96 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



receive supplies through wholesalers or the commission 

 dealers. The claim is made that business is simplified and 

 a regular supply made dependable, which is doubtless the 

 case ; but what shall we say for the man without whom there 

 could be no supply ? His rights are totally ignored and he 

 has no position in the chain of recipients fattening on his 

 labor. 



A\'itli these facts becoming more and more oppressive 

 yearly, with the grower a silent factor in the transaction, his 

 privilege being simply to take all the chances of drought or 

 flood, heat or frost, to combat all the host of pests and dis- 

 eases, and finally turn his crop over to accept what somebody 

 else is willing to pay, less the total of a surprisingly long 

 list of items of expense, there can hardly be incentive for 

 increase of crop production. 



In the face of this situation the President of the United 

 States and a host of others have been preaching the gospel 

 of conservation of fertility, by which crop production 

 might be so easily and quickly increased. President Taft 

 says : — 



Tlie way in which the States can help to meet future increased 

 demand is by investigation and research into the science of agri- 

 culture, and by giving to the farming community a knowledge Avhich 

 shall enable them better to develop the soil, and by educating those 

 who are coming into the profession of farming. It is now almo:;t 

 a learned profession. 



The first great step that has to be taken in reformed agriculture 

 is the conservation of the soil. 



Granting that we have been soil roblxn-s for two or more 

 centuries, granting that the conservation of fertility is of 

 great im])ortanco, you can never stop the robbing or increase 

 crop production nntil there is an incentive. This attempt to 

 throw all the responsibility for higli ])ricos and threatened 

 shortage upon the producer is wholly unjust and a positive 

 hindrance to agricultural development. 



Cease this tirade against the farmers antl improvement 

 will follow. TTclj) correct conditions and put the ])ro(luc(n' in 

 closer tiiHcli with the consumer and an incentivo will be 



