Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1905-12-22
SEED CONTEST 3.
FOR THE PUPILS IN THE RUR-
AL SCHOOLS OF MINNIE
sofa.

General Statement: In accord with
the movement to secure better seed
for the farmers of the state and the
educational movement to introduce
the study of the elements 1t aRricul-
ture into the rural school, it Is pro-
posed to hold q seed contest OF wheat,
oats and corn throughout the state,
with the pupils In the rural schools as
contestants.
The Purpose: It is believed that
to the formers of the state such q con-
test will prove of great benefit in q
wide distribution of good seed. az we'll
as In the Introduction in q practical
way of the study of the grains men,
toned and the best methods OF grow
ing them. Either of these results Is
worthy of all the effort that need be
put forth to secure it, but it is conf
IDENTIFY expected that both results will
be thus obtained more quickly than in
any other way.
The average yield per acre of wheat
in the State Of Minnesota is less than
IA bushels. This is less than the aver
age for the United States, and less
than that of any Of our neighboring
states. With good seeds and proper
methods of cultivation, the yield pr
acre could easily be doubled In MiD0e.
sofa. The production of oats and of
corn shows the same need of good ssed
and intelligent management. What
better method could be devised to &C.
cure this result than through the
farmers boys in the rural schools2
The Plan: It is proposed to secure
q fund of about $40, 500 a. prize money
for this contest. This money will be
secured from men who are interested
in the movement.
In each county o. the state pre-
liminary contest will he held to deter
mine the best seed. The prize win
ming seed from each county will be
sent to the state contest The Farm.
ers club of the county will secure
prizes and arrange for the contest IN
the county. acting in harmony with
the county superintendent. A pro-
gram of general interest to the farm
ers Of the county will be provided
and the grains submitted by the con-
testing pupils will be judged. The
judges may be procured at the school
of agriculture. The contest ia to be
limited to the pupils In the public
schools of the state.
The best seed that the pupils can
obtain may be sown or planted on
plots of ID to Ia acre each, to be
set aside from the farm for this pur-
pose. Pupils may enter the contest In
any one of the grains or In all by
filing out the blanks that will be
furnished and sending the same to
the county superintendent.
Those who win the county contest
NAV send their samples to the State
contest to be held under the auspices
Of State Field Crop Breeders Associa-
tion at the time Of the annual meet
ing of the State Agricultural society
in Janu Of each year.
The contest will be continued for
three years at least under the present
rules. 1t is hoped that the best seed
secured in these contests will be used
in planting crops for succeeding con-
tests, 90 that grains adopted to local
conditions may receive their utmost
development.
Further Information A bulletin,
which is in course of preparation.
will be issued as soon as possible.
This will give more definite rules for
the contests as we'll as furnish a SIM
pls text on wheat. oats and corn, IT,
be put into the hands of the pupils for
class use. 1t is hoped that this may
be the means Of introducing the
study OF the elements OF Agriculture
as regular subject in the country
schools.
The details of the above plan may
be varied to adapt it to local condi-
ttons. Record.