Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-08-03

washInston. Aug. 3y---soIls play an
important part IN the economic oe-
velopment of civilization, and science
has begun TO take serious account o'
this fact. Dr. c. ". Marbut of the
Department OF Agriculture has JUST
returned from Europe where he MADE
n study Of soils. He enphaslzes the
need for this country To know the
exact soil conditions in other parts
of the world.
The amount of lime or organic mat
ter I'm the soil OF some distant country
may not seem 10 concern this coun-
try 10 any great extent. yet this one
factor may vitality affect the future OF
our export trade in some agricultural
staple.
The importance OF knowing about
eoiI conditions of other parts of the
world is greater now than 1t wes n Few
years ago and such information VIII
constantly become more Significant.
Considerable areas in Europe and
South America are still used for
grazing by nomadic peoples who have
not reached a settled agricultural
stage Cultivation OF the plains OF
| Rumania was begun only about %
years ago And enormous stretches
Of land in Uruguay. Argentina, and
southern Brazil, similar In soil con
diiions TO our corn belt. are not under
cultivation.
when South American lands are
planted In crops and when farm ma
Into general use IN these sections the
United states may find that II has
some new and powerful competitors
I'm world trade. The South American
Icountries viii most likely grow corn
n their soil conditions are suitable. II
the Argentine planter is likely 10 he
come n dangerous competitor Of the
corn belt farmer In this country we
should know the probabilities and bf
ready.
Some parts of Europe. too. may gC
into corn raising more extensively ir
the future. As Europe becomes more
prosperous and the people consum'
more meat there will be n greater de
mand for corn TO feed stock EUROPE
may buy more grain from this country
then. but II II can be raised ther'
cheaply and i'm quantities the United
, states may he asked for smaller IN
stead of larger shipments. KnowledR
, Of European soil conditions win hel1
agricultural experts to prophes.
r about these matters with some degre
n of accuracy.
Europe's Corn Belt.
9 Thus. part 81 Rumania has a bel
: Of black soil somewhat like tho cor
l. land of the central Dakotas Nebraska
and Kansas This is significant whe
' you consider that Rumania is mo-
the great corn exporting country
o Europa Or Marbut had thought
r possible that with cheap labor
70 Europe there might he a large area
y Rumanla capable OF producing cor
l. as cheaply as this country does.
Fumania should adopt our method
q Of farming. After spending some tin
In Rumania and studying the sol
: however, he thinks 10 unlikely tn,
' that country will becorns n corn grow
% ing rival of the United States. The
p" have no land that IL the eya
equivalent OF our srea. corn belt.
This IL ono inStancs in whic
scientific study Of soil has made
| possible to forecast agricultural pro
abilities In a general way. DR.. Ma
but believes that we should learn VIII
we can from European experience a.
j research and apply the conclusions
our own problems
These problems are numerous for
H. have a greater variety Of soils tn
any other country on earth and
III raise a wide range Of agricultural pl
ducts We think of n kind Of soil
III being peculiar 70 some one region. !
"a again and again striking similarit
"' occur. The soil &c the fertile Hl
garian plains ia reproduced in n st
III Of land running through parts
Minnesota, the Dakotas, Nebras
Iowa and Kansas.
The famous sod Of Ireland is
, >, soil very like that along the coast
Washington and Oregon. Moist
e. mate and heavy rainfall of this "
coast region are favorable for grs
dc The land is heavily timbered,
where the trees are cut out there
We some fine grass fields. ireland.
course. was cleared hundreds Of ye
,ds ago. perhaps 1000 years, and rain
IL better distributed there. But {
he country may yet produce grass
rival the emerald sod Of Erin.
The Kentucky bluegrass that
all think OF as typically American gro
on limestone soil very much like {
Joy of northern France. The French
is somewhat shallower, DIR. Mar
'ou found. II is the best grass land
'ou Europe, and Is used for raising sn
grain and fruit and for pastures.
)ne II is interesting TO find that
soils Of old Bohemia are almost i'd
in tical with those OF southeast Penn
vania, known as Chester soils;
for that the soils OF southern Germ
resemble the best part Of kentu,
the Shenandoah Valley Of Virginia
lad, the Lebanon and Cumberland Val
of Pennsylvania. With all the var
l of soils in this country immigrant.
Germany and Bohemia have set
al in regions where the soils are sim
to those at home. This may accc
'ess TO some extent for the success OF
German farmers in the East.
Greece Like Arizona.
end Few of US have ever thought OF
soil Of Greece as being anything
land in this country, yet there
parallel DIR. Marbut compares