The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-12-23

IL
ton in agriculture is In schools OF
lower ranks even down TO hndergar-
tens. The growth of sentiment In IA
vor Of teaching the principles OF agri-
culture in the elementary schools
has been rapid in, recent years. There
are now thirteen states in which the
teaching of agriculture in the rural
common schools Is required by law. 1t
is encouraged by state and country
school officials and taught in some of
the rural schools of thirty-one other
states. In all, forty-four states and
outlying possessions are making some
effort to teach the underlying prin-
ciples of agriculture in the rural
common schools.
With such a highly developed and
far-reaching system the surprising
feature of the present situation IS
that while other nations have been
forging ahead and greatly increasing
farm crop yields. this country has re-
manned practically stationary. Germ
any has by means of the sugar beet
doubled her grain crops, and the beet
growing farmers OF this country
I have shown that with continued en-
couragement such as 1t has received
T in foreign countries the industry can
accomplish as much or more here.
Farmers from ali over the country
who have been growing the sugar beet
report that it is not only an extreme
/ " valuable crop in itself but that its
cultivation In rotation with other
crops has resulted In largely increas-
ed yields.
i This being the case 1t is difficult to
understand why the country finds It
self facing the battle for food. Pr
nnarily 1t would seem to be up to~tne
farmer and a good many stud snts
have been wondering what is the mat
4 ter with the American farmer. In
.j spite of the example of Germany. IN
& spite of the demonstrated possibili-
ties of the increased yields in this
country, the Yields have remained
practically stationary. As DR.. Harvey
W. Wiley has pointed out. we are fifty
wears behind Europe in agricultural
efficiency.
One of those who have been worry
| ing about the farmer to some purpose
is Mr.. James ]. Hill. who happens te
be president of the Great Northern
\ railway. Mr. Hill has for severa
| decades been preaching better farm
ing methods. A year ago he started
i ont to show the farmers of tn,
: northwest. And he has Just com
pleted his miracle BY getting Is,
farmers to apply what he calls in
: telIigent modern agriculture" to five
3 acre plots on their lands, he has en-
: abled them, on those plots, to grow
5 two stalks of grain where only on
I grew before-to enlist them az
$ were in the van of the army whicl
J must fight the battle for food. Tn
r first returns have just been receive
0 from these farm plots and their ave-
q age yield per acre is interesting, pa
Y ficularly as compared with the ave-
d age yield in the United States an
Germany:
d Minnesota. wheat 3o31 bushels
9 barley, 44.Tl: oats, 700.
S North Dakota, 1870 bushels; barle
i 1920: oats, 1850.
= United States, 15,S bushels; barle
n 24.3; cats. 30.3.
n Germany, wheat so.5 bushels; SO
0 bushels, oats, $50.
If fMr. Hill estimates the ayerae
Il wheat yield in Minnesota this seaso
e at II bushels.)
It This explains Mr.. Hill, is b
y the beginning OF an educative process
g which will be carried out on lar
of er scale next year"
sr The German farmer, who thirty-f'
al years ago, averaged no greater vie
d. per acre than his American coust
t. has increased his yield nearly 100 p'
il cent in that period by planting h
ID grain crops in rotation With the sug;
h beet. Mr.. Hill is emphatic in his a
is yocacy of the beet as farm rejuyen
te tor.
IL The beet sugar advocate
in says, argue that sugar beet Guilty.
g, ton raises the average of ell 9th
81 crops raised in the same district n
IN figures show this TO be true. 1t
III due to the fact that It cannot
sc grown successfully without deep plo
or ing. frequent narrowing. and & gem
ic- ia1 resort to more intensive cultivate