The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-07
HAVE A FAIR
State Live Stock Association
Still Wants One.
This Time They May Take Up
Matter in Earnest.
HOW KILL GOPHERS
Prof. Theodore H. Shelter Ex-
plains His Method.
Initial Meeting Proves an In
teresting One.

1--WE have done good and faithful
work during the past year in trying to
! secure a state fair. But we haven't
done enough and we should work
harder We should work with the leg
| islators. We have a right to make
| demands from them as we are repre-
sentative of the largest class of tax
payers in the state. And whenever We
can secure the backing of the state for
| a successful fair, it will mean more
than can be estimated for the stock
breeders Of the state. think we
ought to make some definite action
| along this line before our session
closes"
The above suggestion was contain
| ed in the remarks Of Vice President
E. w Melville of the Kansas Improved
Stock Breeders association, in the
presidents annual address delivered
last night before the eighteenth an
nual convention of this association.
and which was delivered by Mr.. Mel
vile in the place of President G. w.
Berry, who Is unable to be present at
| the meeting on account of sickness.
When the meeting was called to or
der last night. Mr.. ]. w. Robinson OF
| ElDorado, one of the biggest live
stock breeders in the state, occupied
| the chair and introduced Mr.. Melville.
| Mr.. MeIvilles address was more of the
| impromptu order but contained many
good and strong points. He made sug-
gestions for the improvement of the
| associations work. Among other
| things he advised the breeders of Kan
| sas to bid for trade with Mexico as he
| believed that the farmers and agricul-
| turists of Mexico were clamoring for
| a better breed of stock and that it af-
| forded a great field for Kansas men.
Above other things Mr.. Melville advis-
| ed cooperation and the eradication OF
petty jealousies which he said would
sap the organization of its usefulness.
| During the rest of the evening Mr..
Melville occupied the chair. H. A.
| Heath, the secretary and treasurer,
submitted his annual reports. Accord
| ing to his observations on the work OF
| the past year, 1907 was very prosper
GUS despite the financial furry.
| Everything in the improved breeding
during preceding years. However.
Mr.. Heath pointed out the fact that
the sheep industry in Kansas was at
very low ebb and far below what 1t
breeding has progressed during 1907.
The financial status of the assoc1a-
ton was shown to be well provided for
in the report of Mr.. Heaths2r. >
| Rodney A. Edwards - of. Castleton
session, e entitled raising the ' Cali
! Versus Buying It." Mr.. Edwards
handled his subject from every stand
point and drew the conclusion that it
is much cheaper to raise good calves
| and that a poor calf is dear at any
price. An interesting discussion of
| the question followed which was quite
generally participated in and many
good pointers were advanced from tn Z
wide range of experience of those lfv-
| ing in divers parts of the state where
conditions are different. J. W. Robin
son of ElDorado, A. c. Shinn of OF
| tawa, J. F. True of Perry, Thomas M.
Potter of Peabody, w. D. Rippey OF
Severance, Ex-Governor G.. w. Click of
| Atchison, E. Harrington Of Baker and
w. A. S. Bird of Topeka all partici-
pated in the discussion.
| Prof Theodore H Shelter Of the State
Agricultural college was present at the
session last night and was called upon
| to tell of his work at the college which
| consists in part of the experiments
| towards Kidding the state of gophers
and other small pests.
| Prof. Shelter told Of a poison syrup
| which Is manufactured at the college
| and is sold at cost throughout the state
| and is very useful in Kidding the state
| of these pests. The syrup contains a
strychnine preparation which is placed
upon some attractive morseI for the
| gophers and acts in this manner as a
bait. A general discussion of this work
| was INDUCED in.
| The meeting last night was very in
teresting as Is attested by the fact that
the fifty delegates here spent three