The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-01-21
THE STATE FAIR ASSOCIATION
Many Valuable and Interesting Papers are
Presented for Consideration. New
Societies are Formed.

| clety 10 minneapolis at the opening
session of the convention in the Ma
sonic temple. EX-United States Sen
ator w. A. Harris was also a speak
er at the morning session.
| Senator Harris insisted that the
agricultural hushandry of the world
is upheld by the farmers COW. He
also believes that Shorthorn stock is
the best the farmer can breed and
urges the agricultural people to pay
| special attention to the raising of
stock and the successful agriculture
which is to be gained by cultlvating
the fertility of the soil.
! The afternoon session was held I'M
der the auspices of the Minnesota
Live Stock Breeders association. DR..
S. H. Ward, secretary of the live
stock sanitary board of the state, was
the first speaker. His paper was
upon live stock diseases, their cause,
prevention and cure. He spoke of
these diseases from a sanitary point
of view. In the discussion follow
ing it seemed to be the general spin-
ion that hog cholera is contagious.
Mr.. kenning, of Renville county,
however, maintained the opposite.
| John Huston, of Blandisville, ILL.,,
spoke upon Draft Horses" and he
held that America is fully capable of
breeding her own draft horses. This
he says means the keeping of thou
sands of dollars at home which for
merly went to the breeders of Eng
land and France.
A. b. Lyman of Excelsior, read an
interesting paper upon the growing
of alfalfa seeds. He spoke particu-
larly of a new brand which was in
troduced into Carver county forty
five years ago by the German farm
ers.
He said the plant is a delicate one
and suffers in cold weather. He will
put some seed on the market at a
future time, but not untlI the wealth
er conditions make it easy to pro-
duce good live seed.
| The Minnesota Field Crop Breed
ers met and formed a permanent as
ISOLATION, and it will hold annual
meetings hereafter in connection
with the meetings of the agricul-
tural society
read paper on "Weeds and Pure
portance of the system of rotation
VI CIOpS Will llNC SlOth anu lAO
crops required to feed them as the
larger agencies in reducing the num-
Der of weeds on the farm. He men,
toned specific methods of Destroy
ing the common varieties of weeds
thistles. Mr.. Wilson is student at
the farm school and is making a spe-
cial study of weeds. Prof Hays
| al lo
address upon Field Crop Improve
ments."
Prof. w. j. Spillman and Hon. M.
o. Eldridge, both of Washington, ID.
c., read papers before the evening
session. Prof. Spillman, who is con-
nected with the agricultural depart
ment, read paper upon Forage
Crops" He mentioned a number of
plants which, in his opinion, are best
suited for forage, anu he illustrated
his remarks with stereopticon views
showing cast tracts of crops in diff
ferent parts of the United States.
| Mr.. Eldrige discussed Good
Roads," and said that advantage of
keeping the country highways in
good repair is evident from the pros
| perity of sections where this is done.
He described at length different ma
terials used in road building, suited
to different localities
l.. H. Herrick, of Bloomington, ILL.,,
delivered an interesting address at
the opening of the second day ses-
sion on Cattle Feeding"
For ten years he had been buying
| 2-year-olas and feeding them in pref
| ty much the common manner. There
| <~{l h.
| but what everybody knew. The
stock was taken to Chicago and the
common price secured. A man was
called a good cattle feeder who
stayed by them through thick and
| thin.
Mr.. Kerrick also expressed himself
in favor of recorded animals, SO that
the best stock can be secured. The
demand is for better beef and
good price can be secured.
At the evening session A. j. Love-
| joy, of Roscoe, ILL.,, delivered an adj
dress on Swine Husbandry," and
J. H. Brigham, assistant secretary of
agriculture, told of the work of the
| department.
Mr.. Lovejoy contended that the hog
| is a cleanIy animal if not confined
IOo CloSCIy. Adl &c AClOS SuOulO NC
divided so that not more tnan a
dozen are together.
Corn should not be fed exclusively,
and green food should be supplied
in winter. The idea should not be
entertained that ''anythlng is good
enough for a pig" On the other
hand, it should be, Nothing is too
good for the hog"
Mr.. Brigham said the government
in 1889 appropriated the first $1,000
for agricultural interests. A COM
missioner was appointed in 1862. For
many years the Grange labored for
the elevation of agricultural inter-
ests, and finally, sixteen years ago,
Governor kusk was appointed the
first secretary of agriculture.
Now the department employs 1000
persons and expends $5,000,000 an
nually. MIR. Brigham reviewed the
efforts of the department, and how il
had proven of the greatest value to
the American farmer. There are a
number of bureaus, and improved
conditions in the rural districts are
the purposes of all.
The evening session was under the
auspices of the department of agri-