The Opelousas courier., 1908-02-01

There are three cardinal themes
|x6ich appeal to the interest-the self
|Iulerest-of the farmer: Crops, hogs
cattle. Anything which relates di-
reilly to any of these vital topics is
lxsfe to command the willing ear of
Ebt man of the soil. 1t is not strange,
khafefore, that the professional swind-
sr who makes a business of cheating
&as farmer has recognized this fact
zBnd made the most of it
Eor many years the improved seed
saindle has been one of the most sue.
Eessful and is taking hundreds of thou
kands of dollars from the pockets of
khe farmers. Besides taking money
Ror something worthless - or next
d northeast does the direct
9dan1ae Of planting hundreds of
fields VAN seed inferior in germinat-
=ing power Q lacking in value per acr
pf the crop and of undermining pop
liar confidence the practical value
p progressive Wor1 done by the agri-
G%ealtural departments n the national
md state governments-hrs too often
be seed sWindIers claim an arsaorse-
bent by some department or sspaa
ersDn connected herewith. There is
&Dt an agricultural department which
&as not placed the emphasis of its
hessage to the farmer upon the great
an In results to be had from the
areful selection of seed-whether in
Drn, In the smaller grains, in cotton
in grasses, clovers and the forage
POPS. There are few, II any, lines of
ecent experiment and research along
&hich such immense and significant
&yogress has been made by the agri-
<ural scientists as in the matter of
Nd breeding: improving standard
*~rieties and making new varieties.
this n particular the work of the
&ti0nal and state experiment stations
= made q new chapter In the agri-
<ural history OF this country and
h worked a potential revolution in
Effectiveness of the tillable acres of
United States.
me men actually in charge of these
&periments are so much the best.
lest and most di~sinterested authori-
on the new varieties Of field, or
efd and garden crops worthy of pur-
hse. that their advice should be
lght. Since their salaries are paid
the nation and states, part of their
&Fognized work Is to give informa-
and nowhere in the world is
N a body Of men more courteous
ready to be useful to those for
PM they work-the American farm
They will nearly always advise
E1zers to secure standard seeds,
and plants already used in the
ghborhood, or If new kinds n to
chosen these men will advise
Ech of many new candidates for
r they should risk on their high
ked lands instead OF kinds known
Five good crops.
the light of four years later a
who would grossly overstate the
2Fpectire yields Of a .billion-dollar
VS. not only securing the farmers
aAev. but inducing him to plant his
to q cropIess productive of value
the cropAhe would otherwise con-
Ito grow. is a business pirate.
kEke experiment stations and state
United States departments Of ag-
gltatre, state horticulture societies,
crop breeders societies, the
exican Breeders association, and
lar organizations, are rapidly de-
ping the testing Of standard. new
atrodlced and newly bred varie-
no that they are able to advise
Rers which varieties to use in their
Eiar business planting and which
valuable to experiment with IN a
way.
ie tree agent who induced the pio-
farmer to purchase from large
F#W - Ns OiGAdt0 IGSS AL y
family long hoped, but which
Ehered the ground until the pio-
z4 mother had brought up her fam
Rha had gone to her reward, has q
Rty black spot in his record of
y done. The seed firm which sold
lend Clark Red top seed in which
aeky blue grass seed was mixed
permanent hay meadow far
made well nigh worthless large
q peaty land situated where It
aof pc pastured, but would have
Eshently produced fine crops OF
The dealer was criminaliy
ants because he was asked for
aof = specific purpose, and he
re blue grass, which grows too
g nov Tor hay, but crowds out
Azlefy suited TO cit for hay.