Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-08-20
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
~ DR.. ANDREW NJ SOULE

| which Is quite unappreciated at the
| moment.
The farmer must be assured of an
adequate market for his supplies on
a cost-plus basis. The quicker we
realize the equity and justice in
volved in this matter the sooner we
will begin to make progress in the
ganization of our rural situation Is
not going to be affected by the move
ment of urban populations back to
the open country, but by the better
ment of the conditions of those who
live there at present, by making ag-
while vocation. by providing the peo-
pie who supply the food of our ur-
ban communities and keep the wheels
of industry going, with a fair re-
ward for their labor.
The happiness and efficiency Of
our rural population now and In the
future depend upon the uplift of
those who live in the open country
and their children, and their chill
drens children. The TRANSPORTATION
of our urban population to rural COM
munities wil4 not work and is wholly
undesirable and impracticable from
every point of view.
The shrinkage in rural population
has already reached an alarming
stage. But for the superiority of the
labor-saving devices and machinery
employed on the average American
farm, and the recent reclamation of
much of our land from a virgin con-
supply of food for our people and
abundant raw materials for our in
dustrieS would long ago have as
sumed an aggravated form. AS 1t is,
We are not normallS a food-exporting
nation. On the contrary, we are i'm
porting large quantities of foodstuffs
and raw materials. This condition
promises to become steadily worse in
the future.
The revamping of our agriculture
along economic and constructive lines
is therefore an issue of the moment
and not of the future. The mainte-
nance of that relatively high stand
ard of living in which we have taken
such Justifiable pride in the past,
and the development of an overseas
commerce of worldwide proportions
are wrapped UP in the solution of
our agricultural problems. The
questions involved are therefore of
intimate concern to the individual
farmer, the nation as a whole, and
the world at large.
No class Of society has suffered
from the present dislocation in trade
and industry to a degree comparable
with that of the farmer. He was the
last to benefit by the rise in prices
and the first to suffer when they
fell.
Statistics would indicate that on
thousands Of Georgia farms last year
the cost Of making cotton was APP
proximately 33 cents a pound. Our
farmers have been asked to sell
large part of their crop at between
amounts to Is per cent and upward.
There is no other industry save
farming that could withstand such a
shock, and it is needless to point out
that the agriculture Of this country
was never in more precarious con-
dition than at present.
There is no patriotic citizen, or one
with a vision of sufficient scope for
his opinion to merit consideration,
but must be distressed by the exist
ing situation. 1t is a period when
every form of consideration and
farmer. It is time when every in
terest of the country should bend it's
effort towards helping him to again
get on his feet.
The stagnation in commerce and in
dustry now observable is a result
of the sweeping decline in the value
of the products our farmers had to
sell, and prosperity will only return
when the producers Of food and raw
materials are again accorded a liv-
ing wage. 1t is strange that those
who live in urban communities can
not see and realize these Fundamental
facts.
1t seems odd under existing cir
cumstances that such a persistent
and united effort should be made
to maintain salaries and wages and
the prices of manufactured goods
on a basis out of all proportion to
the price of foodstuffs and raw ma
terials.
The rapid and complete readjust-
ment of all these factors is essen
tial to the public welfare. The soon
err we realize this the more quickly
can the readjustment which is need
ed, and which the economic situa-
ton will force upon us, be brought
about. Naturally the contamination
Of the end indicated with the great
est dispatch will lessen our material
losses, tend to restore public conf
dence and do much toward eliminat-
ing a great deal of the unhappiness
and agitation by which the whole
country is afflicted at this time.
Fightine1 Blossom End Rot in
Tomatoes
r. D. H, Vanoy, Ca, writes:
My tomatoes have begun to rot
very badly, although they are
not quite ripe. Is there any