Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-08-03

Washington, D. c., July 31.-Solis
! play an important part in the conomit
| DEVELOPMENT of civilization, and sclence
| has begun TO take serious account OF
this fact. DR.. G. F. Marbut of the de-
partment of agriculture has just re-
turned from Europe where he mace !
study Of soils. He emphasizes the neeG
for this country to know the exact sol
conditions in other parts OF the worid
The amount Of lime " organic mat
ter in the soil of some distant coun'
try may not seem to concern this coun'
try to any great extent, yet TINS on.
factor may vitality affect the future o,
our export trade in some agricuitufa
staple.
The Importance Of knowing about
soil conditions of other parts OF the
world is greater now than it was a rev
years ago and such information VIII
constantly become more significant
Considerable areas in Europe ano
South America are still used for graz
ing by nomadic peoples who have not
reached a settled agricultural stage.
Cultivation of the plains of Rumania
was begun only about 80 years ago
And enormous stretches of land III
Uruguay. Argentina, and southern
Brazil. similar in soil conditions to our
corr belt, are not under cultivation.
When South American lands are
planted in crops and when farm ma
chinery and scientific methods come
into general use in these sections the
United States may find that 1t has
some new and powerful competitors in
world trade. The South American coun-
trio mill yonct Jiko1v Orny- rnrn If their
soil conditions are suitable. If the Ar
gentine planter is likely to become a
dangerous competitor of the corn belt
farmer in this country we should know
the probabilities and be ready.
Some parts Of Europe. too may go
into corn raising more extensively in
the future. As Europe becomes more
prosperous and the people consume
more meat there will be a greater de-
mand for corn to feed stock. Europe
may buy more grain from this coun-
try then, but if it can be rased there
cheaply and in quantities the United
States may be asked for smaller in
stead of larger shipments. knowledge
of European soil conditions will help
agricultural experts to %prophesy about
these matters with some degree Of ac-
curacy.
Europe's Corn Belt
Thus. part of Rumania has q belt of
black soil somewhat like the corn land
Kansas. This is significant when you
consider that Rumania is now the great
corn exporting country of Europe. DR..
Marbut had thought it possible that
with cheap labor in Europe there
MIGHT he a 1Qrun orna in R1monin
capable of producing orr as cheaply
as this country does, if Rumania should
adopt our methods of farming. After
spending some time in Rumania and
studying the soil. however. he thinks
it unlikely that that country will be
come a corn growing rival of the United
States. They have no land hat is
exact equivalent of our great corn
belt.
This is one instance in which scien-
tific study of soil has made it pos
sble TO forecast agricultural probabili-
ties in a general way. DIR. Marbut be-
lieves that we should learn what we
can from European experience and re-
search and apply the conclusions to
u own problems.
These problems are numerous. for
we have a greater variety of soils
than any other country on earth and
We raise a wide range of agricultural
products. We think of a kind of soil
as being peculiar to some one region.
Yet again and again striking similar
ties occur. The soil of the fertile Hun
garian plains is reproduced in a strip Of
land running through parts Of Mime
sofa. the Dakotas, Nebraska. Iowa
and Kansas.
The famous sod of ireland is one soil
very like that along the coast Of Wash
ington and Oregon. Moist climate and
heavy railfalI of this west coast re-
gion are favorable for grass. The land
is heavily timbered. but where the trees
are cut out there are some fine grass
fields. Ireland. of course, was cleared
hundreds Of years z perhaps 1000
years, and rainfall is better distributed
there. But this country NAV vet pro
duce grass TO rival the emerald sod of
Erin.
The Kentucky bluegrass that we
think Of AS typically American grows
on limestone soil very much like that
of northern France. The French soil
is somewhat shallower. DR.. Marbut
found. 1t is the best grass land of
Europe. and is used for raising small
grain and fruit and for pastures.
II is interesting to find that the
e,,~~1,, of ,o,1 T.. .