116 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



for which its soil, climate and markets are l)est adapted. Missouri' is 

 especially well suited to tlie raising of poultry, hence this industry should 

 be encouraged. One of tlie great developments in the evolution of 

 modem agriculture is the gradual adaptation of agricultural industries 

 best suited to the conditions — the soil, climate and markets. In the 

 beginning we first had grazing, then grain growing, then intensive live 

 stock feeding for meat, then animal productions — milk, eggs, etc., the 

 concentrated, finished, high priced products, and also fruit, vegetables, 

 flowers and manufactured farm products — butter and cheese, etc. In the 

 last epoch the tendency at first was for everyone to try to grow every- 

 thing. Then came tlie other extreme, namely, specialized farming, where 

 only one crop was grown. Gradually the pendulum is swinging backward 

 and farmers and economists are learning that a rational type of agri- 

 culture must comprehend a well organized system of mixed farming in 

 which live stock plays an important part. Poultry husbandry adapts 

 itself well to other types of farming, and on this account should be seri- 

 ously considered and heartily supported by the State. 



Seventh — It is a sound principle in agricultural economics that 

 a state should produce within its own borders all the products to supply 

 its own people, provided they can be produced more profitably at home 

 than they can be grown and delivered from abroad. Hence, Missouri 

 should rejoice not only in her natural agricultural resources, but also in 

 the large, accessible and rapidly growing markets within her borders. 

 Home consumption and home production keep money circulating within 

 the borders of the State. 



Eighth — A state should encourage the production of products best 

 adapted to export trade. Missouri has not yet passed the state where 

 consumption has caught up with production. Missouri not only does 

 not import, but is a large exporter of poultry products. It therefore 

 becomes an economic question of great importance to export these prod- 

 ucts that will pay the largest profit, ship easiest and impoverish the soil 

 least. Poultry and poultry products, because they are concentrated, 

 high-priced and require skill in production, are among the best if not the 

 best to produce for export from the State. 



It is a matter of grave concern to the State, as it is to the individual 

 or nation, whether it is sending into other states or countries dollars to 

 buy the product of the skill and labor of others or whether it is receiving 

 from other states or countries the results of their skill and labor and 

 giving in return money which might appropriately have been earned 

 and kept by persons within the State or country. In other words, it 

 makes a large difference whether we are taking a dollar out of our pocket 



