South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-09-02
STATE GEOLOGIST IS
MAN FOR THE PLACE
Work Has Proven of Great
Benefit to FarmerS-ln-
diana is Third.

Special TO The News-Times.
INDIANAPOLIS. Sept. I'm Sc
lecting the man for state geologlsl
the people Of Indiana were
IN securing the services OF a man SO
well fitted as Edward Barrett. lie IS
NOT onlv qualified but exhibits the
right enthusiasm in his WoTk ana so
gets results that are worth Whlle II
was because he possessed the qualln-
cations and the interest in the work
that the democratic party selected
him as the candidate, n MS ac-
Quaintance in the conInun-
tiles. either personally or through ms
work. has brought 10 him an unusu-
ally strong and increasing support.
MIR. Barrett has had the cOopera-
ton of the agricultural department OF
the state university and also OF the
federal government in his WOrK OF
completing soil surveys. The value
OF this work has been thoroughly
demonstrated so the farmers as an adj
iunct to- the practical crop work being
doas by the demonstration depart
meut of the state university. For a
knowledge of the soil compositions,
needs and peculiarities are fully as
important as the selection and testing
of seeds and methods Of cultivation
af.er it has been determined what
crops shall be planted on this farm
or that
completes His Report.
Mr.. Barrett has completed his an
uual report and it will soon be in
print. In his introduction he calls
attention 20 the Importance Of the
position occupied by Indiana among
agricultural states. This state "a third
In the list in the percentage o. total
acreage in farms and fourth in per-
centage I'm what is designated i'm
proved farm lands OF the total
acreage OF the state 92.5 per cent is
farm land and 1871 improved farms.
Iowa has 95.4 ner cent and S2.9 per
cent respectively. Illinois has 9O.7
and 1872 per cent and Ohio has 92.5
and 72.7 norcent. These are the fOu
leading states in percentage of farm
lands - improved farms.
In his comment Mr.. Barrett says:
''When we think that the average
yields i'm most cereals is only Oue-third
TO one-fourth as much in this state
as i'm some of the best agricultural
states of Europe, we ear see the
necessity Of added kno Wedge and
more effective methods OF soil i'm
provement. not only through expert
mental and extension work. but
through field work from the stand
point Of geology. There is no good
reason why "a survey of the opmOs
formation i'm Indiana, the soil and
subsc1 'e ret "a Dronor function of
the de0ortment of geology. and as
Ions 9s -ho present incumbent is i'm
char 80 the department. il shall be
SO hold
F-w Farms Improved.
Ohot.rE from government report
IL 70 1ow0 that of the O3,2S9.6OO
acres 'f land in the IS states. S7S.-
79S e25 acres, or 1872 per cent is
des gnated farm land. while but PSI
per cent is i'm Improved farms, some Of
the stote having one per cent or less.
In prosecuting the soil survey work
two field nartics are maintained. one
by tho state and the other i'm cooper
alton with the federal department.
Much of the state g~coIogist's time
In the year 1914 was devoted to pro-
NOTING good roads: "a tier in which
the noopl" of Indiana are deeply and
enthusiastically interested. During
the year. Mr.. Barrett delivered some
20 addresses mt different points in the
state on road construction and on the
excellent road materials of Indiana.
He has also written several circulars
and MAGAZINE articles on the subject.
In addition 90 these he spent consid-
cradle time nj farmers meetings and
institutes discussing geologic prob
Ions that are closely related to the
soils ana farming interests Of the
state Work along these lines will be
continued during the rest of Mr.. Bar
rett's term.