20 THE THIRD POWER 



uncertainties of values, which enter into every trans- 

 action in agricultural products under the present 

 system, the consumption to-day of grains, meat, 

 fabrics, fruit, etc., would be immensely more. In- 

 tensive farming that will double, and finally treble 

 the yields of our farms will be a necessity. It is not 

 too early to begin now. This means irrigation, 

 fertilization and scientific cultivation. Instead of the 

 government, at fabulous expense, opening up a vast 

 area of land that God did not design for cultivation 

 until the more improved portion of our country 

 was producing to its maximum, it can more equita- 

 bly help the present farmers along the road to pros- 

 perity by irrigating the eastern part of our country. 



One acre of irrigated land is equal in producing 

 ability to three of non-irrigated land in our Missis- 

 sippi Valley. Therefore, if the government would 

 carry out its irrigation scheme completely, in a short 

 time it would set our present farmers back a genera- 

 tion, and possibly prevent them from realizing their 

 fond hopes of profitable prices for farm products. 

 Our farmers are now just arriving at the point 

 where they can rise above the competition of new 

 territory being opened up for cultivation, and it 

 would be a great calamity to subject them to this 

 artificially created competition. 



Let the government encourage irrigation and in- 

 tensive farming on our present farms. It will re- 

 sult in dividing the large farms into small ones; 

 nrevent the small ones from being merged into large 



