The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-01-15

Br0nt Williamson
Agriculture An the bed rock and
foundation upon which every other in
dustry must stand or fall All the
people prosper or fail to prosper &C
sording to the abundance OF the har-
vest Of the soil, and upon agriculture
depends the prosperity and happiness
OF the world.
Better methods OF agriculture in
clude the use Of modern implements,
modern cultivation and soil improve
ment. This brings us directly to the
importance Of the fertilizer industry
as means Of improving our soils. Fer
tilizers are absolutely essential in OF
der to increase the Fertility of the soil.
They have n direct effect upon agri-
cultural production and through the
products OF agriculture q direct effect
upon all other Industries.
Anything which contributes TO an
increase I'm our agricultural produc-
tions, contributes TO the welfare. COM
fort and prosperity Of our people as
n whole; and this brings us directly
to the confederation Of the importance
Of the fertilizer industry"in relation TO
other lines Of business.
Fertilizers Necessary In South
The very nature Of our soil, climate
and rainfall makes IL impossible to
farm successfully without regularly
feeding our crops from artificial
sources with at least two Of the sew
eral principal elements entering into
the composition and development Of
plant life. Without fertilizers much Of
the best producing cotton lands in the
South would become unproductive and
farming would be improbable. In
many states. except in a few locali-
ties, soil I'm no more capable Of pro-
dHeinG without being fortified than
stock il capable OF performing work
without being fed. Our lands must be
fed just as we feed the stock that
work them or they will become too
poor to even pay the cost and expense
of cultivation.
Transformed Sections
Large sections of land IN various
parts OF the South Atlantic States, for
~ or nifty years ago, required four
or Ave acres TO produce one bale Of
cotton, which now, by intelligent farm
ing, made possible by the use of fer
tilizers, yield one bale to each acre.
or the equivalent, OF other crops. Pow
erty stricken sections Of one or two
generations ago have been transform
ed into populous and prosperous COM
munities. Our ability to rebuild and
make our lands more fertile has en-
abled people 20 live and settle in rlore
desirable communities, and to enjoy
advantages OF better markets, schools,
churches and social conditions. Bet
ter rural conditions have made the
back to the farm movement not only
q possibility, bat n reality
Prosperity Due TO Fertilizers
Whatever may be the direct benefit,
1t is obvious from q study Of the sit
uation that the present prosperity and
greater population In South Carolina
is due more largely to the use of
commercial fertilizers than to any 9TH
er cause, because in South Carolina
fertilizers are absolutely necessary to
profitable. agriculture. upon which most
OF our business and other industries
depend Had ii not been for the use
of commercial fertilizers South Caro-
INA could not be considered an agri-
cultural state.
Taking into consideration the cost
Of fertilizers, statistics will bear out
the statement that the once worn out