36 



break away and develop a general use of agricultural limestone to a ton- 

 nage point more nearly commensurate with the needs of the soil and the 

 dictates of good farming practice. It is human nature that none of us like 

 to be held up and robbed. We would rather lose or waste two dollars than 

 to be robbed of one, but, assuming that the quarry price and freight rates 

 are established at a justifiable and fair point, the only considerations which 

 need affect the farmer's decision to buy are: 



First, whether or not it is a good investment; and, 

 Second, whether or not he is financially able to buy. 

 Each farmer will have to answer the last of these for himself, but on 

 the former, I would like to again quote from Dr. Bauer of the University. 

 He says that even on the present low prices of farm products, as an average 

 proposition on a rotation of corn, oats, clover and wheat a ton of limestone 

 applied to the sour land of southern Illinois would show against its cost a 

 return of $10.22 and in the corn belt a return of $3.82. In other words, 

 these figures are what it is worth to such farmers today. 



PROBLEM OF DISTRIBUTION. 



I have said that efficient distribution is a vital factor in the solution of 

 the limestone problem. Under this head comes: 



First, the distribution of the producing plants themselves. So far as it 

 is possible, from an operating standpoint, they should be located so as to 

 favor the minimum average shipping distance for the distribution of the 

 product. Also, as far as is possible, they should be located so as to avoid 

 expensive switching charges, instead, being directly adjacent to railroads 

 which can give prompt service and adequate car supply. The outgoing ship- 

 ments should move, wherever possible, in the direction of the natural flow 

 of empty cars instead of in the direction of and in competition with other 

 higher class commodities. These theoretical ideas are subject to natural 

 physical limitations. For instance, Providence did not locate suitab'e lime- 

 stone deposits just where we might prefer to have them. Neither did the 

 railroad companies locate their lines with prime consideration to these de- 

 posits. 



Unfortunately, in the eyes of the commercial producers, consideration 

 of the agricultural welfare of the state as a whole, does not weigh nearly 

 so heavily in the balance as do those of a commercially competitive or money 

 making nature and, therefore, under present conditions it may easily hap- 

 pen that some districts are, comparatively speaking, blessed with an ample, 

 economical supply, while others are left with an inadequate, expensive and 

 unsatisfactory supply. These are, however, considerations which should 

 determine whether or not we should, in our work, encourage or discourage 

 any particular effort or movement toward further development of shipping 

 plants at given points. In the interest of efficiency and the agricultural 

 welfare of the state as a whole, future development of production should be, 

 so far as possible, co-ordinated and intelligently balanced through the in- 

 fluence of some such central agency. 



LOCAL STORAGE NEEDS. 



I feel that one of the lines along which there is the most room for 

 improvement in efficient distribution is that of storage provision. Storage, 

 If properly worked out, can mean much more than simply better distribu- 

 tin. It should affect very favorably the cost of production by constituting 

 a shock absorber between the need for uniform, steady output at the pro- 

 ducing end and the seasonally concentrated demand at the consuming end. 

 While protecting production against fluctuating demand, it should also pro- 

 tect transportation we have frequently experienced annoying delays and 

 limitations through the inability of the railroad companies to supply, at 

 the right time, sufficient equipment and transporation service. Again, stor- 

 age should make it possible for every farmer to secure the quantity he needs 



