The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1926-11-12

the problem or altogether to brush
it aside. It is very hard when we
see the proofs of prosperity all about
US to realize that this state of things
does not exist everywhere.
"The fact is, however, that as 70
agriculture the situation is grave in
deed. AS stated by the National In
dustrial Conference board, which re-
Gently has been making a study of
the agricultural problem:
American agriculture appears to
have fallen out of step with the gen
eral economic development of the
country While it has become insep-
arably involved in a network of in
ter-relationships with a more and
more highly organized system of in
dustry, CIade, finance, transportation
and governmental activities, it has
so far not developed effective means
for adjusting itself to this new stu
alton. 1t appears to have made its
adjustments in recent years largely
through sacrifice of its capital as
sets and through sacrifice OF the soil
resources of the nation.
Plant Has Been Running Down.
1t Is clear that the great agricui-
tural plant of America has been run
ming down at a dangerous pace. Of
court, this affects, and affects deep
~, the farmet. However, it involves
the very life Of the nation as well.
THE people who live in the cities
are inclined to interest themselves
only in the immediate pIice they
have to pay for food. They are not
concerned as to whether the farmer
receives enough to enable him to go
on producing. And yet they should
be vitality interested. For if the far
mer does not receive an adequate
price, two things will surely happen
which are of vast concern to the peo-
pie of the United States. The first
Is that no one can go on indefinitely
producing, whether manufacturer or
farmer, unless he receives at least
the cost Of production for the thing
he sells. The result will be fewer
farmers. This result is already in
evidence. "A report recently issued
by the department of agriculture
states that the farm population OF
the United States was reduced by al
most a half million during the last
year This trenG cannot go on long
until there is a shortage of food,
with abnormal and unnecessary high
prices to the consumers of food. And
that is what the economists predict
If nothing be done to avert the cal
amity; relatively low prices to the
farmer for a number of years, and
then, because of a shortage Of sup
ply, abnormally high prices, with
their attendant bread-lines and riot
ing.
Soil Cream Has Been Skinned.
"The other result is even more
and that is the gradual
depletion of our soil. In the earlier
stages of our agriculture our abund-
ance of rich land came near TO being
our own undOing. Our pioneer farm
ers would COO often skim the cream
Of our virgin fields and then go ION
to repeat the process with still new
or lands.
"Of late years, however, our agri-
cultural colleges have been insisting
with increasing effect upon the need
of conserving the fertility OF ouI
soils.
"The farmer new | think generally
recognizes this need. He knows now
that he can not forever subtract
from the soil and add nothing with
out counting disaster He knows too
that it costs money to restore the
fertility which he has taken awav
The first principle, therefore, of soil
is that agriculture must
be made profitable | think all stu
dents # the problem agree upon this.
Depression and Depletion.
when agriculture is depressed
rapid depletion of the soil inevitably
follows. The fixed charges of the
farmer do not materially change,
he has his total acreage in
cash crops or only a part, with the
remainder in clover or some other
soil building legume. He furnishes
FOR the most part his own labor, his
axes remain the same, his interest
charges are the same, his equipment
lOes not greatly cary. Therefore,
when the prices are low he must in
,rease his acreage of cash crops in
order to meet his cash outlay, tho
he may know, and generally does,
that his land needs nitrogen, phos