Evening star., 1908-12-22
cres Of "dry farming. "

acres Of dry farming.
The members of the commission Will
not discuss their probable recommends
1ions, but they are now preparing theif
report which will be submitted to the
President and sent by him TO Congress
So far as can be ascertained they nave
discovered that the greatest needs OF the
farming population of the United states
at present are better roads. better schools
and closer cooperation in the marketing
of their products.
Farmer an Organizer.
Secretary Wilson discussed this subject
in his recent report. and stated that there
are fully 5000 cooperative associations
already in operation among the American
farmers with at least 3,OOO.OO0 members,
representing more than one-haif Of the
6 OOO. 900 farms in the United States. Con-
trary to his reputation the farmer seems
to be a great organizer, and has achieved
remarkable success in many lines OF CO.
operation in which the people of other
occupations have either made no begin
ming at all or have nearly. If not COM
completely failed. The lines along which
farmers have more especially developed
cooperation are tire, live STOCK and
tornado insurance. with about 2,"o.ooo
policyholders; butter and cheese making
and selling irrigation, the warehousing
of grain and cotton. telephone service
and cooperative buying and selling. The
buying is conducted mostly by co-opera-
tive stores and more extensively by
groups OF farmers who buy potatoes,
wheat and other products for seed. who
buy from certain merchants and manu-
facturerS under an agreement for dls-
count from regular prices.
Associations to regulate promote and
manage the details of selling products are
found In all parts of the United States
by the growers of fruits. vegetables. nuts
and berries: by live stock men. by the
producers of cotton and tobacco, wheat.
sweet potatoes. fax, oats. eggs. poultry
and honey Farmers cooperate to sell
milk for city supply, to sell wool. canta-
| loupes celery. cauif1ower. citrus fruits.
apples and so on with long list.
There is also immense number of
farmers associations of a eml-ecOnomlc
and educational character devoted to the
| Interchange OF ideas. experiences and in
| formation for common benefit. as we'll as
| those holding competitive exhibits and
devising plans for the common good.
Farmers Institute a Great Help.
| The farmers institute has become a
leading agency in the dissemination OF
| information Over 2OOO.hOO people at
| tended the regular institute meetings dur
! ing the year and 1874 600 the special insti-
| tutes while there was furnished by state
and local authorities S31S.OOO for carrying
| on the work The growing popularity OF
| this method of instruction. Secretary VIII
son says Is unmistakable evidence OF a
great desire among farming people for
In formation and an indication of the way
| by which this need may be met. While
bulletins. periodicals and books have done
| much to inform farmers respecting i'm
proved methods in the treatment OF soils,
| animals and crops. the absence Of an eff
| fective agency to call attention to their
contents and direct the farmer where to
| find the information he needs has pre-
vented their being utilized to their fullest
| extent The farmers institute has de-
| voted itself chiefly to selecting the valu-
able truths of science found in agrcul-
| tural publications and to showing farm
ers their practical application in restor-
, ing soils, incre sing crops and improving
animals.
Agricultural Study Growing.
The Secretary says. also. that the recog-
milton of agriculture as a teachable sub
ject is no longer confined to the institu-
tions and men whose main work is along
| agricultural lines. 1t is now rated with
other scientific and technical subjects for
the doctorate in philosophy, not only in
agricultural colleges. and such large uni
| versities az Cornell and Wisconsin. but
| alsO in universities which do NOT include