The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-03
FARMERS BUREAU.


Cc6htlnued from Page Four)
2ayne many more counties viii
undertake. this advantageous plan II
the next legislature locks with favor
upon<a measure that has already been
enacted into law In several states, and
which win . presented for its con-
alteration. This cohtemplatesS the
creation. Of q regular county ofnce to
be filled with q farm agent. who Will
be chosen under the guidance OF the
statec Agricultural college and Will
work under its general direction just
as 10 the case With the farm agents
now supported by the farmers bu-
reaus like the ono in existence In
Leavenworth county. On q petition OF
specified proportions, the question as
to whether or not such farm agent
officials will b, submitted to the peo-
ple., And the salary OF the agent and
the expenses Of his ONCE. will be paid
by the county and from funds raised
by general taxation. Say the ex-
penses OF such an agent and ONCE
than they are In Lsayenworth coun-
ty. The additions tax to raise that
sum would be infiniteHmal The re-
turn to the county within q few years
would be enormous. And the plan OF
supporting this 1n1ce by general coun-
~ ta4AIlOH 10 Au CAlAuCA]Ay 40A- OACs
for the cities ard towns in a county
thrive. largely, in proportion to the
prosperity that prs ais In its rural
sections. More profitable farms mean
more profits for the enterprises In
the cities with which the farms do
city that would be unwilling to pay
its share OF the expense m developing
this addition prosperity.
The Monthly Meeting.
Kansas and -opeka were well repre-
scented at q regular monthly meeting OF
the Leavanworth County Farmers bu-
reau. which was held last Saturday
afternoon in the commodious and COM
Portable quarters O.; the Leavenworth
Chamber of Commerce in the Wulfe-
kuhler bank building. and in which the
farm agent has his office. More than
fifty members Of the bureau attended.
which is a pretty good indication OF the
interest the Leavenworth farmers take
in their bureau because this Is the
busiest season Of the year for the
farmers. T. A. Borman. editor OF the
Kansas Farmer and president of the
Topeka Fair association, was down for
one of the instructive talks that he has
been making at similar meetings and
farmers institutes throughout the
state. He motored over to Leaven-
worth with Jacob A. Mohler, secretary
of the Kansas department of agricul-
ture and Samuel E. Lux. the we'll
known commission man, a Topeka
booster Of the first water and d.
rector of the Topeka fair association.
Charles Bornan, chauffeur extraor-
binary IN the Bor1nan family, was nee
esearily in the party, and a State Jour-
nal man was taken along as ballast
for the car. Both Mr.. Mohler and Mr..
LUX were pressed into service for short
speeches. and acquitted themselves hap
PLY. And an invitation from Mr.. Lux
to the farmers of Leavenworth county
to attend the Topeka fair. was most
cordially ~sceived.
A Vital Problem.
Mr.. Bornan's address concerned a
problem CT vital Importance to intelli-
gent farming. in Kansas. his remarks
being devoted especially to that portion
of the problem which applies to Eastern
KansaR He uses couple OF maps
in this talk that present this problem
clearly and significantly. One shows
the average annual rainfall in eastern
Kansas back to the time that records
have been kept to be 35 inches. This
includes SNOW, hail and every kind of
measurable precipitation. In the CEN
trail Kansas section the average annual
rainfall is Is inches. and in the western
section it Is 1894 inches, decreasing to
Is or 16 inches in the tier Of extreme
western counties. And MIR. Borman de-
clared that under these conditions 1t is
absolutely ridiculous to attempt to farm
by the same methods in the different
sections Of the state. He also projected
the Information that none Of the agri-
cultural states east OF Kansas have a
larger rainfall during the growing sea-
son. from April to September, than have
kansas and the states on the same line
OF longitude and Immediately north and
south of Kansas. The other map shows
the average annual rainfall in the
eastern section Of Kansas for each
month of the year. And this shows that
20 per cent of the average annual rain
fall In eastern Kansas, the So inches
mentioned above, comes during the
growing season. from April to Septem-
Der, and the bulk Of this comes In
April May and June. aeaf
Hence, as Mr.. Borman pointed out,
the essential problem for the farmers
IN the eastern section Of Kansas to
solve Is to so manipulate their land and
their crops as to take the largest pos
sible advantage Of this rainfall. And
OF course the same Is true in the other
ing conditions. Early fall blowing and
spring discing are methods to conserve
much OF the moisture that falls after
and before the growing season. Early
planting and the growing Of q variety
OF profitable crops. those Of the sor-
ghum family, for instance, kaffir. fet-
ertta and milo. that will grow quickly
and mature early, are the means by
which the largest possible advantage
can be taken Of the rainfall in the
growing season when it Is heaviest.
This, according Mr.. Borman, is the
only way Of getting sure and good re-
turns from the land in this section. OF
course. a crop OF corn that does well
IL more profitable than crops Of this
sort. But 1t isn't every year that corn
VIII do its best by q long shot But
the farmer who devotes some Of his
land to these early maturing crops also
has the opportunity to devote some Of
IT to corn and other crops, and II the
latter do we'll he viii make q killing,
while he = alrnoat certain Of realizing
i. proftabief returns from his early, ma
s,sars aiaoa1ld &aSH In .nAl,o,. ,xz-.a- ~.