CHAPTER XV 

 WHAT THE FUTURE DEMANDS 



The future development of American agricul- 

 ture has received too little attention. We have 

 been so busy in the present-day work of sub- 

 duing a naturally rich and productive continent 

 that we have given little thought to the time 

 when expansion will no longer be possible and a 

 growing population will force us to seek new 

 means of subsistence. 



Other nations have met this issue through 

 colonization, by sending their people into the 

 far reaches of the world where unoccupied lands 

 awaited settlement. National wealth has been 

 developed horizontally by trade after the home 

 country has reached a certain stage of develop- 

 ment. But the era of expansion through 

 colonies is approaching its end and the policies 

 and disposition of the American nation have 

 never been to look into the future from this 

 point of view. Our whole idea of expansion 

 has been to settle our own broad land and there 

 has been plenty of room for all of us. 



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