SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
TRANSMITTING A REPORT OF THE
NATIONAL CONSERVATION COMMIS-
SION, WITH ACCOMPANYING PAPERS

IN THREE VOLUMES

VOLUME III

EDITED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE, BY HENRY GANNETT

WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

1909

CONTENTS.

Page.

The oat crop, by C. W. Warburton.

Crop yield per acre, by V. H. Olmsted..

Crop yields and soil composition, by Milton Whitney.

Acreage and yield per acre in European countries...

Chemical composition of soils

Commercial fertilizers and fertilizer inspection, by Milton Whitney.

Agriculture as a national asset, by B. T. Galloway..

Agricultural production with special reference to crop resources, by A. F.

Woods...

The origin of cultivated plants, by Alphonse De Candolle

3

9

37

44

108

144

146

205

212

The principal droughts and their influence on the corn crop, by A. F. Woods.

Crop production alone not a measure of the condition of agriculture, by

W. T. Swingle

227

241

The agricultural resources of the eastern United States, by E. C. Chilcott

Agricultural production as a natural asset, by C. S. Scofield..

Conservation of the fertility of the soil, by H. W. Wiley

269

Losses due to insects, by C. L. Marlatt and A. L. Quaintance:

Insects as a check on agricultural production..

301

Insect damage to fruits

309

Relation of birds and mammals to the national resources, by C. H. Merriam .

Losses to live stock by disease, by V. H. Olmsted

316

341

Diseases of live stock, by A. D. Melvin..

350

Shrinkage in animal products due to injurious insects, by C. L. Marlatt.

The Timber and Stone act and the Commutation clause of the Homestead act,

by H. H. Schwartz.....

387

Rights analogous to scrip, by S. W. Williams..

403

Land classification-should surface be separated, by Fred Dennett.

408

Precious minerals on lands of the United States, by E. C. Finney.

413

Public lands containing deposits of coal, by T. J. Butler.

417

The Desert-land act, by W. B. Pugh.

422

Coal fields of the United States, by M. R. Campbell and E. W. Parker.

426

Estimates of future coal production, by Henry Gannett.

443

Petroleum resources of the United States, by D. T. Day.

446

Natural-gas resources of the United States, by D. T. Day.

Peat resources of the United States, by C. A. Davis..

Iron ores of the United States, by C. W. Hayes..

465

476

483

Resources of the United States in gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc, by Wal-

demar Lindgren......

521

Phosphate resources of the United States, by F. B. Van Horn.

558

Tenure of mineral lands, by C. W. Hayes...

571

Mineral resources of Alaska, by A. H. Brooks

572

Waste of structural material from fire and other causes, by H. M. Wilson..........

604

Part I. The length of life versus mortality.

Chap. I. The length of life..

Chap. II. The mortality rate..

Part II. The breadth of life versus invalidity.

Chap. III. Prevalence of serious illness

Chap. IV. Prevalence of minor ailments.

Chap. V. Prevalence of undue fatigue..

Part III. Methods of conserving life...

Page.

National vitality, its wastes and conservation, by Irving Fisher..

620

Abstract.

623

Summary

624

638

638

641

655

655

660

662

671

Chap. XIII. The general value of increased vitality

Chap. XIV. Things which need to be done..

746

748

Economic loss to the people through insects that carry disease, by L. O.

Howard

752

Crowding of oil wells, Spindle Top field

face.. 457

Decline in production of New York and Pennsylvania oil fields.

.face.. 460

Production of silver of the world and of the United States, 1880-1907... face..

534

Production of copper in the United States, 1882-1937.

face..

536

Production of lead in the United States, 1880-1907

.face:. 547

Production of spelter and zinc in the United States, 1880-1907

..face.. 553