The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-16
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Prof. W. VI. Hays, of Minnesota
Delivers Closing Address.
improvement in Farm Life Is
Discussed.
RAISE THE STANDARD.
Would Erect Large Number of
Agricultural Schools.
He Also Gives Information
About Plant Breeding.

The people who We're present at the
closing session of the state board of
agriculture IN Representative hall last
night heard not only a good many
new things about plant breeding, but
also about systematic farm manage
ment and about farm education. These
things have been studied by Prof. w.
M Hays, of Minnesota, who lectured
before the board of agriculture last
night. no less than the wheat breeding
for which he is widely noted.
The improvement of farm life in gen
eral and the raising of standards of
living among country people is Prof
Hays life work. The increased pro-
duction of crops is simply an incident
thereto. The proper management of
farms through system, according to the
developments of science, is another in
cident along the same line, and so is
farm education. Prof. Hays is an en-
thuSlast on the latter subject. In an
address which he recently delivered be-
tore an Iowa meeting he suggested that
Iowa could profitably use 1 per cent. of
the value of its annual farm products
IN farm education. The farm products
or Iowa amount to upwards of 400 mill
lion dollars annually, SO that L per cent.
would be about four million dollars.
For much less than this sum- Prof.
Hays said, an agricultural high school
could be built for each nine counties in
the state, or ten in all, each to accom-
modate 1000 students, and the expenses
OF these students could be paid. That
would educate TO- 900 students a year in
scientific agriculture.
suppose Kansas had started in on
q plan like that 20 years ago" said
Prof. Hays. where would you be now
In the agricultural world. Your farm
ers would all be trained in practical
farm science, trained to think out
these problems for themselves, and the
state would be far in advance of the
rest of u.s."
The principal part of Prof Hays adj
dress, however, treated of his work in
wheat breeding. He said in part:
American farmers produce over four
billion dollars worth of plant and ami
NAL products. The quantity and value
or these products may be increased i'll
two ways: By improving the animals
and plants, and by improving the con-
ditions under which they are grown.
Scientific breeding and also systematic
farm, field and live stock management
are beginning to receive a large i'm
pulse from our new system of agricul-
tural experiment stations, including
the national department of agriculture
and our agricultural educational insti-
tutions.
WHAT CAN BE DONE.
Breeders Of plantsshave shown that
our great staple crops can be increased
in yield at least 10 per cent per acre.
Breeders of animals have demonstrated
that economic changes of as vast i'm
portance may be brought about in the
improvement of animals.
1.-The general study of farm manage
ment, together with technical studies
OF soils and crops, is preparing the way
for the reorganization of our farms, so
that the business of the common farm
er may be made more systematic, more
profitable and more enjoyable.
Even an increase of ! per cent in
the value of the animal plant and ami
NAL products of this country would be
40 million dollars, or in ten years, 400
million dollars. One-fourth of this
sum, or 10 million dollars additional,
spent annually in the breeding Of
work in agriculture, would no doubt
add much more than 1 per cent to the
plant and animal products of the coun-
try. Besides, it would add a great deal
to the civilization of country life and
make of country people a still more
potent influence in country, state and
national affairs.
1.-The time has come when agricu1-
tural education and research have
proven that they are as useful in build
ing up country life as is general and
technical in building up city life with
all of its varied manufacturing, COM
mercial, transportation, professional
and technical lines. Our city high
schools, our academies and our col
leges, contributing their influence
largely to the upbuilding of city life,
no doubt cost us much more than one
even larger expenditures, especially in
building up the manufacturing indus
tries, and the making of the masses.
Our city high schools should greatly
enlarge their facilities for teaching the
mechanic arts and home economics,