White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1933-11-02

Subsistence Farms There's new term which
is becoming more common each day. America as
nation is turning from the huge factory FARMS
of the pre-War and pre-depression to small
tracts of land which family may raise the
necessary foodstuffs while income derived from
part-time work pays for clothing, supplies and
taxes.
Whether these subsistence farms indicate new
trend in farming in America or whether they are
merely hand holds on existence grasped by houn-
dering men, not easily indicated at this time We
believe however, that they point the way to
trend in agriculture, and if this is correct many
further changes will take place in the next few
years.
During the good years the trend toward factory
farming was very definite. A man longer
content with few acres Of land Oh which var
iety of foodstuffs- for his family during
the winter with small surplus for ready cash
could be raised He wanted change, and so he
took one of two courses, sought employment in
the factories the offices of the cities, or pur-
chased his neighbours land and began to grow a
'money crop"
Both courses were widely employed and while
the population OF the nation shifted steadily to-
ward the Cities the amount Of farm land under
cultivation also increased.
With hard times pressing us, the trend is now
going the other way. Men who owned farms of
large acreage unable to finance their crops
and allowed a portion of the land to go to waste.
Excessive taxation also caused the abandonment
OF many farms. The government alarmed over the
enormous surplus OF farm products, induced the
farmers, through bonuses, to decrease the amount
OF land under production still further. At the
same time the men who had left the farm for the
factories were now out OF work and in order to
exc out an existence turned to half-acre tract in
ehe suburbs on which the necessary foodstuffs
for the winter could be raised And 90 1va caa tho
large farms of earlier day changing to small
suburban tracts.
TO those who have depended upon the farm for
their entire income, the trend is an unwelcome
The increase in small farms has decreased the
demand for farm products with resultant drop
IN prices, and it has not added to the wealth of a
farm community since most of these tracts have
sprung up in the suburbs Of our larger cities and
towns But to others the results are more welcome.
Conservationists see ina this trend less sabotage
of our natllra resources With drainage and irriga-
ton districts In some parts of the nation going
back to the natural state of the land our timber
supply will increase rather than decrease; breed
ing grounds will again be provided for the migra-
tory birds and Wildfowl which in the past few
years have come SO alarmngly near extinction.
The passing Of the factory farm will occasion
no real hardship in America. The increased indie
pendence OF many thousands of our families OH
subsistence farms will bring many benefits.
Millions of dollars for secondary roads-for the
asking. That is; the news that comes from the
United States Bureau Of Public Roads, The SUM
OF $4OO,OOOOOO has been set aside for roadbuilding
and the bureau has announced that any state be-
tween now and January l, can Begin secondary
ROAD CONSTRUCTION with the assurance of 100 per
cent government aid. Nor do plans have to be fled
at washington so long as the state highway de-