The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-07-29
THE AID OF sc1ENon TO pARMERs.


TIE AID OF SCIENCE TO FARMERS.
Laneastsr tfaJ Esamiaw.
The Government spends $4,000 Q year in
maintaining agricultural experiment stations.
To those unfamiliar with the vast benefit that
has accrued from this branch of the federal SER
vice the cost will appear larger than the returns
justify. The agricultural experiment stations
are not used as distributing agencies of aca-
demic information, and few, If any, students Of
agriculture gain first-hand information from
them. The object of the experiments conducted
under Government supervision is to make origi
nal investigations along theoretical lines and to
publish all results that will be of aid to the
farmers of the country in securing the greatest
profit from the tilling of the soil.
The total annual value of the agricultural pro-
ducts of the United States was less than $780,
100000 when the Hatch act establishing expert
ment stations was passed by Congress. That
was eighteen years ago, and today the total an
nual agricultural production of the United
States is valued at more than S. 000, 100000 Just
what part of this increase lie due directly to the
establishment and maintenance of the Govern
ment experiment stations it is impossible to
say, but we do know that the new methods in
troduced, technical information disseminated,
advice as to crop rotation, use of fertilizers best
adapted to certain products. etc., have con-
tributed greatly to the increase in general pro-
duction.
Until comparatively recent years the business
of the farmer was conducted largely at hap
hazard. He went out into the woods and prairies
with only the customs and traditions of his own
forefathers and observations among his neigh
bors to rely upon in country where physical
Az
he had been accustomed to. He planted corn,
or cotton, or potatoes, or wheat because he be-
lieved at first view the conditions favored the
growing Of the crops. Others came and settled
about him. and they followed his example, and
thus a certain district or neighborhood was
given over to the cultivation of certain crops
and the process Of getting away from this habit
was difficult. Experimenting in growing crops
is slow, uncertain and expensive when con-
Quoted by the individual farmer Therefore the
Government felt justified in taking hand. and
it has removed much of the burden of all such
experimentation from the farmers.
One of the practical results of scientific agri-
cultural research that will appeal to the layman
was recently given out by Professor G. F. Cur
tiss, director of the Iowa Agricultural Expert
ment Station, who points out that the addition
of single extra kernel to the ear of corn and to
the head of smaller grain would make an in
crease of the nations yield of 100000 bushels
of corn, 100000 bushels of wheat and 20 OO0 900
bushels of oats. These are figures sufficiently
significant of the results to be wrought by Gov
eminent experiments to emphasize the practi-
cal value of the work that is going on among
these institutions.
Weakening of Credit by Personal Surety.
Ia In<IenenISnf
In becoming surety, business men were for
merly accustomed to regard the bond as merely
matter of form. They lightly assumed liability
of this kind as very remote contingency, even
when the amount involved was considerable
sum. The custom of acting as personal surety
came into existence before the advent of the
surety companies now organized to undertake
risks of this character The assuming of liability
as personal surety still fingers in some sec
tions. There has lately been pronounced re-
action against this, however, in view of the fact
that the existence of such liability curtails
credit. The modern credit man is forced to
scrutinize all conditions weighing for or against
q debtor, and If liability for personal surety
hangs over a customer seeking credit of him he
is bound to take cognizance of this. just as he
would anything else affecting the finances of
his customer that would be. dispatches from
Columbus, O., specifically mentions case where
q merchant of that city sought to be relieved as
surety on bond because he found that the OBJ
legation thus resting upon him, perhaps thought
lessly assumed, had tended to weaken his credit.
The case is typical as showing the modern trend
in commercalism. If business man seeking
credit found it impossible to obtain it because
he had become surety on bond the penalty of
which was equal to or in excess of his total as
sets, he could not escape the knowledge of an
assumption on his part of a real obligation.
which might at some future time reduce him to
bankruptcy If not to actual want. The sooner
sentiment in favor of corporate surety is
created the better it will be.
Corn Greatest of Them All.
Harper's Weekly.
Corn-fed pork furnishes our tables with mil
lions of hams and sausages, besides bacon and
lard. Corn produces the best of poultry and
eggs, of which alone we as nation, consume
more when measured by dollars) than we do of
wheat. OF cornstarch we use about $1,000, 600 a
year, to say nothing of the enormous consump-
ton of glue, combs and other products made
from the horns, hoofs and hair of those corn fed
animals. To all these we must add product of
corn oil maximum, $4,000 daily. largely used
in paints; and the by-products of corn oil,
starch, glucose, whisky and alcohol, dried and
sold in cakes, for animal food, amounting to
millions of dollars per year. Nor is that all that
corn accomplishes. Besides giving food and
clothing in the form of animal and vegetable
products as indicated, it gives life and strength
to millions of horses mules and oxen that till
our fields and haul our multitude of farm pro-
ducts to the thousands upon thousands of
country markets, from Maine to California, and