192 III i: MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



Ii may aot be revolutionary, but it would seem that it must at least be 

 appreciable. (In the cither hand, the statement is made that Russia is 

 getting ready for a great industrial development. It is said that as 

 soon as the war closes Russian capital intends to import American labor- 

 saving machinery, and that it is expected that wheat will be raised and 

 sold at 50 rents per bushel. Such statements are often made lightly 

 without any basis of fact. 1 have no means of verifying this one. I 

 believe, however, that every student of the history of human progress 

 feels that Russia will experience greater social and industrial changes 

 than any other country in the world as a result of the war. If this 

 prediction comes true the wheat farmer of the United States will doubt- 

 less be profoundly affected. It does not follow, however, that he will be 

 permanently injured. In fact, in many sections he may be greatly 

 benefited — probably in all sections where he can raise some other farm 

 product just as well. For example, the Kansas farmer may be forced 

 to raise corn and grass in place of wheat, and being forced to raise corn 

 and grass he will keep live stock to consume them. Rearing live stock 

 will increase the fertility of his soil. It also requires greater ability 

 than mere wheat farming. What is more important, rearing live stock, 

 as it will be conducted in the future, in connection with the raising of 

 crops, requires more work, hence keeps more people employed on the 

 land. The farmers' sons and daughters will not need to seek employ- 

 ment in the cities before they reach the age of maturity. 



Since California is the land of fruits and flowers, the place where the 

 farmer produces the highest forms of food, and since the state offers the 

 leisure class a place to live in second to none, it would seem reasonable 

 to suppose that the California farmer might be called upon to supply 

 the needs of this class in a more than ordinary degree. I presume there 

 may be some debate as to the advisability of supporting a leisure class, 

 but if they must be supported, they may as well lie supported at home 

 as abroad. 



There are those who 1 elieve that the United States will in the imme- 

 diate future following the close of the war, come into a period of still 

 higher prices for live stock. A number of substantial reasons are given 

 for believing that this will occur. I do not know whether it will or 

 will not occur, but I hope it will, since nothing can be of more benefit 

 to the general agricultural development and welfare than an increase in 

 animal husbandry. This is particularly true of California. A con- 

 vention of horticulturists may not seem like an opportune place to make 

 this statement. The fruit grower should welcome the development of live 

 stock. The stockman maki s a good market for his fruit and his orchards 

 need the fertilizer that the live stock produces. It will help to make 

 California a greater fruit stale than ever. Animal husbandry is not 

 overdone in California and probably never will be. It requires capital 

 and it requires ability. Grant them, and it is a safe business. Animals 

 and fruit are the products that California should produce, because they 

 either sell for more than five cents per pound or they contain a con- 

 siderable proportion of water. An important part of the remarkable 

 development of German agriculture since 1870 has been due to the fiscal 

 policy which has promoted the rearing of live stock. 



