"The States east of the Alleghenies are foremost in commerce, 

 manufacturing, arts and sciences, wealth and influence. They have 

 overlooked agriculture, permitting their soils to deteriorate and reach- 

 ing out to the West for food products. The soil robber began his 

 baleful practices there, and has gone westward until the light rainfall 

 regions refused to yield profitably. The deterioration of Eastern soils 

 would have been prevented long ago had there been no cheap rich 

 soils in the Mississippi, or had demand been closer up to supply. The 

 cheap food from the West discouraged soil improvement in the East. 

 Young people on the Eastern farms saw more prospect of success 

 in the West on new land that cost nothing than in struggling with 

 lighter soils in the East. The homestead law revolutionized farming 

 in the East and South. The full settlement of the humid lands of 

 the West has brought a new day with new problems; people want 

 land, people want food. Western lands are dearer and have gone 

 beyond the reach of poor people. The lands of the East and South 

 are reduced in productive power, but they are cheap, they are con- 

 venient to good markets ; they can be improved, and they will be, 

 but the method by which a farm is improved is quite different from 

 that by which it was reduced. Ignorance permitted the soil to become 

 unproductive; the highest intelligence is required to bring back fer- 

 tility. The Nation grows in wealth, but very little of it has lodged 

 with the owner of the poor farm; consequently, the first considera- 

 tion is the introduction of capital when reduced soils are to be im- 

 proved. Generally speaking, our farms are managed with too little 

 capital or the farm. is too large for the means of the operator. Help 

 is dearer than # has been, and it is scarce in all sections of the country. 

 Higher prices for farm products will justify more pay to the farmhand 

 and have a tendency to keep workers on the farm. 



"When Eastern men of all classes realize that future prosperity 

 depends on the rejuvenation of soils, it will soon be done. Eastern 

 soils are well adapted to fruit culture, and no part of the world, either 

 here or abroad, ever has enough fruit at prices that will justify free 

 use among all the people. 



The Eastern manufacturer never has had occasion to inquire 

 into the economy of crop production. Until within a few years food 

 has been abundant and cheap. It is abundant and cheap no longer. 

 The cheap food of the past has been one of the advantages the manu- 

 facturer has had. He has it no longer. Neglect of the soil will very 

 soon impress itself upon all classes. Importation of food will bring 

 about a change in our economies, a revolution 'in our policies, which 



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