The Prescott daily news., 1920-01-27
Secretary of Agriculture Declares Large Fluctuations Are Not
 Desirable.
CALLS FOR CAREFUL THOUGHT
Expansion of Nation's Agriculture Limited by Supply of Labor and Capita! Available fer Farming
 Purposes Rather Than Scarcity of undevel-
 oped Lands.

crease in farm land acreage at the present time, especially where such an increase would have to be effected by utilizing land which is inferior or which would be made available at a heavy outlay for dainage. irrigation or clearing. This opinion Is expressed Iby David F. Houston, secretary of ag- rieulture, in his annual report for 1919. Since the nation now retains but little. land of ready availability, agricultural expansion will result mainly from the efforts to utilize and to increase the Productivity of farm lands now owned 6y individuals, corporations and states.
 Careful thought should be given. the secretary says, to questions pertaining lto the use of additional lands. 'The best experts of the federal department and of the agricultural colleges should make a detailed study of the possibili- lties o, utilizing land not now devoted to agriculture" In respect to the 200, 900, 900 acres of cut-over land. the )80.OO0, 900 acres requiring drainage. and the 3O,O00,O0O acres which may be Iifrigated, there is . great variation from district to district as to the pos abilities of economic use.
 Study Distinctive Regions.
 Distinctive regions should be- fully studied with the view to assemble all 'cxisting data on productivity, cost of mixing land available. present tenure and prices. type of agriculture best 'adapted to the conditions. possible re turns. minimum size of farms capable Of supporting families in reasonable comfort, minimum equipment needed at the beginning of settlement, sources of credit, and marketing and transportation facilities.
 The secretary refers to the fact that various private agencies are engaged in promoting land settlement and says that while many of them are honest in intention, promise and practice. oth- CTS keep within the letter of the law, but through exaggeration and indirec- ton of statement create false impress sions in the minds of the settlers. Only a few, he states, have made careful studiss of the conditions of successful settlement. and practically all are seel1 ing to realize the highest possible price for their undeveloped holdings As the intending settler of small means is rarely able to distinguish between the good and bad methods of selling lands in new regions, he thinks it would be desirable for government agencies through their agricultural maclacery to furnish reliable information to those seeking farms, to give new settlers very special assistance and guidance and, where conditions are favorable. aid in developing well-considered set clement.
 The matter of land utilization comes in for large measure of attention in the secrefary's report.
 stThe expansion of the nations agri- culture" says Secretary Houston. Ifs limited by the supply o- labor and capital available for farming purposes rather than by the scarcity of undevel- oped lands. It is true that. in gener- al, the best land is already in cuIti-s vation. but without question much of the remainder can be titled when the country reaches the economic stage which would justify it's utilization.
 There are numerous fallacious opinions with respect to the need of extending the farm area. Many peo- pie, noting the prevailing prices Of az ricultural products, demand increased production and Insist that the remedy lies In immediate and rapid expansion of the acreage in farms. Others, ob- serving large tracts of unused land, de plore the great waste of our resources. Still others explain the movement of population from rural districts to cit ies by the nonayailability of land, which they attribute to land monopoly, speculation and other evils. The de mand for farm products, unlike the de- mand for manufactured articles, does not expand rapidly to meet a large increase In supply. There is ten dency toward an equilibrium between urban and agricultural industry If too much labor and capital are divert ed from farming the relative prices. and consequently the relative profits. of agricultural activity will increase. and there VIII De tendency toward expansion. If thib is excessIye. how ever, relative prices and proftn VIII len6 e deeresse dnd fhe Industry nl1y