TENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X 551 



A Missouri farm, which had 'been devoted to corn and wheat for seventy 

 years, and on which the yields of wheat were about 8 bushels per acre 

 and corn about 25 bushels, was subjected to a system of farming similar 

 to that just described for an Illinois farm. In six years the yields of this 

 farm were more than doubled. 



The work of the Farmers' Co-operative Demonstration Office of this 

 Department shows that by the utilization of resources a the command of 

 every farmer enormous increases can be made in the yield of crops. In 

 this work the following points are emphasized: 



1. Deep fall preparation of the soil. 



2. Planting of well-selected seed. 



3. Mainly shallow and frequent cultivation of the crop during the grow- 

 ing season and especially after a rain. 



4. The judicious use of commercial fertilizers and the increased use 

 of home-produced fertilizers and the growing of leguminous crops. 



During the year 1909, 509 farmers in the State of Alabama, working 

 under the direction of representatives of this Department, raised 1,235 

 demonstration acres of corn. The average yield was 33 1-4 bushels per 

 acre, while the average yield for the State, as shown by the figures of 

 the Bureau of Statistics of this Department, was 13 1-2 bushels. 



In the State of South Carolina 658 farmers grew 2,718 acres of cotton 

 in the demonstration plats. The average yield was 1,205 pounds of seed 

 cotton per acre. In the same State 537 farmers grew 1,636 acres of corn 

 in the demonstration plats. The average yield was 36.1 bushels per acre, 

 compared with an average yield for the whole State of 16.7 bushels. 



In both these States the yield of corn on the demonstration plats is 

 seen to have been more than twice the average yield for the State. The 

 average yield of cotton for the State of South Carolina for 1909 is not avail- 

 able, but it is certain that the yield of cotton on the demonstration plats 

 is at least 50 per cent greater than the average for the State. These 

 yields were made by methods which any farmer in the South can use. 



COXCLUSIOXS. 



These facts show that the main work to be done for soil conservation 

 in this country is that of teaching the farmer how to utilize the resources 

 at his command. The methods to be pursued are, in the main, under- 

 stood by leading agriculturalists and progressive farmers all over the 

 country, but they are not understood by the great majority of farmers. 

 The latter must be taught by precept and example. It will take time to 

 bring about the necessary change. 



The methods necessary in bringing about these changes are, first, to 

 determine T.^hat types of farming are best adapted to the conditions pre- 

 vailing in the different sections of the country, and, second, to help the 

 farming population to readjust itself to these conditions. This readjust- 

 ment is an expensive process to the farmer — new equipment must be 

 earned and more labor must become available. Not only must the farmer 

 be taught the principles of soil management, but he must be taught how 

 to take better care of his animals and how to breed a better class of ani- 

 mals. National and state agencies are now co-operating in this work of 

 teaching the farmer improved methods. 



