The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-10-16

K X 4 X + 4 = + i *A*A
S BIG CROPS SHOULD s.
s. BE THE RULE s.
E 4: * Il :: II * + + X y i
president ]. Ii. Worst. y. D. A. c.
Big crops should he the rule. The
present crop bids FAIR to bring pros-
of the state. Moreover. when the
farmer Is prosperous, all other inter-
ests prosper as we'll. In short, agri-
culture is at the foundation of the
prosperity of the state. If a bumper
o such as We have this year,, brings
general prosperity and with it a large
of happiness It should be the
aim of every one t." contribute what
he can by way OF influence or en-
couragement hat Will insure from a
fair to a bumper crop every year. En-
en- then there will be exceptional years
some exceptionally. prosperous and
others exceptionally bad-but the rule
should he to realize from a fair to a
good GRO every year, This can only
be accomplished by: giving to agricul-
ture the same attention and by farm
ers exercising the same expert skill as
men employ in other sNocations. The
agricultural interests OF the state are
SO tremendous hat the least improve
ment in methods readily mounts. up
into tremendous sums of money. II
the use of better seed grain and a
better seed bed will increase the yield
of wheat (to IA nothing of other
crops) n kernel per head. 1t will
add annually not less than $~10,6O0,000
to the wealth of the state.
If a county adviser should be en-
ployed with an Office at the county
vised and put into; practice a better
system of farm management-even in
a very slight degree-ity will pay a
bigger dividend on the Investment
than any other Use that can be made
of an equal sum Of MONEY. The time
must come when the state will be di-
vided into districts-preferably into
counties, with experts employed to
give advice and. in general. to SUPER
intend farm operations: This will tend
to unity farm work. eliminate many
false notions and other evils and bring
into general practice scientific and
other up-to-date methods Of soil man.
agement. If only ten per cent of the
that would thus be available, it would
add millions of dollars annually to the
wealth of the state.
The objector eXclaims at once that
the state is not able. financially, to
indulge in A movement of this kind.
That may be true. but no state of
equal area in the union Is possessed
of more wealth than North Dakota.
The states wealth, however, is locked
up within the soil, in which condi-
tons it is not disable. Moreover, our
present method of extensive farming
is dissipating this latent wealth with
out receiving anywhere lear It's full
value; and not until the state gives
back to the farmer somewhere lei
the farmers proportion of the states
revenue. directly, for the improve
ment of his business, will the state in
situations Inc the state government
realize the necessary funds for the
large growth and development of
which the state is inherently capable
of attaining. The farmers of the state
pay approximately seven-ninths Of the
states taxes. They should receive d.
rectly. for their benefit and for devils
ing and putting into general practice
the best systems of farm manage
ment. a sum of money somewhat in
proportion to the amount they pay for
the support of the state government
oAu SI!c Sldtc luctIutlOn0. M1OItey tHuS
appropriated becomes an Investment
and for that matter, the best kind of
an investment-for the reason that 1t
brings back many-fofd more dollars
what is expended in behalf of
agriculture.
Chief among the agencies for the
development Of the states natural re-
stands agricultural education.
JUS In proportion as the young men
and young women born and reared in
the rural districts can be persuaded.
by means of vital education to re-
main in the country and build up COM
Portable modern homes. will the
state be properly developed and pros
pertty become general instead Of
spasmodic. We have the soil. the cli-
mate. the sunshine. ana the demand
for cereal and animal products to
make North Dakota one of the wealth.
lest states In the union. To develop
its natural resources, therefore, money
should be appropriated most literally
for agricultural education and es.
pecially for agricultural college x
tension work. The Information that
has been gathered and that IL avail
able must be taken straight to the
and conveyed: to him In his
own language-that is. the language
VI tHe NOME. MANY OF tnefn must De
Shown" Their errors must be point
ed out. not by means Of the technical
essay or bulletin but by word of
mouth. and. until this system or some-
thing like 1t becomes general, much Of
the latent wealth in the soil will be
needlessly dissipated and much hard
work will have been rendered in vain.
Farming as n rule is considered
drudgery. Much of 1t is drugdery-
but needlessly so. Agriculture can,
however. be made one'of the most in
teresting as we'll as profitable voca-
tons that men engage in. Moreover.
it is a brainy vocation. A brainy mar
a bring his talents to, no better mar
ket than the farm affords. When our
schools take c~ogpizance Of nature
study. OF plant n animal life. of food
and It's preparation and the home and
its needs. as II has taken cognizance
Of higher mathematics. ancient his
tory and Latin. country life will he
sought after instead Of being avoided.
True-our winters are long in
North Dakota and rather revere. How
ever. with the amount of natural pre-
-"r.