446 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



There is altogether too much carelessness exercised among farmers, 

 and a large per cent undertake too many acres. — Mississippi county. 



"We will have to learn how to protect ourselves so as not to be robbed 

 by the big business organizations. — Scotland county. 



The farmers' greatest need is divided between hired help, parcels 

 post and better roads. — Scotland county. ' , 



What we need to know is how to make a fair interest on our invest- 

 ment, over and above a living. — Linn county. 



More system, more science, good management, less acreage, and 

 clean cultivation are all needed. — Montgomery county. 



We need better appliances in order to accomplish the work of the 

 farm with less help. — Monroe county. 



The greatest problems confronting the American people today are 

 those of farm labor and timber supply. I live in what was once a fair 

 timbered section, but it is about all gone for railroad purposes. Farm- 

 ers are having to use small poles for fence posts. Split posts are almost 

 out of date. Farmers simply gave their timber away to the railroads 

 and are now going to the lumber yards for lumber, which is hard pine, 

 and we are using round poles for fence posts. At least part of them are 

 doing this. — Schuyler county. 



The greatest need of farmers in South Missouri is more land cleared 

 and put in grass. This is a natural grass country, but it is all covered 

 with timber and very little grass grows in the woods. Dairying is being 

 taken up quite generally, and the profits from dairying are inducing 

 the farmers to clear their land. This will finally be the salvation of 

 South Missouri. Advancing prices for lumber will also help clear our 

 timber land. — Howell county. 



Farms are cropped for cash to relieve them of indebtedness, to the 

 neglect of soil fertility. Then when the farmer wishes to sell, the buyer 

 expects the farm to pay for itself again. — DeKalb county. 



Too many well-to-do farmers are moving to town, tenants taking 

 their places. — Clay county. 



The most serious trouble with the farmers in this part is the loss 

 of the fertility of the soil. Can 't get them to build up their farms with 

 clover or cowpeas or to rotate with other crops. Hard to get them to 

 select seed corn any other way, but to go to the corn crib as their fathers 

 did. — Caldwell county. 



Too many young men are leaving the farms and going to the cities. — 

 Buchanan county. 



The farmer is the most independent person on earth, if he only knew 



