Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1915-03-03

Uolu THESE COUNTRIES VIII snow an IN
creased production of farm products
I'VE learn through the Rockefeller
foundation that only about 100000 to
500. 900 of the people of Belgium are
still in exile from the country. The
rest of her millions not engaged in war
are back on Belgian soil, and the lnfor-
nation we get is that many of them
are tilling the soil.
OTHERS INCREASE.
The representatives from Argen-
tina, India and China, and other wheat
growing countries largely will increase
their production. The fall sowing in
the United States increased ILL., per
cent, so do not think there is any
need of apprehension that the supply,
of the world is to fall short during the
coming year. And | would not like to
take the responsibility of urging the
farmers of the United States enor-
mously to increase food production
with the assurance that they would find
market for their surplus because of
| the decreased production IN the coun-
tries now at war.
Nov as to your second suggestion,
said the secretary. "While we should
labor to increase productions in all
profitable directions the great need in
the United States, viewed from the
agricultural standpoint, is for bal
anced agriculture, diversified pro-
duction.
"For instance, the south last year
imported from the western states near
ly $500, 900, 900 worth OF foodstuffs. |
This great importation was made
necessary by the fact that the south,
although splendid agricultural coun-
try, devotes itself almost exclusively
to the raising of cotton.
ECONOMICALLY UNSOUND.
For any section of the country to
contine it's agricultural efforts to the !
raising of single crop is economically
unsound. This fact has been borne in
on the minds of southern planters
through conditions brought about by
the war in more forcefuI and con-
vincing fashion than they could lave
been made to realize through argu-
lnent.
In the northwest the tendency has
been to confine agricultural energy to
the raising of wheat. This is just as
economically unsouncd as it is for the
south co rely for its support upon cot
ton. But fortunately for the farmers
OF the northwest, existing conditions
are more favorable for the sale of
wheat at a good price than they are for
the sale of cotton. Consequently the
northwest's great supply of wheat has
brought unusual prosperity to that Sec
tion.
DIVERSITY CROPS.
what the department of agriculture
is trying to do most is to impress upon
the agriculturists of the various sec
lions of the "country the necessity of
diverslfying their crops to such an ex-
tent that each section will be self-sup-
porting in any emergency which may
arise. wy
"The department and the land grant
colleges, which are its auxiIlares, re-
allze that in the long run the way not
only to increase farm products, but
also to secure and retain in the United
States a sufficient rural speculation, is
to attack the whole rural lite problem
through its many approaches.
Until quite recently the thought of
the people OF the United States prIn-
cipaly has been directed toward the
lpbuildlng of cities. Every city in the
United States is trying to rival some
other city. The principal means of '
1oing this is to build up industry.
the thought of our people
mas been much more directed toward T
The development OF industry ard man
fractures than it has been toward the |
development OF agriculture. Until re- !
cent years we have been too largely
drifting agriculturally.
1.-The time has come when this policy
If neglectlng agricultural life must be ,
changed. The prosperity of the coun- S
Try may be said to depend upon the
of this change.
""Both this department and thean Id
grant. colleges are practlclng upon the
;heory-which has been proved by ex- !
oerlence te be correct-that the only !,
way in which agricultural conditions
IAN be largely changed and agricultur-
II production Increased is by improving 9
,ural life IN many directions. ,