The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-02-12
LH. Nlnneld Jones'

i1t n lhllflL JD44t7J
Washington. Feb. l2.-For som
me past the secretary OF the Dc
parunent Of agriculture, James VI.
son. has been receiving .rQuir.e, iroH
.imers. scientific societies and OtA
ers asking whether the soil OF L..
Uuit-d States il not being rapid
exhausted by constant cultivation and
by The neglect 10 apply fertilizers, A.
IS generally done in European codV
tries. To all these inquiries, Alr. W.
son has submitted tie statistics toI
the past few years, which, to his
mind, indicates that the soil Of the
United States j. not being exhausted
in the east but to the contrary is
increasing in productiyeness.
Mr. Wilson is Of the opinion tina
the cause of these inquiries is
brought about by the fact that lately
there has been great deal said OF
abandoned farms in the east and
south. In some quarters this has
produced the impression that the
United States would become ulti.
mately dependent upon other coun-
tries OF the earth for It's food supply.
According to other experts Of the
department who have made a study
OF ne soil in various parts OF the
country there is no cause for such
anxiety. II is admitted. however,
that some time along in the dim
future, the soil in some of older
states may become worn out, but j.,
is said there is no danger whatevqer
that this country will ever have to
buy its food supply abroad. The reas-
is due to the fact that land rob
bers" exhaust the soil for their own
financial gain. These men do not al
low their fields to rest working The
farms until the soil becomes worth
less for production and then selling
the lands. Another reason advanced
by the departments is farms are Worn
out through the ignorance of their
owners. Farms like human beings,
need rest and change in order TO re-
main productive TO agricultural
scientists this means the rotation
of crops. Until very recently mum
bers Of farmers did not know what
was meant by rotation OF crops
Through the department OF aericul-
ture, however, it is generally under
stood throughout the country now
and is being practiced by large
pc" cent of the rural population.
Through public schools, agricultu-
raj colleges, and the publicity of thr
department of agriculture. farmers
are being instructed in the best
means of running their farms. In
structlons are given to the farmers
in the rudiments of agriculture. re-
vealing to the coming generations the
mysteries Of nature and the character
and habits of plant llfe Rules and
methods offered by the departmen.
to the farming population show the
best means the farmer can employ
to get the best out of his farm.
The ability of the soil under SCI
entifi" management and cultivation
to maintain its strength and use.
fnIncss and to produce crops at Il
rate of increase equal or greater than
the normal increase of population
has been demonstrated time and
time again by the department Of
agriculture, by its experiment sta
tlonS in various parts of the coun-
try. and by intelligent farmers.
Secretary Wilson shows that there
has Deen almost constant increases
in the average production per acre
of all the principal crops in the Unit.
ed states during the last twenty
years. Not all the states make this
showing for all varieties Of crops,
but it is particularly noticeable in
the staple crops. In corn, he In.
crease for this twenty year period
has been at a ratio very nearly TO
that of the increased population in