86 Missouri Agricultural Jxcporl. 



ami \vl)eii T was 17 years of age I had in mind to invest my small savings 

 in a small tract of land — ahout one-half acre. 



During my school days we studied the history and resources of 

 other nations, and it looked to me that "Uncle Sam" had about the best 

 offering to make for any young man willing to try to help himself. I 

 took my six years' earnings and bought a ticket to Kansas, where I landed 

 without a penny. As I looked over those broad fields and prairies, where 

 I was unable to find a stone on 40 or even on 80 acres, I could see the 

 opportunity for a young man in a few years to live an independent, 

 healthful and progressive life. After working out a number of years 

 among German farmers 1 saw the waste that existed and learned the 



Mr. Martin standing in I'li.s corn field wliiili lias withstood seven weeks of droulli. 

 Opposite is anotlier field in which the same kind of seed was planted at the same time, 

 but the cultivation was different. 



ups and downs of the extensive farming system. I learned that the 

 large farmer has not much time to observe. Land that is today selling for 

 from $100 to $150 an acre was worth from $25 to $40 when I came here. 

 The crops are not much better on some farms. The reason for this is 

 in farming too much land. The land doesn't pay a i)rofit as it should on 

 $100 land. It was all right to farm the land when it was worth $25 to 

 $40. In years past the improved machinery has proven itself very 

 valuable in the raising of all kinds of crops. It enables a man to go 

 over a larger piece of land than in former years, but this doesn't always 

 make the land any better. Average ('i'()])s have never paid in the past, 

 they do not pay at present, noi- will tliey in the future. Some farmers 

 place no A'alue upon their own time. The man that runs a factory does 



