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THE TRUTH ABOUTH THE RAILROADS

continual drift of people is away from agriculture, thus bringing about a greater demand than the present farm methods can meet, the responsibility upon the farmer will be heavy, for the welfare of the people will rest more than ever before upon him, and upon his efficient work on the farm will depend very largely the solution of the quality and price of living enjoyed by the man in the city.

If the population grows at its present rate, we shall have in the United States by 1950 two hundred million people, and the demand for the farm products required for their subsistence will have doubled. Competent authorities estimate that to meet this demand it will be necessary to increase the product of each acre of land one per cent a year, or one tenth for each succeeding ten years. The land-heritage of the people of the continental United States is about 1,900,000,000 acres, of which 1,000,000,000 acres or a little less is now considered untillable. The United States Department of Agriculture estimates the total arable land of the country at 950,000,000 acres, of

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