Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1913-08-15
T is surely an amazing fact that the

corn crop of the states should av-
erage year after year only about 80
bushels to the acre. The acreage
planted is increased by millions from
year to year. Vast areas of virgin
territory are constantly being brought
under cultivation. 1t is a matter Of
200, some as high as 300 bushels to
the acre, yet the average for the en-
tire rop is never increased.
Is it likely that there is anything
wrong with the government figures?'
l do not think so. There Is as much
care given as is possible to insure &C
curacy, and 4 daresay that many
farmers, even If they raise more than
80 bushels to the acre, will feel salts
fed that the figures are correct from
his knowledge Of what the average
yield is in his district.
The farms are titled by a pretty
good type of farmer, on the whole,
hard working, and fairly intelligent.
The best that we have beer able to
produce Of the true American, and for
the most part the best Of the sturdy
sons of the soil from many foreign
lands. We have a national depart
ment of agriculture that has been the
envy and the copy of the world, which
is in a sense, a farmers university,
and the sole aim and purpose of
which has been and is, to make bet
ter farmers. For a generation or
more, 1t has striven by study, expert
ment and printers ink. lavishly dis
eapoipoto5 fa aI,ootn tho forp,or orJ
bring him to a higher level as an eff
cient tiller of the soil. Through the
work Of its many professors it has
presumably told the farmer much
about seeds, and soils, and methods
Of cultivation, and of protection from
insect pests, an infinite variety Of de-
tails about the vital facts concerning
his business, yet the result remains
the same, SO far as corn is concerned,
year after year-thirty bushels to the
acre.
In almost every state In the Union
there is now. and has long been, an
agricultural experiment station, work
ing in cooperation with the federal de-
partment of agriculture and hand and
hand with the farmers of the state to
educate him. The stations are
equipped with professors, and ex-
perts, many of them of the highest
authority in the land, vast tracts are
under experimental cultivation, they
have been planning, working, testing
soils and seeds, and fertilizers. to aid
the farmer in the exercise Of economy
and the growing of better crops. The
net results of their labors they are
constantly disseminating by means
bulletins, free, for all who would avail
of such-yet the net result after all
these years Is an average Of 80 BUSH
els to the acre for corn
The agriculturale colleges have
gone even further than this. They
have in many instances not been con-
ent to work and lecture and print
the results of their labors for the
benefit of progressive farmers, they
have been militant in their work.
have instituted campaigns Of educa-
ton by sending out some Of the pro-
fessors on special trains, right in the
heart of farming districts, and giving
the farmer heart-to-heart talks, and
object lessons in better farming
methods; telling him about soils,
methods of cultivation, seed selec-
ton, inviting them freely to ask
questions, to the end that he may be-
come a more enthusiastic worker and
raise better crops. Although this has
been going on for years and beyond
question many have profited by it,
kyet the average yield for corn the
past year was just the same-30
bushels.