Possibilities of Horticulture.—The possibilities of horticulture are' enormous, and the people of the United States have much to learn in this respect from China. In the United States most of the land has been cultivated less than 100 years, and many soils are already exhausted. The annual bill for commercial fertilizers amounts to 300 million dollars. In China the soil has been cultivated 30 or 40 times as long, and is still highly fruitful, for the farmers have preserved the fertility' of the soil even without importing fertilizers. In the United States the number of improved acres per person is about 5; in China les, Here is an actual example of what a farmer in C-:lizia can do b. • .1 of intensive horticulture. On an acre and two-tilirdi he suppo; --1 r people, one donkey and one pig. At the same rate square n land would support 3840 people, 384 donkeys, an 384 pigs .„, represents a standard of living far lower than is des, able, but it illus trates how great are the unused possibilities of th land. The- most desirable thing is that each acre of land should yield the largest possible return in proportion to the work and capital put into it. In China too much work goes into each acre; in America the opposite is the case. Apparently the line of progress for the horticulturists of America is that even if the farms continue to be so small that the farmer and his family can do most of the work in an emergency, cooperation should prevail far more than is now the case. The horticulturists have much to learn from the dairymen in this respect.
Diversified Work of Diversi fied F arming highest type of agriculture is a combination of all the other types. If farming is to be as scientific an industry as engineer ing for example, which it surely must be in the future, the farmer must solVe some very complex problems. He must determine what types of crops will be most profitable on' the basis of (1) the climate, soil, and topography; , (2) transportation facilities and distance to market; (3) type of produce most in demand; (4) relation of his business to that of his neighbors; (5) cost of his land, his supply of capital, and the cost of labor; (6) prevalence of harmful insects and-other pests; and (7) the customs of the community. Where so many factors are involved it is clear that some will be favorable to one crop and some to another; and also that some may vary considerably from year to year. Hence, the farmer's best solution of his problem is to distribute his capital so as to take advantage of the greatest number of desirable combinations. Thus he becomes an all-around farmer interested in grain-raising, truck-farming, dairying and meat raising. In this way he uses his labor supply economically since he chooses crops which can be planted and cared for at different periods during the growing season. By raising animals, especially dairy cows and poultry, he provides as much work as possible through the winter so that he can keep part of his farm hands through the year and can also have a cash income every month. Furthermore by keeping animals he retains the fertility of his farm, for he restores to the soil most of what is taken out. Moreover, he saves much waste by feeding the animals the stubble, garbage. skimmed milk, and the fruit and vegetables which begin to rot even on the best-managed farms.
ne rides through a region of such farms in Ohio, Illinois, or Iowa, nple, he sees that the best of them have substantial, comfortable, bred for farm houses. Each house is flanked not only by a large for cattle, horses, and hay, but by a silo, some poultry houses, a barn, and several smaller buildings such as a tool house, garage, and woodshed. On one side of the buildings a good-sized orchard
produces chiefly apples, but also other fruits. On another side there is a vegetable garden, while probably a pretty flower garden adorns the front. Not far away a paddock of perhaps an acre or two provides • a place where the animals can be turned out. Farther away there a large fields of corn, wheat, barley, hay, and alfalfa, and smaller fielc of potatoes, cabbages, sugar beets and so forth. Some land is devote to pasturage and perhaps to a woodlot. No one farm is likely to rai more than about half a dozen crops at any one time, and the exa combination varies from farm to farm and region to region. TI!' point, however, is that the crops include grain, vegetables, fodde and fruit.
Geographical Limitation of Diversified farms are limited to a relatively small part of the earth's surface. Thcl are found in large numbers only in the northern, and especially the north central part of the United States, where part of Illinois is an example, in southern Canada, in New Zealand and a small part of southeastern Australia, and in northwestern Europe where northern France is an excellent example. Elsewhere an occasional farmer has such a farm, but they are the exception. The reason why this highest type of farm ing is much less widespread than either the one-crop type or horti culture is that its requirements are much more exacting. In the first place it requires a fair supply of rain at all seasons or else irrigation. Otherwise the crops that can be grown are limited in variety, and dairy cattle are hard to keep in good condition. Second, it demands a fairly good development of transportation, for otherwise the farmer cannot market his milk, butter, and eggs, and his crops that need to be used soon after gathering. Again, diversified farming requires a greater knowledge than almost any other kind of farming, for the farmer must not only have a knowledge of crops and soils, but of animals. More over, it requires more energy and greater mental activity than most kinds of farming, for the successful all-around farmer must always be on the alert, and must be a good business man as well as an agri culturist.
Just so far as the farmer lacks these qualities he tends to degenerate toward the one-crop type. In fact many men who would say that they arc practicing diversified farming are in reality only in a transition stage between that and the one-crop variety. Today many market gardeners, fruit farmers, and dairymen are more highly trained and competent than the ordinary all-around farmer. They are often special ists while he is a general worker. This, however, does not necessarily mean that the specialized type of farming is the best. It probably means that large combinations are needed in farming as in many other occupa tions. The ideal farm should perhaps have a section devoted to dairying in charge of one specialist, a section devoted to truck farming in charge of another, and similar sections devoted to fruit, poultry, grain, or other products. The main point is that the most successful farming requires (1) that the fertility of the soil be preserved by raising animals and by every other possible means, and (2) that the risks be distributed so that there will be no danger of disaster because of the failure of one or two crops. Such farming requires specialists. It also requires that the men who run the different parts of the farm have a direct personal interest in its success. Therefore it requires specialization and coop eration as well as conservation and diversification.