The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-11-16

square rods for the purpose OF lhstF ,e
the pupils In this most important W. n
Here is where this work OF eueSae
should begin. and instruction OF tnls nc
onter undertaken by our rural schools.
where the farmer boys and girls atpeno.
would be speedily and powerfully renecteo
p improved methods on the farms.
The increased value Of corn. wheat oats
and barley In the United States. proVloeo
the average yield per acre OF the sd nc
CROPS in Germany had been raised. anu
assuming a production Of fifty busnels OF
corn to the acre. would have amounted
to the stupendous total during the year
1907 of 81 80 600. 900, while the increased
value of the same cereals OF the crop oi
1909 computed on the same basis. woulo
have been So. Z5G,000.0O0.
None Superior In Soil or Climate
There is no soil or climate that is nat
uraIly superior to that OF the Chileu
States. and no nation on eartn can pio
duce larger crop per acre tnan tniS
country If our soil is intelligently tiled
In April of this year the New YORK
Central railroad rendered to the New
York State College of Agriculture the, use
of a special train. consisting OF comoI-
nation car four coaches ana olnihs
car, for a trip through that portion OF Ihe
state traversed by our lines. Twenty-one
professors and advanced students or the
at Cornell university and the agricultural
school at ST. Lawrence university made
up the party. Thirty-one towns were VIE
tied, and lectures we're given to audi
ences ranging from 200 to GOO earnest. IN
terested farmers.
The object of the trip was to aWakeh
interest, to prepare the ground for the
seed to be sown later. These trips Will
be repeated and extended. and we hope 10
is but the beginning of a broad and COM
prehensive scheme OF education. Lee
lures of this kind are beneficial, out the
things that will accomplish results are
object lessons-opportunities for the farm
er to see the thing done instead OF pelns
told how 1t can be done.
The first requisite is thorough awak-
ening of our people to a realization OK
the startling significance. the overshadoW-
ing Importance of this condition. then
systematic. thorough, sleepless, perseVer-
ing campaign of education. The general
government should give 1t first place
among the questions pressing for consid-
Grafton.
The railroads should cooperate with the
state agricultural colleges and with all IN
situations having departments OF agricut-
ture in arranging for meetings OF farm
ers in villages and country school houses
for the purpose of preaching this great
gospel of better methods. which means
recommend to the owners of the roads
with which | am connected the purchase
of land to be operated as experimental
farms. according to the most advanced
methods of seed selection, fertilization ami
cultivation, at the expense of the road
but under the auspices OF the agricultural
college of the state in which the farm Is
located If this recommendation is adopt
ed / shall hope to see 1t followed by
mo Of no nj IA
What the Cost of a Warship Would Do.
The United States is building two or
three great battleships almost every year,
which cost. fully equipped. perhaps an
average of S9000.00D each. and 1t costs
close to 81. 100000 year each TO man, sup
ply and maintain them. What one OF
these fighting machines costs the govern
ment would establish and fully equip tst1
splendid experimental farms of $40 acres
each in every state in the Union. TO IL
operated by the general government
The establishment of such farms ny the
government would soon be followed ny
160 acre farms owned and operated by the
state in every county in our great agricul-
tural states. Such farms. once estab-
iished, would not only be self sustaining.
but, in my opinion. would show a hand
some profit. The effect of such a sys-
tenn of practical education upon the PROT
be almost beyond comprehension.
Every thriftless and uniformed farm
er would quickly noie the, difference he
tween the result OF his loose methods and
those of the experimental farm and bene-
fit by the comparison.
Let the government invest the price Of
one battleship in his important work.
follow the Investment up intelligently and
persevertngly for ten years. and the value
that will have been added to each years
crops of the nations farms will buy and
pay for every battleship in ali the navies
of the world today
Adopt this policy and 1t will give to the
great business of agriculture a new birth
of marvellous possibilities and make the
cultivation OF the soil u profession ia tfier
than vocation. It win double the wealth
of the nations farms and quadrupIe the
Influence. political and financial. of the
nations farmers
Ten years sitter such system becomes
fully effective the farmers will own Il
large share. il not Il ma jority, OF the ma
tons railroads. and this wilt insure In
larger measI!s" than is T",SSibir In.!er
present conditions that Industrial peace
and tranquility to vital 10 enduring pros
perity.
Above and beyond all other consIdera-
tons this stimulation OF interest in and
addition to the wealth of agriculture will
return the preponderance of political DOW
er to the rural districts. where Ii can i,e
more safely lodged than i'm the congeSteai
centers OF population, already ominousiy
powerful in many of cur states.