The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-06-20
DR.. HOPKINS GIVES STATE COL.
LEGE GRADUATES SPLEN-
DID ADVICE.
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST
from the Capitol City. the Various
State Institutions and From
Many Different Parts Of
the Sunshine State.

ih6o.- ooHle Tine the people
OF this great state will realize hat
saving the soil is second in Importance
only TO saving the soul. We boast of
the rich soils Of Dakota, but the great
est need Dakota has is for positive in
formation regarding the composition
and profitable enrichment and per1na-
nent preservation of these soils"
Aaus spoke DR.. Cyril G. Hopkins to
the graduating class of the state col.
lese. The fact that DR.. Hopkins is
tae world famous soil expert of the
University Of Illinois and a graduate
- ihe state college gave added
weight to his words.
lis is only half informed who saws
a great agricultural problem of Da-
kota is soil moisture. BY no means
should We neglect the conservation Of
moisture, out to produce larger crops
Win a limited supply of moisture re.
lures soil enrichment. One of Gods
early commandments was BE fruit
~, n multiply and repienish the
earfh, and subdue it, but said Or.
hopkins, "the last two parts of that
commandment we have diSobeyel in
America for three hundred years" He
&lleo millions Of acres of abandoned
farms to show that we have neither
seDlenished nor subdued the earth.
Why should the yield of wheat in
Dakota average only Il bushels per
acre. Some say it is because farm
ers grow wheat year after wear on the
same land. but such answer is made
~ ignorance, Tor the average farmer
follows no such plan. The abandoned
farm n in the United States have
n most places gone down to abandon
nant under good crop rotations"
Ihere must be some other cause.
SAID Or. Hopkins, and what is it, He
round the answer in a single word.
fertility" The greatest investment
South Dakota could make would be
an investigation of her soils. 'The
agricultural experiment station of the
state college was established to sur
Sey the soils of the state. to collect
Trustworthy samples representative
OF all the soil types, to make analy-
ses to ascertain the stock Of fertility
and physical character of ech. and to
carefully conduct well planned field
experiments to supplement the other
sources Of information: and there
ought to be n must be if duty is
done, a persiStent.Well organized and
successful movement to secure ade-
quate appropriations for the Inaugural
(ion and prosecution Of this most fun
damental work"
This soil survey is absolutely es-
sential. It can be started With s25.-
900 a year, but as fast as a force can
be secured and developed. the fund
should be increased until it approach
as the one cent per acre. The ques-
zion should not be how little the an
preparation can be, but rather how
much money can be used TO advantage
IN pushin gthis work to completion.
State appropriations are not secured
by wishing. but by work. by organ
lied effort: and no greater service
SRdid OS ltHO1lCu ~ tiloSe WHO nave
at heart the welfare and future pros
Derity OF the state than by working
as individuals and through associa-
lions to awaken the public conscience
n intellect and to secure the neces-
sary initial appropriation, perhaps
from the next session Of the legisla-
Cure"
- Sum M orI7nd IN q word nr 1Ynn-
aims plea was for definite informa-
ton concerning Dakota soils. No bet
ter farming adviser can help his con-
Etituents as much as he should with
out an accurate knowledge of the soils.
He must know what fertility elements
are lacking and how to supply the de-
nciency.
That there is culture in agricultural
education DR.. Hopkins said: There
Is no subject or field of higher educa-
tive value than agriculture and its
foundation sciences. The study OF
plant-food compounds is at least as cul-
tural and often more valuable and USE
full thar the study OF Latin COM
pounds; and there is as much mental
development and refinement IN the
bacterial fixation OF atmospheric nj
trogen in alfalfa roots as in the study
OF Greek roots, and vastly more Of ap-
plication and utility in the world Of
human endeavor and service to hui
naanity. The support of the best men
and women are required in this for
ward movement in agriculture"
Large Increase Shown.
Pierre.-Insurance Commissioner o.
s.. Basford finds a great increase in
the business Of his department this
wear The tax collections for written
premiums in 1912 show total receipts
OF $1O1, 1886. The tax collections for
the year 1911 was $90,2S2.88, showing
an increase Of nearly $4,000 in pre-
miums written :or the year 1912 over
that of 1911. The fire marshal tax for
AL~ A..~a.. ~ 1O11 from tho Aro rvo.