Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-10-04
EXTENSION TEACHING AND
AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT.
BY Or. Andrew NJ. Soule, President
Georgia Col,sge Of Agriculture. be-
fore the Conference of the Gem
mittees On Agricultural Develop
ment and Education of the State
Bankers Association. Minneapolis.
August Z, 1912. Published through
the courtesy of the Press Bureau of
the International Dry-farming Cor
gress, Lethbridge. Alberta.
The present condition CT our agrl-
culture is unsatisfactory. It is evil
dent to the most casual observer that
a great depletion in soil fertility has
taken place in recent years; nor has
the malpractice in this direction been
arrested. Tie progress of a nation
depends upon soil conservation. IL is
the one primal and inexhaustible
source of wealth when nationally mar
aged. Upon its successful maIipula-
ton depend the social, educational
and industrial attainments of the PEG
pie who own and operate it. An ap-
probation of its deficiencies, meth
DDS of overcoming these in an econ
omical manner, and the power to
maintain the soil in a highly produc-
tive condition constitute the funda-
mental and constructive factors upon
which our whole social and indus
trial fabric rests. II any means may
be devised by which knowledge af-
fecting the soil may be obtained and
placed before our land owners which
will enatde Them to maintain high
yields, and at the same time increase
the productiveneEs Of their soil and
reduce the cost Of making their
crops, it will subserve the interests
Of the nation more efficiently than
anything else which may be suggest
ed at the present time.
The yiekls per acre of our farm
crops have fallen to an alarming de-
gree, and this in spite of the sparad-
ic efforts made here and there TO
maintain or increase yields on the
part of the farmer by the use of var
ious soil amendments. The situation
is therefore one Of national concern.
: and the Importance of the case can
not easily be overstated. Cheap and
abundant raw materials furnish the
basis of all industries, and the time
is now at hand when the stimulation
Of production along more economic
lines than have been followed be-
comes essential to the welfare and
permanently of our industries. From
this it should not be concluded that
the farmer is expected to raise his
crop and sell it at non-remuneratiye
prices. Far from ii. There are, how
ever, two viewpoints of production
: which must always be kept in mind.
One is increasing the weld at a great
ly reduced cost; the other is lessen
ing the yield and selling 1T at an un.
usually high price. The one method
does not benefit the farmer any
more than the other, yet limited pro
duction and high prices tend to stifle
industry and to make the cost of liv.
; ing prohibitive for those who live
away from the land. On the other
hand the lack of system and definite
l business methods on the farm has re
suited in driving large percentage
) Of what formerly constituted our ag
rlcUltural population into congested
= areas of the towns and cities, and
4
has brought about a condition of ser
ious moment to the welfare of the
" country. In other words, the crowd
> ing of the former agricultural popula
J ton into the city has left the farms
nndermanned and with an insufficient
Y supply of labor to operate them sat
istactorily in spite of all the aids tt
q cultivation which inventive genius ha
; brought about in the development o.