South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-05-24

Here and there a hilltop 80 has
worn out and lies beneath the sun
indifferent 20 the seeds IN SIS keep
ing. 20 the hungry who tramp over
IL Hills that never failed the buff
falo for nobody knows how many
thousand wears are gray with the eA-
hauetfon Of extensive production.
So long az the sod was un0roken
the fertility az the soil remained IN
tact. The pioneers who broke the
seal found the soil richer than crea~
ZION For under the unhampered
government Of Mother Nature al
rfants give back their surplus at the
end ~ every summer. The hrst
wheat field waxcd golden on the
legacy of the frugal prairie grass
The first corn fields spent riotously
ths comL ounded interest Of centur-
les OF the earth's careful savings OF
plant food. And the farmers fed their
crops on the soils store for so many
years before IL became noticeable
that the principle was being touched
that the supply was uuconsciously
supposed 90 be ineXhaustible. we
sowed intenslvely, reaped bounteous-
~. and then burned the straw and
stubbIe complacently. SO long as
the virgin qualities OF the soil. un-
der a system Of wasteful soil min
ing. supported a relatively spare
poDuIation we were not worried
about the. future. And now many
an aenemic field dots the country
side in mute reproach.
There Is No Waste.
Fortunately, however. farmers are
awakening 10 the fact that soil must
be revitalized Public opinion for
bids the burning Of straw. LAgumes
have been put 10 making hay and
nitrogen. Fertilizer companies are
doing business. Phosphate and lime
stone deposits are being distributed.
The hilltop SOS are being rejuve-
mated. Just as the land has been
devitalized. here and there farm
community has worn out. The
church roof has been nailed shut
The school house is out OF date. The
children Of the old homestead have
moved 70 town and the farms are
now the abodes Of transient fam'lis
g, no hope 10 get enough ahead TO
.ro-a 20 town also.
No nation has ever risen above the
level OF its agriculture and the dead
communities scattered thu ough the
United States are comparable TO the
white alkaH patches on the hilltop
eighty And If allowed 10 spread will
ruin our country just as sure a.
blight viii wipe out an apple or
chard
The worst OF it IS that the worn
out community is not necessarily the
one where the land is past prOduc-
ton. If that were the case the build
ing up of the soil would bring
flow of new blood back into the
personnel of the occupants II is
often in our richest sections that the
human force Of agricultural rroduc-
tion IS a low ebb.
We are used 20 thinking when we
speak of agricultural production. Of
grain and livestock. cotton and wool
lumber and fruit. But the open
country has an important product in
boys and girls who constantly feed
our cities
Rcplated History.
The history of the puIseless com
munity Is well known The pioneer
father who thrust his Flow into the
uuhroken prairies was as vital as his
acres. lie had come 10 the new
country 10 make home His
reiEhhors were home builders. The
non-interference Of outside world
need for protection and common
ideals fostered social contact They
were the best type OF humanity. be-
ing the kind who We're not content
ed 70 be poor En- the state or the
foreign country from which they
came Since they were in their new
homes 20 stay they set about max
ing their communities TT places in