The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1913-08-15

plows, the potato planters and dig
gers, and sorters and sackers, the au-
to trucks, the traction 20-gang pillow
with pulverizer and seeder attach
ments, the rural telephone, rural
mail carrier, parcel post; all these
things have come within one life
term.
But during that period there were
upheavals, and study of them and
their effect, combined with study of
the present in its relation to the flu
ture, will aid grealy in solving the
tax question, and incidentally all 9TH
er questions of expense.
During the Civil war, consumption
and destruction ran riot and produc-
ton did not keep pace with it. Prices
scared and a deprecated currency ad-
ded to the abnormal conditions. At
the close of the war a million men
who had been engaged in the business
of consumption and destruction, re-
turned to the farms and factories and
devoted their energies to production.
Other millions who had been produc-
ing things of war, set about produc-
ing things for the pursuits of peace.
The great prairies of the west and the
plains of the far west invited settlers
with modern machinery A new home
stead law provided the means of Sc
curing title to land, railroads connect
ed them with the markets, and man S
producing power on the farm was
multiplied until the new world rev.
eled in the products of the soil
Prices of farm products went down
until they sold in the cities for less
than cost of production, farmers
could not succeed, their so1s and
daughters tlocked to the cities, the
much-abused soil became impoverish-
ed and gave lighter returns, immi
grants continued to flock to our shores
cities developed while country life
and agricultural industries Jagged,
and the food supply was so neglected
that it became necessary to import
much of the agricultural products
from other countries. Prices have
gone steadily upward, land has doubl-
ed in value in eight or ten years,
there are no new prairies to be made
into farms, Canada has absorbed some
millions of our best farmers, destruc-
tion of forests has increased the dan
ger and frequency of floods and
drouths, the wholesale destruction of
birds for game and ornamental pur-
poses in millinery has left deadly in
sects to multiply with so little re-
straint that they frequently wipe out
crops in large districts, modern meth
DDS of commerce make it easy to
spread animal disease notwithstand-
ing rigid inspection modern methods
of shipping and storing and planting
most farm products make it easy to
spread diseases of plants as we'll as
destructive insects and weed pests,
the difficulties of securing competent
help on the farm at any price, the
high prices of land, of labor and of
implements and materials needed for
the farm make it necessary to have
considerable capital to operate at all,
and the problems of making the farm
profitable are now confronting the
farmer in way that compels redical
changes in methods.
An example of such changes may
be found by comparing the methods
commonly employed in raising pota-
toes, with the methods laid down by
Pref. Shaw in his article on potatoes
printed on page six of this issue. A
careful study of that branch of agri-
culture and oft-repeated comparisons
will convey to each person q correct
of how he falls short
of being in position to get the best
results from his work with this crop.
A similar study of the best methods
that can possibly be applied to each
of the other crops, and to each kind
of stock raised on the farm will open
new world of results for the rank
and file of farmers. The way to bring
this study to profitable application is
to keep in touch with such teachings
as are carried on by the state and fed
eral governments through the expert
mental stations, printed bulletins,
farmers Institutes, demonstration
trains, potato clubs, domestic science
classes, stock Judging contests, COM
PARSONS of exhibits at the fairs, TAX
ing the agricultural short courses as
taught by the university, getting the
young people who have taken short
courses to act as local teachers in the
community, cooperating with the
movement of leaders in agriculture