Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1918-01-11
BETTER FARMING
TALKED At CONVENTION
Various Farm Topics Discussed at
Twelfth Annual Wheat
Convention

of spring wheat TINS year at the
opening session of the 18th annual
convention of the Washington Grain
Growers, Millers and Shippers asso-
citation. which began at the Wash
ington State College January 3.
The outstanding feature of the
opening session was an informal dis
cussion on the subject How Can the
Spring Wheat Production Be In
creased This Year," in which many
farmers and others interested in
farming took lively part.
Milan Still, extensive hog raiser of
Western Whitman county, chal-
lenged a statement made in letter
to the convention by B. J. Sweeney,
chief grain inspector, in which the
chief inspector said There is a
large part of this state where mixed
farming would prove highly profit
able" Mr.. Still took issue with Mr..
Sweeney on the diversified farming
question, claiming that while differ
ent kinds of farming by different
farmers might be all right, there is
little profit to be had for the indi-
vidual farmer who mixes his own
lines of agriculture. Mr.. Still asked
for full discussion and subsequent
vote on his motion to place the con-
ventlon on record as refusing to en-
dorse the statement of the grain in
spector, but after several delegates
had given their endorsement to
diversified farming and related their
own profitable experience with clio
yer, alfalfa and other crops as rota-
lions for wheat and other cereals,
the hog raiser withdrew his motion
upon the suggestion of President r.
J. Stephens.
Mr., Still struck a second discord-
ant note in the discussion on ways of
increasing the spring crop when, in
a talk on the government price fix
ing activities, he complained that he
Is not expected to feed wheat to his
hogs, saying Interference from out
side points is doing more to decrease
production than any other thing. :"
His remarks were the occasion for a
stirring patriotic address by r. T.
Lord of the Seattle Grain company of
Spokane, who pointed out the duty
the farmer owes his country at this
time, saying: 1T is not a question
of discussing what we are asked to
do or asked not to do in this time of
war, but a question of doing every
thing that we possibly can do to win
the war" Mr. Lord stated that the
government did the right thing when
1t conscripted men between 81 and
81 years of age, and that it was
equally right in it's demands that the
people left at home do that thing
which will give the greatest assist
ance to these mdl. Mr.. Lord was
roundly cheered when he concluded
his mastery appeal to the farmers to
do their best"
Holland Welcomes Delegates
The convention delegates were
welcomed to Pullman by President
+. 0. Holland, who told of the work
the college is doing and expects to
do toward assisting the farmers to
Increase their production to a maxi
mum, and invited the farmers to
bring their problems to the State
College for consideration and assist
ance in their solution I'VE have
no right to exist unless we can serve
you people here" said President Hol-
land. but we can not study your
problems unless we know what those
problems are" He called attention
TO the fact that practically ali of the
other land grant colleges have vastly
greater funds to carry on their work
than the State College, and stated
that this college must have added
FUNDS to adequately carry on and
broaden its outside work as should
be done.
In his opening address President
II. J. Stevens of the association. who
Is connected with the Stevens-Smith
Grain company of Spokane, dealt
with the duty of the farmer in the
present crisis. He maintained that
good milling wheat should not be
fed to stock of any kind under any
circumstances, although there may
be some excuse for feeding low grade
or frosted wheat. He called attention
TO the poor conditions for planting
OF fall wheat. The farmers who ac-
cept exemption. as we'll as those who
are not subject to draft, and stay at
home to raise 81 wheat, like the mu-
milton worker, who gets IS and Sc
per day along with his exemption.
must show their patriotism by pro-
ducing every once of wheat and mu-