Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-02-05

| y" iact large attendance al
Armory hall. and much interest and in
struction is being derived from the pa
pers presented. topics discus ed and
'horghts suggt sted. Mr. Thomas Camp
oe'rs paper was the last one read yester
day afternoon. The subject was:
CROP REPoRTs-How MADE.
anu MS paper IS appended 10 full:
Inc agricultural interests of the United States
were az INST PLACED, as YOU all know with The
commissioner OF patents, and patent reports and
$500, reports were included in the annual
AS the business of this department increased
commissioner Of agriculture was appointed
bnsin an annual appropriation was made for tn
business OF this tureau; and as the country grew
~ huo"ledge, wealth and population, the law
makers NJ Washington, wishing to gain ajstipc
ZION, prooaby, 10 making laws for al classes Tor
III Sl soEe other re ason) passed laws for monopo-
les, trusts, subsidies, railroads and finally
having little time left, legislated some for tbe
,S and the farmer. In the interest of
.ne FARMER, aoont the only thing that seems 10
suggest Itself WIS TO make the office of commits.
sloner or agriculture n secretaryship which might
DC called the eighth wheel to the presidential
The general understanding seemed to be that
ony practical farmer should be appointed TO the
,pha; secretary OF agriculture. So You see
enae, II tne secretary were q farmer, after the
president, vice president and seven secretaries
nao all become incapacitated, consecutiyely and
.he secretary OF agriculture still retained his
proper faculties, this farmer il he were 4 farmer
United States. fNN"' VI 'i'e
Among other work which the secretary laid ont
lor MS once wat the obtaining Of crop statistics
ana TOT the purpose OF making them as compre-
, hehsNe and a. complete as possible, he has
a saSp the following plan: One person is a,,-
ponted in each county, OF all the states as crop
reporter Tor the county. The crop reporter an.
points TWO or IN rec assistants in various parts OF
me county, who report to him; with their reports
combined with the results of his own investipa.
ton ne makes up his monthly report to the sec
Rotary: The sec Rotary furnishes the crop reporter
WIN the necessary printed blanks for each month
IN the year-exoept the month of FebruAry-apd
he distributes these TO his assistants The infor-
nation asked for in these blanks, differs each
month ring the year. The corn for instance |:
CONDITION OF ground" When first seen above
ground" did The seed prove TO be average
soouF How was the stand compared with that
OF me same mouth, the previous yeari' THE av-
etAse amount p snted compared with the previous
year. Then as the season advances. the ques-
lions suitably vary such as pertain to time OF
maturity, quality and quantity are asked Similar
questions are afked about other growing crols
ne crops are mostly rated certain per cent
upon that OF The previous year, or on an average
crop The winter blanks ask for information
apon the condiiIo price per head, number and
healthfulness of stock etc
All necessary stamps aud stationery are furnish
ed ny the depar ment TO the rep rters Nocompen-
sation Is attached 10 the Office except in the way
OF liberal supply Of seeds, come OF hich are ex-
permental ami the monthly pamphlet of crop re-
ports, and the annual report OF the department
ms IL now the government crop report is made
There are otter ways in which crop reports are
made in the farmers interest. This is one
Some agricultura raj or horticultural paper employs
men TO travel through different parts of the conn
try during the growing season. Yon have seen
them passing long the road, or may have enter
tanned them ring the noon hour. They make il
4 point to stop as much as possible with the far
mer: They make their business known, aud, il
the farmer is favorably impressed, he will give
them the infor nation they ask and will also take
them out to show them through the crops espec-
ally IL he conside his crops To be little better
than those Of / is neighbor.
The crop reT orter will probably next be seen in
square, and while there may create q little eur
prise in the mind OF the gentleman, with Jeans
pants tuck cd into the too OF a pair of COW hide
boots, by taking him for q farmer. He asks him
questions sim lar TO those the secretary OF agri-
culture puts n his blanks These and similar
methods are pursued by this reporter until the
end OF the growing season; that is during the
months OF July, August and September Their
principal object is TO obtain the probable yield as
compared with that of the previous year. The re-
porter, being veil paid, does his work well and
continuously Tor the time. In my judgment
this is the best way TO obtain an accurate crop re-
port. Are III y beneficial to the farmer l would
say yes Tor wo reasons. First. Each farmer
could see II crop was up To the average. II IL
is not, he may come to the conclusion that he has
not given IL Il proper attention II the quality OF
his land Is up TO the average. and il his crops
should be above the average IL would produce q
satisfactory condition OF mind.
Second. He will ascertain from the reports If
there is sea -city or surplus a. the may be,
IN some products, ana in the sale OF the same
govern hmse q accordingly.
In conclusi IN, Think that close observation OF
these reports would inspire farmers 10 give them
their intelig' Mt consideration and renewed inter
est each year
The discussion that followed Mr.
Campbell's paper, concluded the after
Moons exercises, and after an appeal
from Rev. FL. S. P. Warren, Of Minor
county, South Dakota, for the destitute
farming &C mmunities, as q result of con-
tinued drouth, had been heard, adjourn
ment was 5aken.
In the evening there was another good
ate tendance. which was given a tone of
refinement by the presence of large
number OF ladies. A song entitled, The
farmers Home is the place for Me-" by
a qusrtet,e, composed of Messrs ]. F.
Robinson. John Perrett. j. A. Bishop
and J. r. Housed, opened the exercises.
after which Mrs. Julia Mills Dunn, of
Moline. read an interesting paper on
THE SOCIAL IsoLATI ON OF FARMERS WIVES,
in which many good thoughts we're ad>
vanced. the purpose Of the lady being to
suggest social culture by means OF
books, periodicals., art. etc., as a method
of bridging over the chasm that too often
divides the inmates OF the farm house
from the great currents of life outside
The paper was heartily received and Mrs
Dunn accorded a vote of thanks for the
care she haG taken in its preparation and
| the many excellent ideas advanced.
The ousr,ette heretofore announced
rendered an appropriate selection en-
titled Farmers Girls" and Mr.. Burrall's
paper OH 1.-THE American Horse which
was on he programme next. was deferred
until this morning.
THE QUEsTIoN BOX
was next announced and suggestions thai
led to al animated and instructive ex'
change Of views followed. Among the
subjects discussed was the education OF
farmers boys. few holding that thor
ough education was not essential to the
success of the farmer, and II anything. II
was detrimental, and those SO declaring
secuted the idea that the most successful
and best equipped farmer carried biz
strength beneath his hat. The majority
however, held to the idea that cultivation
of the brain affords an advantage in any
field Of life.
The luartette sang my Home is or