33 



vated will materially increase production and also the products might be 

 sold at a lower figure and the profits of the producers will be materially 

 increased. 



In this connection it is interesting to note that large numbers of city 

 boys are studying agriculture at the various agricultural colleges of the 

 country. A survey was made last year of the students in the School of 

 Agriculture at the Pennsylvania State College and it was found that 

 70 out of every 100 boys at State College had entered from towns and 

 cities of the state. In other words, three-fourths of the students study- 

 ing agriculture at State College are town and city bred boys. This fact 

 is significant and it indicates that there is a real ''back-to-the-land" 

 movement in Pennsylvania. 



There is need of more economic production in Pennsylvania. Thou- 

 sands of farmers are spending unnecessary energy in growing their staple 

 crops. The more skilful use of approved machinery will help to solve 

 the labor problem of Pennsylvania farmers. Some farmers are able to 

 grow an acre of corn with 60 hours of human labor; while others spend 

 160 hours of labor per acre and do not get any better results. It is seen 

 at once that the more skilful use of labor would mean time saved, which 

 might be used in cultivating an additional area or perhaps in rest and 

 recreation. The statement is often made that the farmer is overworked, 

 and this is often the case, although it is frequently due to mismanage- 

 ment. Uniform distribution is an exceedingly important matter in 

 connection with. Pennsylvania market conditions. It is a very common 

 thing for a certain product to be selling at a very low price in one city and 

 at very satisfactory prices in cities three or four miles away. Co-operative 

 organizations will solve this problem. 



The standardization of farm products in the various communities of 

 the state should not be overlooked. This is highly essential to the 

 successful operation of a co-operative association. We need communities 

 which will produce all white or all brown eggs; communities which will 

 grow only two or three varieties of apples; communities which will pro- 

 duce certain garden products or small fruits. Such communities would 

 soon become well known for the high standard of the products placed on 

 the market, and would attract buyers, thus making it unnecessary for 

 the community to seek the best markets. In this connection, regional 

 adaptation is exceedingly important. It would be foolish to attempt to 

 produce apples in a section which *is not adapted to apple culture or the 

 varieties selected. Some of our mountain sections, remote from the rail- 

 road, are especially well adapted to animal husbandry: land is cheap, 

 pasture grasses thrive and water is abundant. The stock could be driven 

 on hoof to the nearest shipping point. In the hill sections of the state, 

 less intensive methods of agriculture should be practiced. There is too 

 much of a tendency to plow and cultivate steep hillsides which are subject 

 to washing. These lands should be put into permanent pasture, reseed- 

 ing as often as may be necessary. 



