What if Every One Should Do So? 227 



the future in this direction. Let us look the situation fairly in the 

 face. The great trouble in the past with the price of wheat, corn, 

 beef, etc . , has been the enormously increased production from the 

 sudden settling up of the great West, and the advent of machin- 

 ery that enabled men to handle larger fields of grain than would 

 have been possible by hand labor. The great advance in this di- 

 rection is over. The best of the land is taken and its first flush 

 of fertility has been largely exhausted. The supply in the future 

 will gradually increase from better methods of farming, and from 

 taking up some new land yet; but probably not quite so fast, on 

 the average, as the demand from increased consumption will call 

 for it. There seems to me every reason to believe that we have 

 touched bottom in prices of farm products, and that we may look 

 for a slight advance, on the average, for the next ten years. It 

 seems really wonderful that we could have worked off the crops 

 from such a greatly increased and fertile area at as fair prices as 

 we have had. It would be more wonderful if we do not now soon 

 have somewhat better prices. There are those better posted than 

 the writer who look for much higher prices soon. But I do not 

 feel at all certain of this; that is, that much higher prices will 

 come to stay. Any great rise in price of wheat, for example, 

 would largely increase production here, and then there is the con- 

 stantly increasing production of India, South America and Aus- 

 tralia to take into account, and freight rates are constantly work- 

 ing down, which helps extend the area to be drawn on. Twenty- 

 five years ago wheat would have had no market value if grown 

 in Dakota, because it would cost more to get it to market than it 

 was worth. Now Dakota pours twenty or thirty million bushels 

 into the world's market each year. The same is true elsewhere, 

 and in other lines. England brings wheat from India through 

 the Suez Canal at a very large decline in freight rates. Texas 

 raised cattle for their hides and tallow, once, but now is running 

 her beef into the great centres, train load after train load. 



Certainly it is to be hoped that no great governmental irrigat- 

 ing scheme will be carried through to largely and suddenly in- 

 crease our crop production in the future, until at least there is 

 more demand for it than at present. When demand here catches 

 up with the supply, and the United States cannot feed her own 

 people, will be time enough for this project to be considered. 

 There has been too much haste in the past about opening up new 

 territory, building railroads, etc.; that is, for the good of the mass 

 of our farmers. 



Do not fear in the least, my friends, to do your best in the 

 future and grow twice as much per acre as you are now doing, if 

 possible. You will never be sorry, I will warrant. With many 

 of our farmers this will be a safe way out of the hard times of 

 the past, and it is practically about the only way out. Better 

 business methods on the farm is what we want. They will pay. 



