Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-01-13
Bumper Crops Not
Beginning or End
of Farm Science

Ames, Jan./1s.-Bumper crops is not
the beginning and end Of agricultural
science, declared Carl Vrooman, assist
ent secretary Of agriculture, In a viz
orous address to the agricultural stu
dents and faculty at Iowa State Col
lege, in which he presented what he
terms 1.-The Business Side Of Farm
ing"
Whats the use Of big crops" asked
Mr.. Vrooman.>~if you can't transform
them into coin? Farmers are To-day
asking that question because they have
found in good many years that large
crops mean small1ncomes. In 1912 they
grew two thirds of billion bushels
more corn than in-1913, but they got
$171, 900, 900 less for it than in 1913. In
the face of such facts as these 1t is
evident that there Is more to success
full farming than crop production.
Farming is a business as much as run
ming a bank. A successful business man
expects to make interest on his invest
ment, wages for his time, and profit
besides. Unfortunately few farmers at
tain this ambition. Too many Of them
today are merely giving themselves
hired mems jobs"
Business Side Developing.
Until recently the department of ag-
riculture and the colleges Of agricult-
ure very naturally gave themselves al
together too the problem Of produce
ton, explained Mr.. Vrooman. They
sought to find ways Of getting larger
yields and to fight the pests that preyed
on crops. Now they are taking up the
economic or business side and they are
concerning themselves with the fight
against the human pests who thru
wrongful control of markets extract
more from the farmer than Is right.
The most pressing agricultural problem
before us today Is that of standardiz-
ing, Warehousing and marketing our
crops SO as to serve the interests of
farmer and consumer alike. Among the
factors that stand out prominently In
this problem are rural credits, a satis-
factory system of land tenure, Coop
erative purchase Of supplies, and bet
ter facilities for marketing farm pro-
ducts In these fields the federal de-
partment of agriculture must do a lot
Of constructive work before the prob
lens involved are satisfactorily solved.
1t is herculean task, but filled with
great promise for the nation"
IN the meantime Mr. Vrooman gave
assurance, there is no need to fear
oVerproduction. A recent investiga-
ton in Ohio showed that in that sec
ton production may be increased 40
percent with profit to the farmer. Prac-
tically there Is no danger that the
yields will get so large that prices will
be Improbable; for, as Mr.. Vrooman
pointed out, after nearly fifty years
Of promotion of scientific agriculture
by the government and colleges, the
avearge yield per acre for the United
States in various crops Is barely any
larger than half century ago. That
Is due, Mr.. Vrooman said, to these
fects: While the progressive farmer
has much increased his yields, his in
crease has been offset almost altogeth-
err by the deceasing yields secured by
the reactionary farmer from land that
Is growing less and less fertile.
Situation Will Change.
but this situation will change for
several reasons" said Mr.. Vrooman.
First the government and the colleges
have evolved a system Of agricultural
education that Is not only scientific but
practical: 1t is u system that does the
business. Second, in the enactment of
the Smith-Lever bill and it's acceptance
by the states means Nave been pro-
yided for carrying education to every
farm community and establishing
sooner or later in every county an ag-
ricultural agent who is In effect an as
Sistant secretary of agriculture, ready
TO bring to the poorest farm all the
knowledge and experience Of the led
eral and state departments and coll
!eges of agriculture. Third, now the
government thru its bureau Of rural
credits and organization is going to
solve the economic, or business prob
lens Of the farms as it has the pro-
duction problems The farmer can't
put into practice scientific agriculture
without increasing his capital and the
federal government and the states are
both seeking ways to help the farmer
in this way"
AS he closed his address Mr.. Vroo-
larger confidence and cooperation
standing suspicion and fault finding be
put aside, that spirit of peighborli>
ness and brotherhood be encouraged,
tAA1I kA1SA AOOh O0yoiO SIlSlI OWL IcICS0
fields and interest themselves in the
welfare of their communities, theil
states and the nation. Young men,"
he said, mere money grubbing must
not be at the basis Of our new agricul
ture. but the spirit of CO. operation. and
brotherhood. In the agricultural revo-
luton that is now under way, we must
avoid the great errors Of the industrial
revolution Of the eighteenth and nine.
teeth centuries 1t must be q revolu.
ton OF liberation which shall give ev-
cry produced and every consumer his
rightful share Of the fruits Of the
earth"
MEALS RY PARCEL POST.
Innovation to Be Inaugurated Between
Chicago and st. Louis.