Show 0 o HOOTS ROOTS OF OP SOIL CO CONSERVATION In the last 15 years much has been heard about soil conservation conservation conserva conserva- tion so that the average newspaper newspaper newspaper news news- paper reader might conclude this Is something new developed by his own generation Actually It Americans have only lately become conscious of Its Importance Import import- ance to themselves and their country The history of soil conservation con con- In this country goes back bark more than two centuries Jared Eliot Ellot 1763 1685 a minister and doctor of Killing Connecticut became In- In practices after he had seen erosIon erosion ero ero- sion slon In process during his circuit Ion ton In process during his circuit riding He Re noted that water running running running run run- ning from a vegetable hillside was clear but the water streamIng streaming streaming stream stream- ing down a barren slope was mudd muddy He wrote wrote the first AmerIcan American American Amer Amer- ican work on agriculture in 1748 and In this book called attention to the dangers angers of erosion and to the need for drainage and soil building crops Another m minister i in n i 1 s t e r r. r Samuel Deane 1814 1733 recognized the Ill III effects of or both wind and water erosion and helped develop devel dovel- op methods which would overcome overcome overcome over over- come erosion He wrote of his beliefs beliefs beliefs be be- and finds In New England Farmer and Geological Dictionary Dictionary Dictionary Diction Diction- ary In 1790 Washington Jefferson Patrick Patrick Patrick Pat Pat- rick Henry and other leaders of of the day voiced their opinions In Javor favor of soil protection and maintenance Henry proclaimed that now that the revolution is ended ho Is the greatest patriot who stops the most gullies to In May 1908 President Theodore Theodore Theodore Theo Theo- dore Roosevelt called all the governors governors governors gov gov- of the states and territories ies to the White House for a consideration consideration consideration con con- of the problems of conservation that confronted the nation Clifford Pinchot of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Penn Penn- sylvania is credited with being the moving spirit back of Theodore Theodore Theodore Theo Theo- dore Roosevelt in this and other accomplishments In 1916 an experiment station was opened by the University of Missouri to determine soil solI and water losses In 1919 similar experIment experiment experiment ex ex- stations were started In North Carolina and Texas In that same year H H. H H. H Bennett Dennett present chief of the U. U S. S Soil Conservation Service was assigned as- as signed by the U. U S. S Bureau of Soils to arouse public interest in soil erosion control In 19 1929 9 Congressional appropriation appropriation provided for Cor the establishment establishment of 10 soil conservation experiment stations throughout the country Among mong the first were LaCrosse Wisconsin and others at Bethany Missouri l and Clarinda Iowa The Soil Erosion Service came into being In th the Department of or Interior in 1933 and in 1935 was transferred by Congress to the U. U S. S Department of Agriculture It was renamed at that time the Soil Conservation Service Forty eight states now ow have hae local soil conservation district laws and the Soil SolI Conservation Service is cooperating with local r soil c con conservation o n s e r v vat a t i ion o n districts throughout the nation |