The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-08
FARMER BOYS TO
HELP The STATE
WILL PARTICIPATE IN GREAT
GOOD SEED CAMPAIGN.
Students of Rural Schools to Enter
$4,000 Novel State Contest That Is
Expected to /; Increase Minnesota $
Grain Yield and Make Future Cen
Grafton Of Successful Farmers.

h /
B "a good-seed contest that is designed
to produce the manifold result of in
creasing the yield of grain in Mime
sofa and educating the youth of the
state in practical and successful farm
ing has been announced by. the Mime
sofa school Of agriculture.
Students in rural schools are eligible
So 500 that will be awarded to winners
and will be duly entered upon filing out
blanks that may be obtained without
expense from the county 5superintend-
ent Of each district. The contest is in
accord, with the good-seede campaign
now being carried on thruout the coun-
try, and already sufficient, encourage,
ment has been received by the school Of
agriculture to insure the success and
great benefit of the venture.
Wheat, oats and corn will figure IN
the contest Contestants may choose
either or all Of the three grains. They
are expected to obtain their own seed,
for the best. The seed should then be
planted in plots of one fourth or a half
acre each. A bulletin that will give
definite rules for the contest is being
prepared by Professor G. P. Bull of the
agricultural division of the expert
mental station This bulletin will also
give simple test rules for the three
grams, ana Is 4ueslSHeu 1O1 CiaSo uoo,
With the hope that it will be the means
|Sof introducing the study Of the ele-
ments of agriculture as a regular sub
ject in the country schools.
County and State Rivalry.
With the movement we'll under way
next summer and hundreds Of little
plats of grain being nursed by ambi-
tious contestants, plans will be made
| for county meetings at which results
of the preliminary contests will be
| to farmers, old and young, will be pro-
/ vided at each county seat on judging g
day, and hundreds of older farmers who
will be drawn to the exhibitions are
| expected to derive excellent seed edu-
cation from the fine results that are
expected to follow the planting Of
tested seed. Judges who probably will
be appointed by the school of agri-
culture will pass upon the, exhibits in
each county.
TO add interest and value to the con-
tests, the winners of the county con-
tests will participate in state contest.
! Their sam Piles will be. sent to Mime
apolis, where they will pass under the
! Judgment of the State Field and Crop
Breeders association at. the annual
meetings Of the State Agricultural so.
cicty each January. -
I The contest just begun Will probably
be continued for three years at least
and may be prolonged after that period
! if the results are up to expectations,
fact that is not doubted now.
Professor Mayne Enthusiastic.
Professor D. D. Mayne principal OF
! the Minnesota School Of Agriculture
is enthusiastic over the prospects OF
the contest. Discussing it today, Az
said:
'EIt is believed that to the farmers
of the state such contest will prove
of great benefit in a wide distribution
. of goodseedssa as well as in the introduc
grains and the best methods of grow
ing them Either Of the results is wor
thy of all the effort that need be pu
, forth to secure it, but it is confdentl.
, expected that both results will be OBJ
I. tained more quickly by this contes
than in any other way.
"The average yield per acre OF Whea
: in Minnesota is less than tourtee
bushels. This is less than the averag
that of any Of our neighbor states
: With good seed and proper methods o
4 cultivation, the yield per acre coul
easily be doubled in Minnesota. Th
r production Of oats and corn shows tn
same need of better seed.
| "You remember year ago, whel
:, on account of the rust, there was sue
: a scarcity of good wheat? The trad
s was menaced by the lack Of No. d.
: northern. Had the farmers that yea
: been educated along the line Of bette
wheat production, what revolutio
would have been accomplished for Mil
= nesota.
:. "This contest means the breeding c
), a variety of seeds that will beat an,
! thing ever produced. 1t will make tt
T. county meetings, hitherto sparsely a
. tended, taxed for room to hold the pc
pie. T Furthermore, it will be necessa1
to obtain "a larger hall for the annu;
F. meeting Of the State Agricultural
:, ciety." ~