Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1912-06-28

part of the senator's" said Secretary
Wilson, when, during the consider
alton OF the agricultural appropria-
ton bill, they secured for the de-
partment's farm management work
an additional increase of funds.
There is an interesting story to
be told in this connection. The
cities have been filling up and the
farms have been deserted. The cost
OF living has risen and many think
ing men are graphing with the
problem as to why IL has risen.
When the boil weevil came to the
South something had to be done
Many Southern farmers were one
crop men--they grew cotton and up-
on the advent of the boil weevil
many localities were being deserted.
Congress gave the department of
agriculture money with which to
fight the pests.
1T was new undertaking.
Sprays, chemicals, etc, were OF no
use in this case. The weevil hid its
eggs In the bolls where chemicals
could not reach them But some
thing had to be done. The depart
roent first concluded that it would
be wise, among other things, to en-
courage the people in diversified
farming. This succeeded emark-
ably. 1t would be a long story to
tell all the steps taken; In fact,
longer than people have time to con-
siGer In this busy age But, in short,
the college was taken to the farm
the ablest farmer in each county was
selected to visit his brethren and
help them toward better things. The
farmer was taught to help himself.
The department has now some 500
of these farmer agents. Cotton was
not neglected, and through such in
strumentalities as the departments
men could think of, cotton growing
was encouraged. Last year the
South grew more cotton than ever
before in its history. 1t may be
said that it was a favorable year
Very good; that was fortunate; but
the South grew more corn also last
year than it ever grew before
when the college reached the
farmer in each county every means
was taken to improve the crops of
all kinds. The boys were enlisted
| There is an opinion prevalent among
the people of the department of ag-
riculture that the boy must be edu-
Gated on the farm to certain ex-
tent. Education in the past, as far
as the farmers boy has been con-
cerned, has had a tendency to take
him away from the farm. And away
he went Now he is being trained
toward the farm and becoming in
terested in the occupations of his
father. The boys who grow acre
crops of corn have had the advice in
their counties of the departments
agents, and many interesting stories
are current with regard to the en-
terprise and pluck of these boys, who
are mostly under Is years of age.
Great yields are being harvested,
more than the country ever knew of
before-proven, certified yields.
These are the first steps toward
better agriculture. The cattle fever
| tick has been a curse to the South,
and the department of agriculture,
attacking it with federal money, has
cleared the tick out of an area equal
In size to three southern states.
There will be dairy products and
meats coming, before long from
those localities to northern markets.
There is one more thing of mag
nitude and moment that I want to
bring about. That is, TO introduce
into other sections of the country
what has been so successfully accom-
plished In the cotton states along
agricultural lines. l went to the
house committee and told them this.
| They asked me how much money l
wanted. I told them that / wanted
| $780, 900 more this year, and would
! probably ask for 100000 increase
next year The house committee on
agriculture did not hesitate a mo-
ment, but put the $4,000 into the
bill When the bill reached the
floor of the house that body in
creased the appropriation to total
of 1851 900. Now, through the SEN
ate, a sufficient amount has been
added to make the total for farm
management work in round numbers
$500, 900"