The Holt County sentinel., 1913-04-04
PRODUCTION DECREASING.
Existing Facts, and a Few Reasons
Why We Should Succeed
as an Agricultural Nation.

The facts staring us in the face al
present and on which shall endeavor
to write are these; decreasing produc.
tton and increasing consumption OF
food stuffs. md, the high cost of liv.
ing, and the drifting OF the people to
the cities. These facts are existing
and must be solved.
Since 1900 the production Of food
stufis has decreased nearly Is per cent
each year, while the consumption has
rapidly increased. We must increase
the production OF our cultivated soils
and cultivate the uncultivated por.
lions Of our Nation.
The high cost of living must Ike
solved; the production must exceed
the consumption or we will soon cease
TO enjoy a living from home grown
foodstuifs, and therefore we will I've
an importing instead Of an expor ting
Nation. Only $4,000 600 acres Of soil
In the United States Is under cultiva.
tion. and II is amazing, but neverthe.
less true, that at least half of this
amount is decreasing instead of in.
creasing In productiveness.
The average production of wheat
barley and rye in this country Il only
about 30 per cent Of what II Is In Flu.
ropean Nations, regardless OF the fact
that our lands are just a. rich. Its
also fact that by the proper cultiva.
tion Of our cultivated land, we could
produce at least onc.half more food.
stufIs than we are producing at the
present time. l, Il estimated that
there Is enough land In the Mississip.
pi Valley alone. that could I've drained
and made TO produce enough TO sup.
ply the entire population OF this Val
ley. What Is already In cultivation
producing what II will would help In
solving the great question.
Half Of the State Of Missouri has
never been under cultivation and
much less than his IN other states.
pne reason In cXplanat ion Of this fact
Is our own farmers going TO the towns,
and immigrants Hooking to the cities
] would suggest better social condi.
lions. These conditions could bc
made better IN the following manner
LIST, by the establishing Of Agricul.
tnral Villages IN the productive Gov
eminent lands Of the different states,
and have the states conduct these
villages and farms on the payment
plan. that i, allow the farmers To pay
Tor the land IN reasonably small pay
men,s, thereby giving them the op.
portunity Of making the farm pay for
itself,
Also IN the main village. where
these farmers have their homes.
churches, stores and schools. let the
Government enplo, an experienced
agriculturis' To analyzc the soil and
study crop rotation, thereby giving
each farmer the benefit of his expert.
ments.
tine agriculturis, could supervise
several villages. Sell each farmer a
home In the village on the same terms
as are made on the farm: this viii
eliminate much of the monoton, and
lonesonenrss and benefit social con.
ditions Of pioneer life. Establish the
telephone, system al good roads.
and with reas Unable -urcrss and pros.
periiy 'ilr electric light aud other
convenience OF tine city, might lie cs-
iablished, With these pieasan, con-
diiiunS there would lm no desire to
leave the villages, There are a few
facts hat nov exist. iu, oar nat ion
has awakened Ia our agricultural
needs and lN ,lr rstah',,hlnL Of agri-
cu'lufilr''rL'' and experiment sta.
lions, has ,'!, 81 zoe ~, Tor possible.
ties lir,rl"i"r" mentioned,
vii give Nuua lrN reasons for my
earnest br tt iiJ' ilI> 81 H. l,c a great
agricultural patton.
Flr>'i Establishing Of agricultural
experiment sta ions
Second. Agriculture colleges.
Third: irrigation and drainage
projects
Fourll: LiNor Sa,ing machinery.
Fifth; Plnlun Canal influence.
The establishing of agricultural eX-
perimen, >ia IONS In the different sec.
tions Of II" Ratio shows the adj
yancemcn' and coming importance of
agriculture"
Th"s" s'nl'nn- viii promote pro.
gree, Ia m"'llpdS at farming wherein
the, "prril" and their influence will
be widely Iril. They do this by close
IL II L