The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-06
LEAN YEARS COMING.
Our Exhausted Soil Again Alarms an
Agricutturist.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: Mr..
James T. Barber Of Eau Claire. Wis. in
HIS letter In THE SUN OF January and
Mr.. Walter q. Cooper Of Atlanta, Ca.
In his letter Of January disagree with
my statement that food production In
this country has reached its highest limit.
as all the good agricultural land has
been taken up and is being utilized"
Mr.. Barber says there are 10000. 900
acres OF undeveloped fertile land in Mich
igan. Wisconsin and Minnesota which is
offered for sale to settlers. ! don't know
how fertile that land is. but l understand
that a part Of II has been reserved by the
State and that most of it Is covered with
timber III NO. II Is serving as good u
purpose as II il was under cultivation.
Strip that land of Its timber and crops
In other sections will suffer. A commit
tee appointed by the Government after
making an exhaustive investigation as to
matters relating to forestry and agricui
ture, recently. stated that 1t was neces-
sary that large part of the country. II
recollect right from one-fifth to one-third.
be left to timber. to save the water sup
ply. which Is essential to successful agri-
culture. That statement does not har-
monte with the views OF some well mean
Ing but misguided enthusiastic who say.
Let us clear every foot of available land
and raise more food" And they might
add. III We DO happy for to-day. what
care we for Tomorrow
Mr.. Barber says that an annual aver
age OF over forty-two bushels an acre OF
corn has not been attained by any State
but twice. both times by Ohio. In 1905 and
1912. Mr.. Cooper says that IN Georgia
as high as PA bushels an aero has been
raised. That cheering information from
the South ought to help people to forget
about the Florida land frauds. but Il IL
not safe 70 form a general estimate from
such an instance.
60 -
meat and dairy products by little Den
| mark. Little Ireland through centuries
exported large quantities OF those articles
20 England, but how did the Irish people
live?
Considering the necessity OF leaving
from one-iifth TO ore-th.rd OF the country
to timber and considering that the muck
lands and some other soils are hardening
that droughts are becoming more fire.
quent on account of general drainage
that the available supply OF phosphate IL
limited. and other things known to farm
ers. | do not hesitate to repeat that the
food product OF this country has reached
its high limit. Some food may be
raised on new patches of land. but new
highways are being opened throughout
the country. and these, with new villages.
new farm buildings. new parks and ceme-
ter!es and the expansion OF old villages
and cities. will take a good deal OF land.
We are importing meat. corn and pota-
toes from other countries. ana Government
officials say they see no prospect OF a re-
duction OF the cost Of living. 1t Is posi-
BILE that within the next few years we
may have one or two banner crops that
vii! slightly exceed any we have had In
the past. but after a few years We may
expect no general Increase
We are continually reminded of how
foreign countries have solved tho prob
lem of supporting large populations Judg-
Ing from the constant stream OF immi-
grants they are sending here they have
not solved Il, How have China and India
solved II. with their frequent famines and
their millions OF living skeletons?
! admit that larger population could
exist In this country II the people lived
AS foreigners do. Other countries are
sending most OF their surplus populations
here. but where shall We send ours7 !
repeat that all Increase Of population IN
this country hereafter will have TO be fed
by importing food. unless the masses dis
pense with meat. milk, butter and cheese
and gradually get down 10 "A Chinese diet
OF grain foods. with occasionally few
vegetables
| II that is not done lmpor,atons OF food
will increase rapidly. unless immigration
| IL stopped The stupid masses are be-
| ginning to see that the tarifS has nothing
TO do with countrys general prosperity.
| and now politicians are using the catch
word efficiency" TO further their schemes.
| BY that word they are building many
| castles IN the air for the boys and girls.
| In some States political favorites out OF
Jobs are being appointed as advisers" to
| farmers at the expense OF the taxpayers
That pleases the bureau OF shams and
| sophistries, as II raises false hopes In
| city peoples breasts as to the food sup
ply OF the future. T. L. MURPHY,
| Farmer