The Alaska daily empire., 1914-12-02
BEEGIk kNs 70 HAVE
 WASTE LANDS hERA

BALTIMORE. Nov lf.-Within few weess according to inc pr2sont plans B number ol Belgian iafns's and ther families who arc now W refugees n Holland and tnslhnd VIII be located on lands iu evera ol Che Southern statos. which will pe sola Go them by the owner et such rates and upon such terms as should en-. ablo them to finally establish them. selves oe self-supporting American farmers
 The Southern Settlement ana 3e- yelopment Organization has repre- senmdve in Holland today, and Yatn- .ing short time two or moro VIII ae. part for England and Holland 70 pat into eifect Che maturcd pl&na which have been built on practical lines 80 as to conform in all respects to the laws Of Inc several countries but which. however will loo carried out in the spirit of @ broad phiianthrophy Letters have been seet Co the boards oi trade and similar bodies in the South. land companies, and individ- ral owners who hayc large tracts of land which might be sulta6ie for To- cation, asking if they desire to- actively cooperate in the movement. Responses to these letters indicate g South-wide desire not only to help the Belgian refugees. but to help them help themselves-
 According to the latest reports over 250.O00 Belgian families, oggregating 1,250.0OO men. women and children, are war refugees in Holland. England, and France. 4 large proportion Of the men are skilled agriculturaliets and thousands are specialists In the growing of vegetables. fruits or flow CTS. In dairying and in the raising Of live stock and poultry A large pro- portion Of the farming class own small farms In Belgium from which they were driven by the contending armies, and information from Holland and England IS to the effect that most of them have abandoned all hope of re- turning to their farms for many month turning Co their farms for many months E at ail.
 The Belgian farmers, market gar deners. Florists. dairymen, live stock and poultry raisers are world famed for their skin. thrift, and remarkable ability They ae accustomed to work ing intensively small farms. ond to- a large extent they understand tho conservation, uDbuilding and enrich ment of soils and the intelligent em- ploymont Of manures and fertilizers. Although general farming as prachced In the United States was not followed largely in Belgium, the Belgian farm er's acre yield is largely in excess of the acre yield in the United States, in several crops two or three times as large
 The Year Book of the United States department Of agriculture shows that in 1912 the Belgian wheat harvest amounted to 15.S4S,0O0 bushels from 397000 acres. (This gives an average of 2S6 bushels Of wheat to the acre. and the average yield In the United States for the year was only 15.9 bushels. The following figures of Belgium agriculture taken from the 1918 year book show that Belgium raised SS.00o.000 bushels of oats from 6fS,000 acres, Gan average of 58 bush. els against 374 bushels in the United States; 4,316,000 bushels of barley from 8a0O0 acres Gan average of 5I bushels against 29.7 bushels in the United Statesl; 21.S42.000 bushels of rye from 65000O acres Gan average. of 39 bushels against 16.S bushels in the United states); 12I4S1Oo0 bush- els Of potatoes from 8ST,000 acres (an average Of 313 bushels against 113.4 bushels in the United Statesl.
 The Southern Settlement and Del velopment Organization has been se-I lected as clearing house by a num- Der of large interests. which not only are in hearty sympathy with the na- don-wide movement to tnke care Of the present needs of the refugees while they are in Holland and Eng land but which SO further and be-l lieye that by urging large uumber of Che agriculture class into the South ! ern states. both the Belgians and thoi South will be permanently benefIt-l teo.