Semi-weekly herald., 1913-05-12
STOP THE WASTE.

The following editorial from the
Denver Republican is well worth read
ing and needing. La Plata county
has sent enough money east for but
ter alone to give every man, woman
and child in the county 800 each, and
this is only one item. We suggest
That the farmers and merchants or
game To cooperate together, the
merchants agreeing to sell home prod
ucts if the farmers will supply the
demand We must stop sending out
money. 1t is draining the life blood
from this section. The Republican ar
ticle follows:
"Why is it that Colorado, with an
irrigable area equal to the entire
stats of Ohio, is compelled to import
SO much fbodstuff which might be
raised here at home, but which, for
some unexplained reason, is not?
"1he amount of farm produce i'm
ported into this state is surprising.
Colorado is an ideal poultry state,
yet not enough chickens are raised
here TO supply the local demand. Eggs
and butter are imported from the
east in great quantities. Nebraska
c,'eanleries are waxing wealthy from
Colorado consumers. 1t is fact that
some farmers turn to the city for
supplies which they might just as well
raise On their farms.
SIT is not to be inferred that farm
ing is practiced less scientifically in
Colorado than elsewhere. Such is not
the case. The trouble seems to rest
merely in the fact that the American
farmer in general has not yet caught
the European knack of making the
most of the small things-of picking
up the "pin money" that comes from
the truck garden, the hennery, the
orchard, and other "side issues" of
farm life. These should not be re-
garded as "side issues nor should
any branch of farm life that prom
ises even the smallest returns. Ev-
erything should be regarded as part
and parcel of the farm system.
Recently the Republican printed an
article by George T. Wells, regarding
the possibilities opened up by the
farm doctor" Counties that have
these expert assistants are bound to
forge ahead agriculturally because.
as Mr.. Wells points out, there will
come a merging of scientific knowl-
edge and an application of the lessons
of practical research to existing con-
ditions. The farmer will learn not to
overlook any of the "ten points" of
successful farming, which include gen.
eral knowledge of cultivation, the
marketing of crops, the keeping of
accounts, personal supervision. etc.
However the result is brought
about, it is evident that the ten5ency
to wastefulness must be checked. That
there is such tendency is past dis
pute, in view of the fact thai great
agricultural community like Colorado
fails to provide Tor its own needs IN
many things. If farmers are too busy
with other crops 10 raise poultry, and
must buy store eggs at store prices,
that is waste, and that is the thing
the scientific farm doctor" will try
to overcome.
But if farm doctor" is needed
in the country to .each the true prin-
ciples of economy and efficiency, how
much more is some such friend to the
public needed in the city! Here one
finds neglect on every hand 1t is
estimated that garden which re-
quires no more than fifteen minutes
day from one person will supply
vegetables and small fruits to an av-
erage family during an entire sea-
son. 1t is possible to raise on an
average of SO or $40 worth of vege-
tables from cents worth of seed,
at minimum outlay of labor, and yet
how many city men are there who
have gardens7
III the backyard is not available,