THE VALUE OF AGRICULTURE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3167, 13 March 1911, Page 2

THE VALUE OF AGRICULTURE.

DR. HOPKINS ON THE SUBJECT. Dr. Hopkins, in the course of some topics contributed to "‘Hoard’s Dairyman, ” writes as follows: “In these latter days there is much talk of conserving our natural resources, but 90 per cent, of the talk is directed towards 10 per cent, of the resources. Without a prosperous agriculture in America there can be no permanent prosperity for our American institutions. "While some small countries can support themselves by conducting trade, commerce and manufacture for other countries, American agriculture must not only be self-supporting, but, in large degrees, agriculture must .support our other great industries. “Without agriculture, the coal and iron would remain in the earth, the forest would he left uncut, the railroads would he abandoned, the c-ities depopulated, and the wooded lands and waterways would again be used only for hunting and fishing. Shall we not remember, for example, that the coalmine yields a single harvest —one crop — and is then forever abandoned; while the soil must yield a. hundred —yes, a thousand crops, and even then it must be richer and more productive than at the beginning, if those who come after us are to continue to multiply and replenish the earth.”