The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-03-14

up with Germany: so. you see. II Is
not more land that we need but bet
ter farming. AS DIR. Knapp has put
II, "The bringing Of scientific agri-
culture into general practice Is the
most important economic task that
now awaits the American people"
Our Industries are great, but the soil
IL the basis Of all industry. The soil
ID the only natural resource that can
produce wealth without decreasing In
value. In fact, national prosperity de-
ponds upon the proper care OF our
greatest resource. the land. Tho chal-
lenge is to the American farmer.
Shall we Kentuckians hold our own?
We can! l believe in the kentucky
farmer. II did not, | would not
have been here today. What other
nations and states have done. we can
DO. How arc we to approach this
great taskf
The keystone to scientific agricul-
ture is Intensive Farming" In
tensive Farming means q better cul-
tivation of the soil; 1t means more
time. money and thought on small
or acreage with greater results. In
tensive Farming means the same
crop on less land, or greater crop on
the same land; 1t means no more
abandoned fields, no more washing Of
the soil and no failures in the crops.
1t means crop rotation, as well as
the planting of fruit, grass and
forests on the land that is too steep
cleaning. draining and lining of the
land that is low and level. 1t means
more fruit, more stock, mere money
for cultivation and the clearing,
and more pleasure; it means an in
crease In the earning capacity OF
every young man so that the city
will not attract him. II means the
making OF poor land good. and rich
land better; 1t means so bushels Of
corn to the acre. where we now raise
20; 30 bu. of wheat where we have
l5: 100 bu. potatoes where we now
have so. and large crops Of clover
and grass on the land that is now
the home Of tho briar and the sassa-
fras. II means thoroughbred cattle
where We now have scrubs, and more
cattle on every farm. 1t means that
we can pay our grocery bills with
butter and eggs, and that means no
store accounts, which in turn brings
happiness In tho home. Intensive
Farming means better roads. better
schools, better churches, books. pa
pcrs. music and farmers clubs In the
country. Proper organization of the
farmers means better prices and no
profit for the middle man. Intensive
Farming means small farms we'll cul-
tivated. instead Of large farms poorly
managed: 1t means a distribution of
work throughout the year, more farm
machinery and less drudgory. The
great agricultural, Industrial and com
mercial expansion Of our time has
forced every class Of American busi-
ness men to econcmize In labor, and
the American farmer must join the
procession, learn how to use mod
ern machinery and thus keep down
the cost Of production. The use OF
machinery demands that skill shall
take the place Of brute force. One
man can now do what five once did,
with only fairly modern machinery
The little mule and the bull-tongue
} plow must be replaced by q team
and turning pillow. II mans time
Ia worth 81 a day and a mules time
/ fifty-cents. why do we spend 81 to
work a fifty cent mule when one man
can just as well work three or four.
The value OF a farm hand should de-
pend upon his ability to care for, reg.
ulate and control domestic animals
and machinery. rather than his brute
force.
1T is the man that needs the fertil-