The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-12-19
w. M. HAYS.


There are three cardinal themes
which appeal to the intcrest-the self
interest--of the farmer: Crops. hogs
and cattle. Anything which relates di-
rectly TO any of these vital topics Is
sure to command the willing ear of
the man of the soil. II Is not strange,
therefore. that the professional swind-
Ter who makes business of cheating
the farmer has recognized this fact
| and made the most of 1t
For many years the improved seed
swindle has been one of the most sue
cessful and is taking hundreds of thou
sands of dollars from the pockets of
the farmers. Besides taking money
for something worthless or next
% worthless-it does the direct
damage of planting hundreds of
fields with seed inferior in germinat-
of the crop and of undermining pop
ular confidence in the practical value
of progressive work done by the agri-
cultural departments OF the national
and state governments--for too often
the seed swindlers claim an endorse
person connected Herewith. There is
not an agricultural department which
has not placed the emphasis of its
message to the farmer upon the great
gain In results to be had from the
careful selection of seed-whether In
corn, In the smaller grains, IN cotton
or In grasses, clovers and the forage
crops. There are few, II any, lines OF
recent experiment and research along
which such immense ard significant
progress has been made by the agri-
cultural scientists as in the matter OF
seed breeding; improving standard
varieties and making new varieties.
In this one particular the work OF the
national and state experiment stations
has made a new chapter in the agri-
icultural history of this country and
has worked potential revolution in
productyeuess of the tillable acres OF
the United States.
The men actually in charge OF these
| experiments are so much the best,
safest and most disinterested authori-
| ties on the new varieties of field, or
chard and garden crops worthy OF pur-
| chase, that their advice should be
sought Since their salaries are paid
by the nation and states, part of their
recognized work is to give informa-
| ton, and nowhere in the world Is
| there body of men more courteous
! or ready to be useful to those for
whom they work-the American farm
| er. They will nearly always advise
farmers to secure standard seeds,
trees aud plants already used in the
neighborhood, or ii new Kinds are to
| be chosen these men will advise
which of many new candidates for
favor they should risk on their high
priced lands instead of kinds known
| to give good crops.
In the light of four years later Q
man who would grossly oyerstate the
prospective yields of a "billion-dollai
| grass" not only securing the farmers
money. but inducing him to plant his
land to q crop less productive of value
| than the crop he would otherwise con
| time to grow. Is a business pirate.
The experiment stations and state
! and United States departments of ag
| riculture, state horticulture societies
| field crop breeders societies, the
! American Breeders association anC
| similar organizations, are rapidly de
| yeloping the testing of standard, new
ly introduced and newly bred varie
| ties, so that they are able to advise
| farmers which varieties to use In theil
| regular business planting and which
| are valuable to experiment with In 6
| small way.
The tree agent who induced the pio
neer farmer to purchase from large
fruit pictures orchard trees In which
the family long hoped. but which
numbered the ground until the pio
neer mother had brought up her fam
NY and had gone to her reward, has 9
| mighty black spot In his record o
deeds done. The seed firm which solo
| my friend Clark Red top seed in which
| Kentucky blue grass seed was mixed
| for permanent hay meadow fal
north, made well nigh worthless large
areas of peaty land situated where Il
| could not be pastured, but would have
permanently produced fine crops o.
timothy. The dealer was criminal,
ignorant, because he was asked fol
seed for a specific purpose, and ht
put In the blue grass, which grows too
short to NOW for hay but crowds on
the variety suited to cut for hay.