464 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



salvation for farmers, as well as the general public, at this time is 

 the use of commercial fertilizers and chemicals, regardless of what 

 some would-be advisors, who sometimes ridicule its use may say. 

 The honest fertilizer manufacturer who supplies the trade at rea- 

 sonable prices, with honest goods deserves the respect of the people. 



After spending many hours studying over the subject of agricul- 

 tural geology, reading text-books and following the soil survey in its 

 ramifications over states and nation, my conviction is that the public 

 fund expended is just so much money wasted for all it accomplishes. 

 The advice is the same and may be stated in one short sentence: Use 

 manure, lime, chemicals, cowpeas, soy beans, crimson clover, alfalfa, 

 rye, etc., with green manure for humus, then irrigate or tile drain, 

 as the conditions suggest. 



It is doubtful whether any practical farmer who is established 

 in a location, on such soil as may make up his farm, ever derived any 

 benefit whatever from all the vast literature and maps published and 

 the great amount of money spent in soil surveys and soil analysis. 

 The mechanical condition of a soil is of greatest importance, when 

 of a consistency to hold moisture and fertility the other elements 

 can be supplied, while other soils may show a larger amount of 

 mineral elements by chemical test when in an unavailable state are 

 entirely useless in practice. It has been demonstrated in England 

 and our State that chemical fertilizers can be relied upon to produce 

 crops equal to that of manure, resolving itself into a question of 

 economics. Where manure can be obtained for nothing or at low 

 cost, it is advisable to take advantage of the opportunity. Not so 

 much for its plant food value as for the humus or carbonaceous 

 matter contained to ameliorate the soil and hold moisture when that 

 is lacking. 



As for the soil analyses which may show tons of the elements needed 

 by plants, it is not safe to depend upon it. Crops are the best guide 

 that every farmer has at his command; so that by simply observing 

 and a little experimenting is of more value than all the fine spun 

 theories advanced by so-called experts. At small expense a small 

 quantity of hydrochloric acid of ammonia with red and blue litmus 

 paper, any one can make soil tests that are at once instructive and 

 enlightening. 



Of all the activities imposed upon the tax payers as rural up- 

 lifters, experts, specialists, etc., the agricultural press throughout 

 the country is of more value to practical agriculture than all other 

 agencies combined. The reason is that they disseminate all the use- 

 ful discoveries of science and contain the actual experience of thou- 

 sands of close observers and practical knowledge from all parts of 

 the country. 



After deliberating and considering the situation, I have concluded 

 that it is time to call a halt and cry out "hold, enough !" When 

 stalwart farmers follow their shipments to market and shed tears 

 because their strenuous labor in producing tomatoes, peas, beans, 

 potatoes, peaches, etc., do not realize enough cash to pay trolley fare, 

 finding themselves in debt for freight and commission having labor, 

 taxes, with incidental operating expenses drives them to insanity and 

 even suicide. At the same time more rural uplifters manifest their 

 interest in agriculture, among whom are newspaper publishers who 



