The Detroit times., 1909-07-02
BY o. n. WHEELER.

farmer or today represents the best
type OF American citizenship. He is
a productive, not a destructive citi-
zen
Luther Burbank, the greatest expert
on plant life. the wizard" of growing
things. the one man in the world best
! fitted by endowment. experience and
education TO appraise the value Of th3
American farmer, made that state
ment to me during an interview at
| his home in this city
The great horticultural was seated
| In a big chair by ali open window,
resting after busy morning on his
experimental farm.
And what is a destructive citizen?"
asked
"A destructive citizen is one who.
for any reason, whether II be for per
sOnal gain In wealth. fame, influence
OF social position. stirs up ill-feeling,
unhappiness for others. in the schools,
in politics, In finance or in any other
sphere Of human activity.
The productive citizen creates, pro-
duces chat he may have personal gain.
The destructive citizen tears down,
destroys. despoils others for personal
gain. The farmer Is in all senses a
productive citizen.
Sphere of Activity.
rs the farmer living up TO his op-
portunities? Ah there is where We
must distinguish between the agri-
culturst and the horticulturist. The
farmer depends upon his farm for his
living. He must get out OF II at least
what he puts into 1t. He has no
time to experiment He must leave
the experimentation to the horticul-
turist, the plant BREEDER. A few years
ago horticulture and Horticulture were
classed with agriculture. Now horti- |
culture is classed as a distinct sci |
ence.
THE farmer is an agriculturist. His
problems are with existing varieties
of growing things He cannot afford |
TO devote his labor to discovering new |
and better varieties. To him his !
plants are productive machines.
"Thep roblems OF soil, climate, fer
tilization are the great problems that |
confront the farmer. Each is distinct
from the other. just as distinct as
the problems that confront the carpen- |
ter and the mason.
Learns Many Things.
1.-The farmer Is doing the best he |
can underp resent conditions. AS the
worlds knowledge increases his pro
ductiveness Will Increase. The Amer.
lean farmer learns more things than
the average person gives him credit
for
Look about the farms OF this coun-
try, either in the broad acres or IL
the more thickly settled farming dis
trcts and you will find that farming
has passed from a slip-shop. hit-or
miss, happy-golucky business to n
manufacturing proposition. The old
way was Get all you can from the
land Today the farmer aims at econ
omy and business methods In produc
ton. He combineC his ability as an
agriculturist, with business head for
marketing his product. He practices
economy in labor and material. He
exercises careful judgment in the
choice of seed and soil as well as In
the care of the soil"
But this careful judgment Is not
in evidence everywhere" | suggested.
NO" was the prompt reply. "Of
course, we still have our land pirates
the soil robbers. But the land pirate
among farmers is the exception rath.
er than the rule.
ITO make good rins or nails the
mechanic has learned that he must
use good wire.
ITO deliver good milk. the dairy
man has learned that he must give his
COW good food.
Must Give Good Food.
ITO deliver good vegetables, fruits.
grasses. grains, the farmer has learn
ed that he must give his machines,
which are his plants. good food. He
has learned also, that plants suffer
from indigestion and lack Of nourish.
ment Just as do human beings, that
they require air as well as moisture.
And he has SO met and solved tho
problems OF fertilization and cultiva
ton Of the soil.
THE farmer has sometimes been
blamed for not fertilizing more. IL
the farmer can be SO criticised. so
can the MERCHANT for not advertising
more In both cases the basis for
judgment must be the margin of profit
I'm the commodities produced.
IF the farmer. working on small
margin OF profit. can secure an i'm
proved variety that will increase his
outpIt both in quantity and quality
without extra cost OF fertilization and
cultivatiOn"---
Burbank rose and paced once or
twice up md down the room. He
turned with a bright smile. He was
no longer tired. His fine face was
alight with enthusiasm. He forgot for
monent that he was the busiest
man III the United States"
you see, don't you, that we have
Dasged from The realm OF the farmer
10 the realm OF the hcrticulturalist.
the plant brCeder2 II the farmer is
to take this great step In advance he
must look to the plant breeder to give
him new varieties. That is the plant
breeders business That is my Dusi.
ness. the business have been active
ly engaged III for 40 years. Come
over TO the experiment farm with me