The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1908-03-31

There are three cardinal themes
which appeal to the interest-the self
,nterest-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. 1t is not strange,
therefore, that the professional swind-
Ter who makes a business of cheating
the farmer has recognized this fact
and made the most of it
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
TO worthless-it does the direct
damage of planting hundreds of
fields with seed inferior in germinat-
ing power or lacking in value per acre
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
ment by some department or some
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, if any, lines OF
recent experiment and research along
which such immense and 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-
cultural history of this country and
has worked potential revolution in
productiveness 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 IF
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 and plants already used in the
nelghborhood, or if new kinds are tc
be chosen these men will advise
which of many new candidates fol-
favor they should risk on their high
priced lands instead of kinds known
10 give good crops.
In the light of four years later
man who would grossly overstate the
prospective yields of 'billion-dollal
grass not only securing the farmers
money, but inducing him to plant hi:
land to crop less productive of value
than the crop he would otherwise con
unue to grow, is a business pirate.
The experiment stations and state
ana United States departments of ag
Iieulture, state horticulture societies
neid crop breeders societies, the
american Breeders association, anC
similar organizations, are rapidly de
'eloping the testing of standard, new
introduced and newly bred varie
ues' 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
small way.
Inc tree agent who induced the pho
aeer farmer to purchase from large
,uit pictures orchard trees in which
sne family long hoped, but which
numbered the ground until the pic
neer mother had brought up her fam
~ and had gone to her reward, has 9
lisnty black spot in his record Of
seeus done. The seed firm which sold
ny friend Clark Red top seed in which
tontucky blue grass seed was mixed
wi permanent hay meadow fal
aortn, made we'll nigh worthless large
ess OF peaty land situated where II
eouiu not be pastured, but would have
.seImanently produced fine crops o.
,uothy sThe dealer was criminally
snofant, because he was asked fol
eu tor a specific purpose, and he
So s IA the blue grass, which grows toe
10 NOW for hay, but crowds ou
variety suited to cut for hay.