Morris tribune., 1917-11-23
FARM DRAINAGE HAS
CONSERVED RESOURCES
Contribution to National Food Sup
ply Increased by Public Drain
age Work
(Contribution)

At a time like this, when the con-
servation Of resources is the econ
omic subject uppermOst in our minds,
it is fitting to review the things act
ually accomplished to this end. But
to properly consider the careful dis
tribution of the materials in hand,
it is essential to consider first some
Of the factors which have made the
possession of them reality.
When we speak of resources in
connection with the Middle West, we
naturally assume that the farm and
it's products are in the first rank.
The farmer is the backbone of the
nation, and nowhere between the
oceans is this more apparently true
than in this state; the logical deduc-
tion is but step further-that up
on his prosperity hangs the wealth
of the nation. To increase the eff
cheney of the farmer by extending
his field of activity and by overcom-
ing so far as humanity possible ad-
verse conditions due to eccentricities
OF climate, is a long step in the right
direction, and the purpose of this
column is to outline in concise way
how much has been accomplished in
Stevens county within the past two
years.
Two years ago the attitude of the
farmer toward the subject of land
drainage was one of scepticism if
not actual antagonism. For genera
tiOns the farm had produced abund-
antly, the acreage was adequate for
his needs indeed, all he could util-
ize,-without the necessity of adding
slough wastes. Men had farmed be-
fore him, laid by their stake" for a
rainy day and retired, under precise
ly the same conditions he was work
ing under. But the demands of the
times became more exacting, labor
rose in value, and the productiveness
of the soil had to be more carefully
considered. To plow around a slough
was more difficult and expensive than
to plow straight through it, and to
have scores of acres of virgin soil
produce only crop of Indifferent
hay-and in wet seasons not even
that-began to appear to him in its
true light as an economic waste
Then too, men came over from Iowa
and Illinois and bought tracts he
considered worthless, drained them
and began farming. The result was
his conversion to an acceptance ot
the value of drainage and finally en-:
thusiastic support of it.
Most of our men on the farms are
men with level heads and SOUND
judgment, but they are the "shov
me" type. When they are satisfied
of the correctness of their ideas they
proceed to work them out Tha
Stevens county farmers prove thi:
rule is amply demonstrated by wha
has been done in this county durins
the past few months.
At the present time there is ap
proximately 100000 worth of pub
lie drainage work either completed
or in some stage of construction il
Stevens, county. This figure takes NJ
account of the bitches which are no
yet ordered laid, nor the private till
systems installed or under way. l
is worthy of note that PRACTICAL,
all of these operations we're begun
less than two years ago.
No man is more an American thai
the Minnesota farmer, and no man i
more ready to do his bit by way o
conservation of foods and other re
sources of the country. BY the act
1v1t1es of the Stevens county farme
along the line just discussed, he ha
accomplished many things. He ha
increased the total tillable soil b,
hundreds of acres of land heretofor
considered worthless; he has protect
ed his crops against the danger O
overfiowage in wet seasons and mad
road building and maintenance prac
ticable. Incidentally he has raise
the value Of his own lands and thos
of his neighbers to a figure NO
dreamed of decade ago. .ss[
It is certain tLat the farmers G
/, our own county will in the futur
contribute to the national wealth /
far greater measure than they hav
ever done, and if the present urgen
need for foodstuffs of every kin
should continue to exist for any COZ
siderable period of time, it is impos
sible to estimate the value of whs
they have accomplished.