Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-06-27
Tuesday. June q. 1911.
Te,ohino the World to Farm.


biennial conference OF the information
al institute of agriculture recently
held al Rome was the success OF the
american delegates in securing the
adoption. by the IS countries partici-
patine in the conference, of the
American system of presenting crop
reports. This action is regarded as a
long step toward the realization of the
dream OF David Lubin. the promoter
of this great organization, of doing
away with the unnecessary evil caused
BY price fiuctuation. This is the first
time the United States government
has taken the international institute
seriously, and il has been taken SO
seriously from the start that all the
other nations are ready TO grasp the
American idea.
Chairman FOstor Of the American
delegation, (whO. by the way is a New
Highlander from the state of VermonD
tells Interestingly what has been done
and what may be expected. We find
in ii a lesson to American farmers.
Mr. Foster says enthusiastically: 1T
may be said that the United States
has little TO learn about farming from
foreign countries. and in some re-
speets. no doubt this is SO; but If
could take our Americans farmers to
Italy and show them the results lral
ians farmers are obtaining through
intensive cultivation. l think they
would agree with me that We have
something yet to learn
Mr. Foster points out that if Ameri-
can farmers should cultivate their
crops as Italians do theirs. We could
produce nough to feed the world. He
says that a Canadian delegate re-
marked TO him that he never was so
surprised in his life as when he saw
the Italian farm laborers going
through the fields OF wheat and oats
and actually wedding them. Not only
does The cereal thus get air and sun
shine, but all the strength of the soil,
and the results are astonishing.
Mr.. Foster says every inch of soil is
utilized Grape vines are trained TO
run around the fields and in waste
places which would be left bare or
overgrown with weeds in this country.
Here seems TO be a good point for
farmers in America, but one of which
the man who is land poor" can hard
ly take advantage, because he has
more waste places than he can care
for, and because hired help costs more
than the profits he can realize from
their employment beyond a certain
limit. II is easy enough to sit down
In city office and figure out how
farming can be made to pay, and to
argue That If one man is profitable to
hife on farm two men could be made
to return double profit, but actual an
phcation on a New England farm
would be disappointing.
Chairman Foster SAYS: Il tell Won II
was a mighty impressive scene when
the picked men of forty eight nations
assembled to discuss agriculture: not
with the old idea of I came, | saw.
conquered but to serve-to develon
the greatest industry on the face OF
the earth. More than ninety-fiye per
cent. Of the territory and population OF
the civilized world was represented al
Rome in this gathering. The organi.
Zatloh Is only in its infancy. 1t viii
not stop with the question of produc.
ton but Will take up all the problem,
when concern the farmer. Distri.
button, for example. is as importan
as production. The consumer is a,
ueepiy lntrested as the farmer, so (
comes about that actually the Who'll,
world has reason to interest itself i,
~ "ioFtiiieht. II is working to Sc
cure for the world an abundance q
FOOD products at reasonable rates an,
Tor the farmer reasonable compensa
ton for his work. The Internationa
lnstituteof Agriculture is bound 70 he
as Mr.. Iapbin said it would be, grea
factor 10 civilization" ga
Mr.. Foster tells one incident to illus
tfate hop practical the work is.
was related by one of the representa
tives of the British Government /
ihola' who said that in his province
certain forage plant Of great imnor
lance as d food for animals had hoe
severely affected by blight. Crop a,
ter crop had become total los
Through certain documents of II
United States Department of Aerieu
ture il was learned that If the Sc,
was treated in certain way befo
sowing, the blight would be elimina
ed. The process was tried and m
with complete success. The delega
said that as result of this first tri