The St. Mary banner., 1910-07-23

]
Will plough, it will reap. it will cut
/ grass, il will drive a thraShing ma
! chine and do any other work of STA
tonary engine. It drinks nothing but
gasoline; it does not get sick, tired or
| drunk.
Rich Uncle Helps Him.
How did the American farmer get i,
| all? 1t would be agreeable 70 say that
| his wealth is due to his unaided efforts,
a victorious battle with nature. Tle
| fact is that a good deal of mis- success
| is due to his rich uncle, who keeps an
office in Washington and boosts the
farmer every chance that he can get.
The aforesaid uncle (Sam) spent about
$4,000 600 on the farmer last year, and
expects to spend about SIT 100000 on
/ him this year. Quite generous Old
uncle, it would seem. There is some
times complaint that he doesn't do rs
| much for his other nephews, who need
help Just as much or more than the
farmer
However. Secretary Wilson says that
| erroneous and misleading statements
have been published. to the effect that
large sums are spent by the Depart
ment of Agriculture for the health Of
animals while practically nothing is
spent for the protection of human
health" 'Tama jim points out that
people eat the animals, and that it is
important to the people that they
should have healthy animals to eat.
Besides the beneficience of the rich
uncle, the farmer is helped a lot by the
various states.
Let us take a look at some of the
paternalistic things that Uncle Sam.
according to official report, does for
his nephews on the farm. The foot
and mouth disease among livestock
was suppressed last year, AMI the own
ers Of 1896 slaughtered animals were
reimbursed 100000 as the valve of their
loss, Uncle Sam paying two-thirds and
the states involved one-third of the in
Ct nI'ty. In other words. the disease
didn'. cost the farmers a cent. perhaps
they made money by it; they were in
sureG. guaranteed and protected by the
government against The consequences
II the foot and m )uth disease. In the
South 100000 car .ln were Inspected
fre, gratis for the Texas fever tick.
Experiments in Breeding.
For the benefit of the farmer Uncle
Sam carried on breeding experiments
in horses, cattle and sheep, and sue
ceeded in producing at Bethesda, Nd,
six zebra-ass nybrids, three of which
died, while the remaining three are
vigorous and promising" Nearly four
thousand small mammals were used
in other breeding experiments. A
study of the hen, how to breed tor and
feed her. was made in cooperation with
the Maine experiment station. Educa-
tional work was done among Southern
dairy owners, and the familiar board
ing house query, why is the butter so
rank?" was answered in mastery fash
ion. Help was rendered to 155 cream
cries. There were 2086 blueprints of
dairy buildings sent to farmers. At
thirteen experiment stations work was
carried on in all kinds of crop raising,
including cereals and forage crops
country.
A study was made Of foreign and
domestic trees suitable to enlarge the
farmers bank account. Frank N. Mey-
er, who returned from three years
exploration trip through portions of
Asia in the interests of the American
farmer, was again sent out by Uncle
Sam, with instructions to investigate
the wild apples, grapes and other
fruits on the borders of Chinese Turk
estan, and to get some early ripening
cereals from the mountains of Western
China. Seed of a wild wheat found at
5000 feet above sea level in Eastern
Palestine will be obtained and distrib-
uted to plant breeders throughout the
country Diseases of plants and trees
were studied extensively. Tea, tobac-
co, sugar beets, hemp and hops have
been cultivated. The commercial han
ding of lemons, grapes and other
crops has been studied.
How many tons Of seeds and plants
were given out to farmers "on Con-
gressional order" is not stated. Slight
ly less than usual, says Uncle Sam, but
he does not tell how much. To pass
over the work in forestry, chemistry,
soil survey, moths and other injurious
insects, determination of ground squir-
rels, prairie dogs. field mice, and SO on,
the Agricultural Department printed
17,190,345 documents, of which less
than 10 percent were sold at small
price and the rest presumably given
away. There were 7,755, 900 farmers
bulletins, old and new, distributed.
How States Aid Him.
NChot tho Statas arc doing for Tho