American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-09-23
SAFE AND SANE FARMING SYSTEM
In the Long Run Must Be Founded
Upon q Reasonable liberalization.

There are certain definite principles
In this business we know as farming,
or agriculture, which lead to the ,o1-
clusion that the only safe and pertra.
nent system of agriculture must be
founded upon a reasonable diversiflca-
ton. said Bradford Knapp. In charge
Of farmers cooperative demonstration
work In the southern states. In 4 re-
cent address. No matter how magnifi-
cent the one crop may be as a cash
proposition. that system has elements
of weakness which make It unsafe.
30 far az the southern states are colv
cerned, let us confess that there are
no crops greater and more ~alluring
than the four original cash crops OF
the south-cctton. tobacco, sugar ana
rice. No agriculture. however. has
long endured upon the one-crop basis.
and when we compare the south with
other countries we must marvel that
our one-crop system has carried US ms
far a. It has.
Did you W think OF the condition
OF the cotton farmer of the south, OF
the dilemma he faces? The only way
IN the world you can improve a one
crop system Is to produce more Of that
one crop. and when you do that the
markets OF tho world are glutted, Tho
price drops. and your effort TO i'm
prove brings It's own disaster. On the
other hand. al your fertility decreases.
or as unfavorable weather conditions
cut or the production or the crop, and
the price rises. you may have little To
sell. and again you are In distress.
Facing either way you please you are
IN a dilemma. for your agriculture In
founded upon the shifting sands OF a
one-crop system and not upon the rock
foundation of u saif-support.ng asr!-
culture.
II might not be out OF place for me
to detail II this time tho ak fundamen-
tai easos which have led us In tho
department OF agriculture to conclude
that the one-orop system OF the south
is unsafe. economically and agricul-
turally, and that unreasonable divers..
fication should be substituted Units
place. The reasons are:
Unsafe Economically
First. A one-crop system Is unsafe
economically because II Is dependent
upon crop conditions and market con-
ditions. The failure OF the weather
bring disaster. and likewise the fall
ure Of the market brings ruin. Within
certain limits such a system OF agri-
culture IL between the devil and the
deep sea-faoing either way n finds
the devil OF ovcrproduotion or the deep
sea Of crop failure, Ali the eggs beins
IN one basket careless handling of the
basket bring disaster.
Sell Fertility.
Second. The oae-crop system OF
agriculture does not maintain soil fer
tility. What chance has crop rotation
10 restore humus, nitrogen and other
TO the soil taken out by the
plant or for the production or manure
Tor the same purpose. ANY system OK
that permanently reduces
productive power OF the soil IL q
economic mistake. This one
is sufficient, II there were no
,thers, to lead any thinking man to
'ay that the country which pursues
Iuch q system OF agriculture Ia facing
When | was u boy In LOUIS
ana tho use OF commercial fertilizers
a the Gfoat cane district ~ almost
of and the same was true In
be rice territory. What IL tho con-
ition todayY All e the cotton ter
TORY the one-crop system Is saddlinx
pom our farmers the necessity tv
Emulate production on soils bereft
( humus and nitrogen by continuous
to cotton
Lacks Live Steck.
Third. Tho oue-crop system OF AZ
tails 70 take live atock Int !