grea
scale.
.'The work which has been done by tn
demonstration agents of the United State
Department of Agriculture in gettini
farmers to use scientific methods has I'm
doubtedly been one Of the greatest thing
ever attempted for the advancement o
the country, says Mr.. Thompson. land
am anxious to see this work extended.
have had opportunities to see the good re
suits of this campaign in Georgia an
other southern states and 1 firmly believ
in this method of disseminating agricul
turaI information as the best method (
reach and impress the average farmer.
am glad of the opportunity to serve as
member of the advisory committee of tn
National Soil Fertility League and trus
that II may be able to place this matte
before Congress and the various state leg
jslatures in such q convincing manner q
to secure at once the necessary legisla
ton.