The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1914-09-24
MIR. HILL UNGES In
TENSIFIED FARMING
ADDRESS BY VENERABLE EN-
PRE- BUILDER ONE OF PRAC.
TICAL SUGGESTION.
COUNTY FAIR Big SUCCESS
OFFICERS COMMENCE TO PRE-
PARE FOR GREATER SHOW
NEXT YEAR.


The Stearns Co. Fair closed most
auspiciously Thursday evening, with
a total attendance that practically
equalled the proceeding year which
had been materially increased because
of abnormal conditions.
The concensus of opinion is that the
fair for 1914 excelled all of its prede-
eessors. This condition is as it should
be, because as the association grows
in experience and the farmers more
fully realize the benefit to be derived
by backing the fair, each succeeding
show should improve over its prede-
cessor.
Melrose and Osakis both sent large
delegations the closing day and the
ball game between these two towns
was won by Osakis by score Of ten
to eight.
Major Gantz, the PAGER owned by
w. F. Sanderson, won the 2:10 pace in
straight heats. The track was heavy
and the best time made was 2:15A.
The main attraction of the day, of
course, was the annual visit of Jas.
]. Hill, Empire builder and agricul-
tural philanthropist. The day previous
the gentleman had celebrated his 10th
birthday. anniversary, but as he ap-
peared before the audience he had all
the vigor and strong mentality OF
well preserved man of so.
Mr.. Hill is intensely interested in
the agricultural development Of the
Northwest for selfish reasons. He is
undoubtedly years ahead of the times
in his generation, but as one listens to
the very logical arguments he offers
in defense of his position he cannot
but be impressed with the logic OF his
reasoning.
In speaking of the agricultural re-
sources of the United States he said
that the value of the products raised
each year was worth more money
than all the gold mined in the world
for a period of twenty-five years.
The United States is still very
sparsely settled compared with some
of the older countries. In Holland for
instance there $40 people for every
square mile of territory while it is
only "a in the United States.
Some of the lands in the old world
that have been cultivated for over
1000 years are more fertile today
than ever before. This condition has
been brought about by intensified
farming.
Twenty-Five years ago Belgium was
divided into rs agricultural districts
and supervisors appointed for each
district and paid by the government
When this work was first started the
average wheat yield of the country
was rs bushels per acre. Last year
it had increased to 1914 bushels show
ing what thorough cultivation will do.
At the present time the United
States has a trifle over 100000, 900
people. If the same ratio Of increase
in population is maintained for the
balance of the present century in the
year 1000 there will be 100000, 900, or
125 for every square mile Of territory.
Mr.. Hill insisted that the American
farmer was endeavoring to till too
much land to get the best results and
to make the largest profits; in actual
cash. He said the average farmer
would raise 1850 bushels of wheat On
100 acres in good year. At the pres.
ent price that would bring $14 per
acre, with a cost of cultivation of
$500 per acre or net profit of $3.50
per acre.
Eighty acres thoroughly farmed
and properly fortified would yield at
least rs bushels per acre, and should
60 80, but at rs it would mean 1000
bushels of wheat. The ratio of cost
per acre would increase somewhat,
but the farmer would have Q net pro-
fit at the end of the year of $3.50 or
SIT per acre or ten per cent on
$170 land.
Mr.. Hill claimed that the average
American farmer was not properly
caring for his land, but that the time
would come when he would have to
care for it or move off.
In speaking Of hog cholera the gen.
tleman said that If the hogs were
properly cared for and vaccinated that
hog cholera could positively be elim-
mated, just rs small pox had been
elimated in the human family. -
The Huitsd States is woefully weak
in is production Of meat, the pro-
ducts being TX meat animal per esp
ita each year, while in Argentine It
was IL. This South American country
exports more beef and cattle than any