548 



IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



The larger proportion of land devoted to raising feed for live stock 

 permits more stock to be kept, as shown in the following figures: 



Num'bers of the principal kinds of live stock maintained per 100 acres of 

 land on farms in Germany and the United States. 



Live Stock 



United 

 States 



Germany 



Dlflerenc© 



Cattle 



Horses 



Swine 



Sheep and goats 



16.3 



4.4 



15.1 



15.3 



29.1 

 6.4 

 25.8 

 19.9 



Thus, on the same area of farm land, the German farmer maintains 

 on the average from 30 to 78 per cent more live stock than does the 

 American farmer. The manure from these animals is also hetter cared 

 for in all European countries than it is in this country. Not only that, 

 the United States exports vast quantities of cotton-seed meal, linseed-oil 

 meal, and other rich nitrogenous feeding stuffs, while Germany imports 

 vast quantities of these materials. German farmers not only conserve 

 their own natural resources but they draw on other parts of the world to 

 maintain the fertility of their lands. America has been mining her soil 

 and shipping the products to Europe. In addition to the sources of fer- 

 tility above given, Germany uses annually on her soil 550,000 tons of ni- 

 trate of soda, 275,000 tons of sulphate of ammonia, 1,200,000 tons of super- 

 phosphate, and 1,400,000 tons of basic slag, in addition to large amounts of 

 potash salts. 



Conditions similar to those in Germany are found in England, Belgium, 

 and France. The farmers of these countries, by necessity, have worked 

 out the problem of profitable conservative farming, and especially have 

 they learned the value of domestic animals as a means of conserving fer- 

 tility. We are now confronted by the same necessities that compelled the 

 adoption of sound systems of agriculture in the Old World. How shall 

 we meet this problem? 



THE SOLUTIOX OF THE PEOBLEM. 



In the first place, we must increase the number of domestic animals 

 on our farms. Where land is farmed hy renters the leases must be made 

 for longer terms, and where the renter has not the capital to provide the 

 proper number of domestic animals these must be supplied by the land- 

 owner. We must give more attention to the condition of our pastures. 

 In some parts of this country pastures have been overgrazed until they 

 are nearly worthless. This is especially true in some regions where dairy 

 farming is prominent. Cows are turned on to pastures too early, and the 

 grass is given no chance to make the necessary growth to maintain vi- 

 tality. Pastures which formerly supported one animal on 2 acres now 

 support only one on 10 acres. This is not universally true, but it is 

 true in large areas. The ranges of the West have been depleted by over- 

 pasturing, and in addition are now being settled by farmers, so that the 



