36 RESULTS WHICH MAY BE ATTAINED 



tobacco make the growing of this crop a temptation to 

 farmers. It belongs in crop rotation schemes and thus 

 becomes a factor in soil improvement. Tobacco is suc- 

 cessfully grown all over the south. It has been crowded 

 out by grain farming and dairying in most of the north- 

 ern states. The crop pays well, however, in New England 

 and is exceptionally fine there. It is also profitable in 

 parts of Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and Iowa, 

 although it does not receive any great amount of atten- 

 tion in the central west. Any farmer having clover, 

 sugar beets, potatoes, cabbage, onions and the usual rota- 

 tive crops ought to give tobacco a trial. 



In February, 1912, 2,500,000 bushels of potatoes came 

 here from Ireland and other European countries. Dur- 

 ing the eight months ended in February, breadstuffs to 

 the value of $10,000,000 were imported by us, against 

 $3,000,000 worth of similar commodities in 1902. Onions, 

 beans and fruits to the value of millions of dollars are 

 brought in every season. This proves that our farmers 

 have been remiss and that their vocation will pay better 

 when they fully supply their home markets with commodi- 

 ties which can be raised anywhere in this country. 



In 1870 there were engaged in agricultural pursuits, 

 approximately, 47.36 per cent of the population; in 19 10, 

 only 32 per cent. From this, it is apparent, the farmer 

 now is producing to feed two citizens beside himself, 

 whereas forty years ago he labored to feed only one. 



Any state could add from $250,000 to $1,000,000 to the 

 revenue of each of its counties annually by an average in- 

 crease of five bushels per acre in its yield of corn and 

 wheat. If each acre of improved agricultural land in this 

 country could be made to yield only one additional bushel 

 of produce, 12,500 extra trains of fifty cars each would 

 be required to move the aggregate increased yield. Eighty 

 bushels of corn will make more net profit in one year 

 than a fifty-bushel acreage for four years — for about 



