The New York herald., 1921-06-19


setts Agricultural College,
What wonderful extension in the ag
riculture of the nation has taken place
during the last fifty years! During
this period we have possessed the land
These years witnessed the development
Of the great agricultural empire west
of the Mississippi River. In that time
our cotton production has increased al
most five times: our wheat production
about four times; our corn production
more than three times; and other crops
in like proportion. We have taken UP
practically all Of the easily tillable land
of the nation. 1t has been a period OF
cheap food during which the building
of cities and the establishment Of in
dustrial enterprises have gone forward
at a rate never before witnessed IN all
history.
In part this tremendous increase In
food production was the result OF add
ing vast areas to our cultivated land,
but much Of it was due to the scientific
research and inventive genius of the
thousands of young men who got their
inspiration and training in this and
like colleges. For it is during this
period that we have seen the develop
ment Of agricultural science. The Ma
tional Department of Agriculture was
created: the State experiment stations
were established; the extension system
Of carrying the teachings Of the col
leges and the discoveries of the scien-
lists to the men on the farms was de-
veloped.
Through these agencies the nation Is
richer by thousands of new varieties
Of plants introduced from other lands
or created by scientific breeding. We
have discovered plants better adapted
to our colder climates, our arid re-
gions. our higher attitudes; disease
resistant strains have been developed
and drought resistant varieties. Dur
ing this period also our scientists have
built up practically our entire mass
OF knowledge concerning the diseases
of plants and animals. They have
discovered methods Of control of these
diseases, and insecticides and fungi
cides. They invented the dust gun,
the spray pump. They have eradi-
Gated pleuro- pneumonia, foot and
mouth disease and have practically
conquered Texas fever, hog cholera
and a host of other diseases which
prey on our live stock. They have
created the sciences Of bacteriology and
Of animal pathology. They have or
ganized a protecting and ever vigi.
liant army around the sources of our
food supply.
During this period-also the Bah
cock test was invented and the mod
ern creamery system developed. both
of which have contributed so largely
to the Improvement of our dairy in
dustry. The inventive genius of our
people has made it possible for us
to increase tremendously the efficiency
of the men who work the land, until
now it is our proud boast that one
American farmer can produce with his
own labor from three to five times as
much food as the farmer of the older
nations. During this period also we
have seen the evolution of our great
system, which has en-
abled us to move the products of our
farms to the centres Of population and
at a less cost than ever known. We
have seen the building up Of our meat
packing industry and similar enter
prises which make possible the largest
utilization Of farm products.
The life of this institution spans a
period of agricultural development
wholly unparalleled in history, and our
agricultural colleges have played a
wonderful part in this development. 1t
- off @,.Nr. -
such institutions should be directed
largely toward acquiring and dissent
mating information which would enable
our farmers to produce more and bet
ter. 1t was a great campaign to pos
sess the land and to feed our rapidly
growing population. The colleges en-
tered into what was an almost unex-
plored field The unknown regions OF
agricultural science lay before them.
and it was their task to do the prelimi-
nary work of exploring these regions.
blazing new trails, building bridges.
and, in short, do Just about the same
sort Of work in their field Of endeavor
that the pioneer farmer did in his.
But changing times bring changed
And with changed condi-
tons often we find the need If not for
a redirecrion of effort then for the TAX
Ing on OF new and enlarged duties.
We seem to have come to a new
era in our national life. The present
century was not many years old until
1t became evident to thoughtful men
that our growing population was in
the way of overtaking our normal
production of food. This was evil
denced by the gradual increase in the
price of farm products during the ten