No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 357 



noying, though complaints can be made against no individual, that 

 the mist prevented seeing very much then, but I saw enough to 

 create a longing to come back to see this country in its spring and 

 summer glory, for judging by what was seen yesterday, it must be a 

 magnificent country in the summer season. It seemed to me that 

 it was a country covered with mines, that the hills were filled with 

 wealth; and no doubt there is a great deal of truth in that thought. 

 And probably that thought covers another thought, that might at 

 first seem true, that the mineral wealth of the State of Pennsyl- 

 vania is greater than the agricultural wealth. But I know that 

 that is not true; the agricultural resources are greater. You honey- 

 comb the mountains and take out the mineral wealth from those 

 mountains and no power can ever put it back again, but the agricul- 

 tural resources of this State go on and on, they flow on forever, so 

 that I have no hesitation in saying that the first foot of soil is worth 

 more than all the mines in all the mountains in this magnificent 

 State. Now if that is true, sir, it is exceedingly important, how that 

 first foot of soil shall be cultivated. I do not need to tell you intel- 

 ligent gentlemen, in the face of the fact just stated, that the care 

 of that first foot of soil is the most important concern that can en- 

 gage the attention of the Legislature of this State, and it does give 

 me a good deal of concern, a good deal of pain when I think of the 

 way in which the first foot of soil is not taken care of in these United 

 States of ours. 



If the question were put to me: What is the agricultural crime 

 of the American people, I would say it was the waste of the heritage 

 which has been given us by our neglect in preserving the resources 

 of the soil in this country. 



I felt somewhat sad, sir, when I heard of the increase in the ex- 

 ports of agriculture from the United States. I would not feel thus 

 if that increase in exports came in by way of animals and animal 

 productions. I would not feel as bad; it would be a matter for con 

 eratulation, but when I heard that there is an increase of the ex 

 ports of corn and other products that were taken out of the soil of 

 this country and sent across the sea to be used by our competitors, 

 I do feel sad when I think of it, and know that that is going on to 

 the extent to which it is at the present time. 



I frankly acknowledge that I do not know enough about the con- 

 ditions of agriculture in the State of Pennsylvania to talk about it 

 intelligently, but I do hope that the farmers of this State are study- 

 ing that question of taking care of the soil. I hope that they are 

 giving their attention to that question of keeping the soil from de- 

 teriorating. It is something that can be done, and if the person en- 

 gaged in tilling the soil properly understands that it is his busi- 

 ness interest to do this, no doubt it will be done. 



I was told yesterday that this State pays out five million dollars 

 annually for artificial fertilizers. I have no quarrel with that; it 

 would be all the better if the State paid out ten million dollars if 

 they were properly used, but I can't help but think that there is a 

 way to get fertilizers, if wanted, without paying for them at all. 

 Now, do not misunderstand me; I mean to say that in my judgment 

 any one by giving more attention to good methods of agriculture 

 can dispense with the purchase of artificial fertilizers, and can get 

 what is needed without paying for it. If you ask me how, I would 



