Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1889-03-01
CAPITAL NOTES.
Prizss for Farmers.


PE1zSs for EaE1ne=Bs
Capital-C
Secretary Moh!er, OF the state board
Ct agriculture, has of late received num-
erons communications on the subject of
She American Agriculturist's prize crop
competition, and has impaired TO q re-
porter his confidence In the ability Of
Kansas farmers TO carry of at least one
Of the prizes offered. Briefly stated, the
scheme is this: The Agrieulturist pro
pOses to offer to the farmers Of North
America, from the Isthmus Of Panama to
Point BarrOWs, on the shores OF the open
Polar sea, prize of $500 In gold each
for the bsgt acce Of wheat raised, the best
acre Of corn, the best OF oats and Of pota
toss, the highest number of bushels
raised on the single acre tract taking the
golden persimmOns. The great SEED
AMI implement houses of the country
ofrer additional premiums which swell
the total reward for each best crop to the
value of 1900.
It was the desire to have the states
cooperate in this movement by Offering
TO the farmer Of any state who should
carry off either of the four prizes an
additional $500, or In case no 1irst prize
was won by the farmer of the state to
give to the one standing highest in such
state In the bushels Of each article raised
a premium Of 500, or some such amount.
Missouri, Nebraska, South Carolina, and
several other progressive commonwealth
have taken hold OF the matter In earnest
and will make such an offer to the Rgri-
cultuFists Of those states. The Patrons
OF Huabandry, and nearly every kindred
association have endorsed the plans and
letters of recommendation which have
been sent in by some of the most distin-
guished men in the nation in agricultural
districts.
It is scarcely supposed that the Kan
sas legislature will feel warranted in
making an appropriation for this pur-
pose, but it is thought probable by those
who have discussed the matter, that the
board of trade, real estate men, loan and
development companies, etc, may take
hold and raise a purse from which some
extra premiums, If not the $500, may be
paid the Kansas farmer who enters this
competition and carries off either of the
prizes named. Kansas rightly claims to
be the great corn state, and its title to
be considered the great wheat state is
scarcely less we'll defined. Her farmers
will undoubtedly not fail TO take part in
the contest, and if, as is predicted, the
coming year should be a prosperous one
for crops, she should at least capture one
of the prizes offered. In view of the fact
that the competition is open to the whole
| of North America, it will readily be seen
what a great advertisement this would
| be. No matter whether the acre that
produced the wheat, corn or oats be
in the eastern, central or middle belt, the
whole world would bear of it as Kansas,
and the credit would be given to the en-
tire state, not to any particular section
of it. If both the corn and the wheat
prize should be won the victory would
| be doubly brilliant, and if oats could
also be rung IN, and it is possible, all the
great loan companies on the two hernis-
pheres would enter into a race to see
which could first place their dollars in
good Kansas farms.
This is something that is likely to stir
up a great interest among the farmers of
this and every other state in the union,
and Kansas must come to the front and
be one of the winners. With as deter
mined an effort in the agricultural field
as was done in the field of politics last
November, Kansas may scoop the whole
bakery. At any rate it is worth trying
for.