AGRICULTURAL SITUATION IN THE EAST 33 



New England, New York, New Jersey and the South 

 are more or less unproductive. This, as stated be- 

 fore, has been brought about by a disregard of 

 some of the primary principles of soil treatment. 

 As the demand for land has become greater, atten- 

 tion is being given to the worn-out farms in the 

 East, and it is gratifying to note that, intelligently 

 handled, these farms are once more becoming very 

 productive. The tide is being turned and many 

 farmers are going East, buying abandoned farms 

 and renovating them. That these soils under proper 

 treatment can be made productive has been so 

 fully demonstrated that there can be no argument 

 on that point. In Maine, Massachusetts, Connecti- 

 cut, New York and Pennsylvania there are today 

 farms which are as productive as any on the face 

 of the earth. Originally, they were no more fertile 

 than thousands now considered unprofitable. The 

 owners, however, have studied the problem thor- 

 oughly, have applied business methods, have used 

 the latest discoveries of science and practice, have 

 treated the soils so that they not only are in better 

 tilth, but produce crops that are record breakers. 

 It will be recalled that in 1908 a Connecticut farmer 

 was awarded the champion prize for the largest 

 yield of corn in the United States from an acre. 

 The tobacco fields of Connecticut and Massa- 

 chusetts are noted for their productivity. The po- 

 tato fields of Maine have, for years, been a source 

 of great profit. In Pennsylvania at least one grain 

 farmer is producing annual yields ranging around 

 100 bushels per acre. The truck lands of New 

 Jersey are very productive. Georgia has several 

 exceedingly productive and profitable peach or- 

 chards. Thus it happens that many farmers are 

 looking to the East for permanent homes. 



