The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-31

SURPRISING FIGURES AS TO POS
SIBILITIEs IN THAT WAY.
Wisdom of the Tuberculin Test Tor
Dairy Cows Contended For and Also
Notwithstanding a Racket Not
the Only Means of Expressing Ap'
proval of Sublime Music-The Pass
ing of influential Minneapolitans..

It is Illuminating TO our natlonal piloe
to reflect upon the low average yields
of crops on American farms. The aver
age of wheat in the United States during
the last decade has been in the neigh
borhood of fourteen bushels an acre; OF
oats, thirty three bushels, and Of corn,
twenty-fv bushels. The average yield
of wheat in Ontario during the same
period has been about nineteen bushels
The average yield of wheat in Mime
sofa was even less than fourteen bushels
an acre, and Minnesota Is the greatest
grower of spring wheat in all the union
viewed from the standpoint Of aggregate
yields.
The average yields of corn are regret
fully low. This in the United States for
the decade ending 1904 WIS 24.s bushels
In the states of the corn belt during the
same decade it was a little less than
thirty bushels while in New England,
with It's hungry soil, the average yields
were thirty-five bushels an acre, or more
than five bushels an acre higher than
in the corn belt. That the farmers OF
New England should grow moro than
five bushels more Of corn an acre is
a sad reflection on the methods Of cul-
aviation In vogue in the corn belt and
that Ontario. with her less-productlve
soil than Minnesota, should reap Ave
bushels more of wheat acre every
year, is humiliating to our national pride
How are those low yields to be in
creased? Many will be ready to answer
by showing the farmer better methods.
That is just what the experiment stations
have been trying to all these years.
hot lie II, ruba tha AGRICULTURAL press
has been preaching during all the past,
and the farmers Institutes have been Ia
boring for the same end. Notwithstand-
ing ALL the bald fact stares us in the face
that our average yields are such as to
bring the blush when we think of them.
If these yields are to be brought up
quickly, some other methods must be
adopted in addition to those named.
Some incentive must be placed before
the farmer that will so rivet his atten-
ton on this feature that he will at once
set to work to increase his yields.
To accomplish this end the Orange
Judd company has inaugurated the great
est grain growing contest that was ever
attempted in any country. The idea was
mine. The magnitude Of the contest
rests with the aforementioned company.
In outline the plan is as follows: Thou
sands Of dollars will be offered In prizes
to farmers In the various states who
oats and of corn. in 1906. The con-
testants are then to select seed from
what they grow and the second year
they are to grow not less than five acres,
and 50 on each year until the end OF
five years. The contestants will be
shown where they can get pure seed the
first season. but they must purchase it
themselves. The growers may adopt any
methods that they please, but the details
Of the same must be furnished for pub
lication. The aforementioned company
gives $4,000 in gold, bears all the ex-
pense Of the contest and makes no de-
rnands whatever on the contestants ex-
cept to fill out the blanks furnished with
details Of the work.
The bearing Of this movement on the
agriculture Of the United States cannot
we'll be overestimated. Increase the av-
erage Of wheat by one bushel an acre
and, at Is cents a bushel, more thar
$4O,Oo0,oo0 would be added to the ma.
tionaI wealth. Increase the yield Of oats
by one bushel an acre and, at Is cents
a bushel more than 100000 would be
added to the same. Increase the yielC
Of corn by one bushel an acre and more
than $35, 900, 900. a year would be added
to the wealth Of the country. Bring thu
three crops up to the standards easil!
possible and the wealth of the country
will be increased by the stupendous sun
of $500, 1000, 900 each year.
That such an undertaking should NEE
with such hearty approval Of the high
est agricultural authorities is just VIVA,
to be expected. The movement ha
already been Endorsed by leading agri
culturists in nearly all the experiment
stations. Agricultural organizations IL
various states are giving it the mos
hearty Endorsement and substantial pecu
MARY aid. and the same is true of live
stock organizations and Of individual
oranges In the east have expressed ap
proval and hearty cooperation, and gov
ernors OF states are interesting them
selves in the good work.
The most vital problem to the millin,
interests in all the United States toda,
Is the maintenance Of maximum yield
In Fife wheat 1t is on this flour tina
the millers Of our northwest have naainl
built up their regulations. It is wit
this flour that they have captured tn
best markets Of the world. 1t is wit
this wheat that these markets must b
maintained or with some variety equal
good to take it's place. That variet
has not yet appeared. This Statement
is not intended to discourage the goo
work of evolving varieties, but it is in
tended to show the absolute necessity a
the present time Of maintaining STAINING
yield and all the other good qualities
this most valuable variety of wheat tina
IllaL any country IN the world mas eve
possessed. This is a national problem.
That the yields of Fife wheat in OF
American northwest are declining Is pat
emit to every one who Is informed O
this question. That those yields mus
grow less under existing methods cu
tivation Is a foregone conclusion. I'll
center Of wheat production at one tim
was in the Genessee valley in New Yorl
later it was in Ohio. Now 1t is in OF
own northwest. There can be no othe
center of such production in the Unite
States Allow the growing of wheat
decline in this northwest and this cour
try loses its place in the flour market
of the world. Can it be prevented?
think it can.
My contention is: First, that whe1
the conditions Of soil and climate al
favorable to the growth of any kind {
crop that if properly grown it will neve
deteriorate in the same; second thu
because Of this change Of seed unde
such conditions is not necessary; an
third that by due care the averae
yields Of the same may be increased fs
beyond what are now obtained. All tn
may be accomplished by obtaining GOO
seed, by carefully selecting from IL
same for sowing and by suitable cult111
and rotation. 49,
To no part of the United States