422 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN." 



Mr. Chapman. But the soil is the great factor of this country, the 

 greatest in the world. Now, if we had a factory in California that 

 turned out nine billion dollars ' worth of product in a year, we would, of 

 course, take a great interest in doing that which would multiply the 

 efficiency of that plant, and if we could make that plant produce twenty 

 billions of dollars a year instead of nine we would have accomplished 

 a great result. Now that is the point. For when any soil is properly 

 treated, properly handled, it can be made to produce two or three times 

 as much as it does to-day. This Lever bill, which is before the Senate, is 

 said to be the greatest act presented to Congress since the day of. 

 Abraham Lincoln. Many of you know about it and perhaps some do 

 not. This refers, doctor, to the efficiency of our soil, and this bill your 

 Committee on Resolutions is going to ask you to vote a resolution to be 

 sent to our Senators asking them to urge its passage and do what they 

 can to secure its passage. If I may, I will just depart a little from your 

 paper and will, doctor, if you will permit me: this is right on your line. 

 Here are some remarks expressed by this League : 



"There is no occupation in the world that calls for more ability 

 and judgment, brains, training, industry and adaptability than 

 farming. It is a man's job. To plow and sow and reap without 

 understanding is no more real farming than cutting a man's leg off 

 with an ax is real surgery. 



Agriculture is the basis of the nation's wealth. The soil is our 

 greatest asset, and conserving and building this up helps every one. 



Facts and Figures Illuminating and Alarming. 



In ten years, between 1900 and 1910, our population increased 

 fifteen million — about 21 per cent ; our farm area increased a little 

 over twenty millions in number. 



In 1900 for every one hundred people we had 90.3 cattle. Ten 

 years later we had only 68. For hogs the figures were respectively 

 84, going down to 61 ; for sheep the drop per hundred population 

 was from 82 to 51. Think what this means! Cheap meat cannot 

 be made on high-priced land and sixty-cent corn, but science, the 

 silo and alfalfa will enable the farmer to carry three times as mucJi- 

 stock on his farm as he thinks he can. This would build up the 

 fertility of his fields and reduce the cost of producing meat one half. 



We now consume 98 per cent of our corn and 91 per cent of our 

 wheat. AVe have an unprecedented high cost of living. We must 

 produce more, and u'e must get it to the consumer at less cost. 



There are approximately ten acres of farm land per capita for the 

 present population. Only one half of this is under plow ; the other 

 half is woodland, waste land, broken land, pasture, etc. It now 

 takes practically all we raise to feed the people. We are beginning 

 to import foodstuffs. In fifty years our population ivill he doubled. 

 What shall we do about it? 



A generation or two ago Denmark was in poverty and distress. 



