SYSTEMS OF PERMANENT AGRICULTURE 



" LEXINGTON, KY., February 18, 1909. 



"DEAR SIR: 



" Replies to my letter of January 21 have now been received from 104 in- 

 dividuals in the United States and Canada, including 35 Agricultural Chemists, 

 25 Agronomists, 21 Professors of Agriculture, 9 Soil Specialists, both chemists 

 and physicists, 8 Experiment Station Directors, not otherwise classified, 3 

 Directors of Farmers' Institutes, i Professor of Vegetable Pathology, i of Hor- 

 ticulture, and i of Natural Science. Out of these only two indorse the Bureau's 

 views without qualification and say they are taught in their institutions as estab- 

 lished facts. These two are from minor or branch institutions, however, not 

 one of the Land-grant Colleges or State Experiment Stations being willing to 

 accept or teach them in the sense in which they have been put forward by the 

 Bureau. About half recognize more or less truth in the doctrines, and present 

 and discuss them in advanced teaching. Most of them recognize the value of 

 the Bureau's work on toxic substances and consider them a possible factor in 

 soil fertility, though not the most important one. The rest either say they do 

 not accept and teach the Bureau's views on these subjects, or oppose them. 

 The Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations in 47 States and Terri- 

 tories of the United States are represented in these answers, showing a very 

 general interest in the subject of the inquiry. It is apparent that while the 

 Bureau's views on soil fertility are not being accepted and taught as established, 

 in these institutions, they are being generally presented and discussed in ad- 

 vanced teaching of agriculture. 



" In a letter to me dated January 28, a copy of which has been sent to you, 

 Doctor Cameron takes exception to my presentation of the Bureau's teachings 

 and explains his position in this matter. Doctor Whitney in a letter to me ap- 

 proves Doctor Cameron's letter, so it may be taken as an authoritative ex- 

 pression of the Bureau's views. If, after reading it, you desire to modify your 

 opinion already expressed to me, I will be glad to hear from you before making 



my final publication. , r , 



" Yours very truly, 



(Signed) "ALFRED M. PETER." 



From the numerous exact quotations hereinbefore given the 

 student will be able to determine for himself how fairly Doctor 

 Peter has summarized the teachings of the Bureau of Soils. Under 

 date of July 3, 1909, Doctor Peter wrote the author as follows: 



" About half of my correspondents wrote me again to say that Doctor 

 Cameron's letter had made no change in their views. I did not hear from 

 any one who desired to change his expression of opinion." 



The persistent and long-continued teaching of the Federal 

 Bureau of Soils, that the fertility of the soil can be indefinitely 

 maintained without the restoration of plant food, is widely pro- 

 mulgated by inspired press reporters and other prolific writers and 



