Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-14
The Soil Congress.

President Coolidge, ADDRESSING the
First International Congress of Soil
Science before he left here for the
West yesterday, drew an amazing
picture of the extent to which the
United States Government has gone
into the matter of soil research. The
importance Of the soil to the human
race, for food, for clothing, for shell
| ter, in a country with millions of
acres Of virgin soil to be tapped was
perhaps late in impressing itself on
the leaders Of this Government. But
in recent years the development of
research work through the Depart
ment of Agriculture, the agricultural
experiment stations, the State agri-
cultural colleges and the State de-
partments of agriculture has been
enormous. the President pointed out
The Federal Department of Agri-
culture today has personnel num-
bering 20,74o. 1t supervises the eX-
penditure Of S157 ,4S5,000. part Of
which is contributed by the States
toward various activities fostered by
the Federal Government on the dol
lar.match-dollar plan. 1t eXpends d.
rectiy for the Government $4,000
600, of which $10,SOO,000 is for re-
search work. Yet the Department OF
Agriculture was not created until
1889. Prior to that the Bureau of
Agriculture" functioned on smaller
scale, growing out of activities OF the
Patent Office. The only reason that
AGRICULTURAL research had been at
tached to the Patent Office appears
to have existed in the fact that Con
gress in 1889 appropriated $1,000 to
gather agricultural statistics at the
instance OF Henry l.. Ellsworth, then
commissioner of patents.
The farmer has not been neglected
by the Federal Government, the Pres
ident clearly showed. Millions of dol
lars have been expended to give him
the information regarding the soil.
what it will grow. what 1t needs in
the way of replacement. In addition
further millions have been expended
in collecting statistics of crops in
order to give the farmer needed in
formation.
President Coolidge did not touch
upon the farm problem" as it now
exists. other than to point out that
in the future more intensive farming,
such as Is carried on in the older coun-
tries of Europe, will be necessary. The
farm problem today is clearly one OF
marketing. The farmers have at hand,
sthrough the various governmental
agencies, complete information regard.
ing the proper methods of planting,
cultivating and fertilizing. Unfor'
tunately the methods Of marketing
crops, which are for the most part
perishable and of annual recurrence,
still fall short of giving the farmer
adequate returns for his labor. 1t is to
this problem that the President VIII
turn his attention during the Summer
he will spend in the West. 1t is
problem that has exercised many
best minds for years. and still re-
quires solution. The administration,
however, will seek to lay before Con-
gress a concrete plan for the relief OF
agriculture, IL such a plan. sound and
economical, can be worked out.
The Importance of the international
Congress Of Soil Research must not be
| minimized. AS the years and cen.
turtles succeed one another. the prime
Importance Of reconditioning the soil
in order to feed the millions Of the
future must be apparent. The inter
change Of ideas between the repre-
sentatives OF the nations is of great
value, and particularly to the United
States. whose experience, measured in
years. is still by no means great.