CROP YIELDS AND PRICES 



107 



fertility. If so, then we must conclude that the longer land is 

 farmed the richer it gets, because the Atlantic Coast states show 

 the largest increase in crop yields. The striking increase is due to 

 the better returns that crops now bring. Every farmer knows 

 many ways of increasing his crops. Whenever prices rise, more 

 fertilizers and better methods are used. In the states east of the 



1866 1870 



1880 



1890 



1900 



1910 



Comparative Crop Yields in States East of the Mississippi River. Yields of 

 1866 considered as 100 Per Cent 



Mississippi River, in 1899, the average expenditure for fertilizer 

 was 36 cents per acre of crops. In 1909 it was 78 cents. 



Probably much more important than the expenditure for fer- 

 tilizer is the increased attention that is being given to the care 

 and use of farm manure. Methods of tillage also have been im- 

 proved. Much land has been drained, so that wet spots which 

 once lowered the average yield are now raising it. 



It is certainly very unsafe to draw conclusions from crop yields 

 as to whether our soils are running out. The yields are increas- 

 ing, whatever the cause. 



