Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 85.djvu/587

Rh ountry have derived from German militarism. Specifically, we note its greatest influence in the agricultural conditions of the country, an influence which is perhaps best expressed by the phrase "the balancing of the interests of agriculture and industry."

German militarism soon realized that in time of war the nation cut off from all supplies will have to feed not only its army but also its population. For this reason, special efforts were made to foster agriculture. On general principles, industry and agriculture are sworn enemies. Industry wants cheap food for its workers; agriculture wants high pay for its products—meat and cereals. It is one of the greatest achievements of modern Germany—and this is especially due to Emperor William II.—that these ever clashing interests were reconciled, and that they were made to see that for the common good compromises concerning taxes, duties, etc., must be adopted, under which both industry and agriculture could prosper. Hence, a give-and-take policy resulted, which has accomplished the greatest good for the greatest number, and has elevated agriculture to such a flourishing state that the feeding of the German people to-day is independent of foreign produce—quite different from England, where agriculture was sacrificed at the altar of the industry and where the soil was so outrageously neglected that the nation depends for its food supply almost wholly upon the importation of meat, flour, eggs, cereals, etc.

To bring about this magnificent result in Germany, agriculture was forced to produce as much as the soil could possibly bear, and consequently farming became intense. Cultivation of the soil, the feeding of animals, etc., became a science. Other sciences, especially chemistry and botany, contributed to the culture of plants adapted for the varied conditions of the climate and soil of the empire. Seeds were developed and improved to a marvelous extent. While the sugar beet at the beginning of the last century, when the manufacture of beet sugar was started, contained only about 4 per cent, of sugar, the quality of the seed was gradually so highly improved that they now produce beets with over 22 per cent, of saccharine contents. This seed is exported all over the world from Germany, and during the present war one of our greatest worries is that we may not obtain this excellent material from Germany in time to prepare our next year's crop.

The cultivation of potatoes, which were originally introduced into Germany from the United States, has been brought to such a wonderful stage of development that two distinct classes of potatoes are raised, the one rich in carbohydrates but poor in nitrogenous matter for the fermentation industry, and the other rich in nitrogenous matter for eating purposes. Curiously enough, seed potatoes are now imported into the United States from Germany because our farmers allowed this vegetable to degenerate to such a degree that it has substantially lost all value for seeding.