The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-24
OF KANSAS
Board of Agriculture Exhibit
Was Feature of Free Fair.
Fifty Years of Real Service in
Better Farming Methods.

One of the most attractive booths
at the Kansas Free Fair last week
was that of the State Board of Agri-
culture. 1t was not only pleasing to
look at the sharp contrasts of black
and white, the general color scheme,
making all details stand out clearly,
but it was highly educational in char
acter. Anyone, after visiting the
boards booth, knew more than he did
before about the state. its resources,
productions and possibilities.
The walls were decorated with
graphs showing in a striking manner
the pre- eminence of Kansas as Il
wheat-producer, standing first with
out close competitor of alfalfa,
revealing Kansas as the leader; of the
sorghums, in the production of which
the state has no peer. Above the
graphs were samples of the grains to
which they related. with photographs
or Kansas farm scenes, altogether
forming a most effective background
for the composite Kansas farm shown
the display of the boards pub1ica-
tions.
The composite farm was the CEN
ter of interest for visitors 1t showed
that nearly half of the average Kan
sas farm was in grass. either as hay
or meadow land, fact that elected
much comment, and that more than
half of the cultivated area was de-
voted to wheat and about 80 per cent
TO corn-these two crops taking up
about 80 per cent of the cultivated
land, another fact that was illumin-
ating. After studying this map, WISH
tors often became involved in rather
animated discussions as to whether IT
was typical of their neighborhoods
RMS would invariably lead to ques-
tlon1nS the man in charge and with
the result that a general, -for-all
agricultural conference was on prac-
tically all the while.
Work of Board.
a rack containing specimen pubIi-
cations of the board also attracted
much attention, and many were the
expressions of surprise at the vast lot
OF work the board had been doing for
Kansas in its nearly sixty years of
service. There were copies of Alfalfa
in Kansas Hogs in Kansas"
Wheat in Kansas" sheep in kan
sas THE Beef Steer" 1.-The Helpful
Hen" and many others covering
multitude of subjects relating to the
farms prosperity, on display, as well
as full set of annual and biennial
reports, embracing a complete, uni
form and authentic agricultural his
tory of Kansas for sixty years, and
such perhaps as no other state pos
sesses.
The substance of what a great many
visitors said, after looking over the
exhibit, was: II knew we had a fine
board of agriculture and that it was
doing a good work for Kansas and its
agriculture. but I never before had
any idea that it was doing so much
and along such practical, constructive
lines
Several thousand farmers registered
at the boards both to receive its pub
locations as issued in the future. A
map of the state showing by dots,
each dot representing 10000 acres,
where the wheat is grown, and an
other showing similarly where the
boards crop reporters are located,
were instructive.
A very tasty folder. especially pre-
pared to hand out TO visitors, giving
briefly big facts about Kansas was
distributed from the booth, and thou
the greatness of Kansas. 1t had a
page each for wheat, corn, alfalfa.
grain sorghums. beef cattle, swine,
dairying, poultry, horses, telling of
their productions, and in all it was
most effective bit of advertising for
the state.
so Years of Service
No visitor left this booth without
a better appreciation Of Kansas and its
board of agriculture. The board has
had an active participation in the de-
velopnent of Kansas for more than a
half century. In that time it has con-
sistently and systematically served
Kansas as a whole - devoting itself
with fidelity to the single purpose of
upbuiIding the state thru improving
its agriculture and kindred arts.