Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 March 1915 — LINCOLN'S FARM POLICY [ARTICLE]

LINCOLN'S FARM POLICY

From Address Made at Milwaukee Sept 30th, 1859. tlonal Crop Improremtnt Service.! JF, other human occupation opens so wide a field for the profitable and agreeable combination of labor with cultivated thought, as agriculture. Population must increase rapidly, more rapidly than in former times, and ere leug the most * valuable of all arts will be the art of deriving subsistence from the smallest area of soil. No community whose every me,uber possesses this art can ever be the victim of oppression in any of its forms. Such community will alike be independent of c.-owned kings, money ’tings and land kings.

A FARM CLEAN-UP DAY. Assistant Secretary W. L. Nelson of the Missouri State Board of Agriculture is the author of the “Farm CleanUp Day” idea. He suggests that on a stated day or days, every farmer clean up around his buildings and elsewhere within his premises. The work ought to be done on a large scale the same as spring house-clean-ing. Such a day in the spring will doubtless appeal to County Agents everywhere. It will be up to the Community Clubs to insure the success of such a movement. A Clean-Up Day <n the spring and Farm Dress Parade in the fall will certainly make an ideal combination.

FUNCTION OF FARM CLUBS. When the time comes for the farmers’ club to expand, the logical thing to do would be to form a federation of farmer?: clubs, prefexably a county federation working in harmony wife the recognized agricultural leaders of that county, each club retaining its individuality. When we have progressed ;hus tar it is time euongh to think of more ambiticu*- extension of the v. r ork. We advise the advocates of the farmers’ club movement to stick close to the work w’deh has been proven practical and successful, namely “community betterment.” ‘lt anyone proposes to adopt your farmers’ club, Ifet them show what they can do before you give up the identity of your organization and then think it over carefully before you act. —The Farmer.

GOOD ROADS RAISE VALUES. Gladwin county, Michigan, is taking steps to comply with the Michigan „ road law in starting permanent road improvement. In discussing their particular problem it is brought out from government reports that the increase in farm values would more than pay the cost. The lowest increase was $6.47 per acre. This was for the state of Indiana and the estimates were trade by the farmers themselves. Considering this fact with the decreasing ccst of marketing, good roads should be the county issue everywhere. «

LIME DISTRIBUTORS. County agents everywhere are doing wonders in correcting land acidity by the use of lime and Improving soil fertility by the use of different fertilizers. The application of these materials is often a problem. The fertilizer distributor seems to be the best solution. The International Harvester company has kindly offered to furnish and demonstrate a machine, and to supply an expert to run it, to any organization which may apply for such a demonstration, when a field meeting J on this subject is being held. It isa good plan to demonstrate eveiy thing of this nature in the field, in order to find out what methods are best.

COUNTY AGT. NOT A SALESMAN. “Some persons feel that relations v ith buying-and-selling efforts lie outside the function of the farm bureau agent; but I. am not prepared to accept this view. T think that the agent should not himself act of buyer or seller in any case; he should not be an officer in any commercial organization; he should not handle funds; but I am convinced that he may attempt to discover where such co-operating j roups are needed, and that he may give information as to the best means l' establishing and operating them. The cooperators may constitute themselves into a buying organization or they may trade through the regular dealers. The responsibility of the business relations should lie with the people or with their regularly established commercial representatives.”— Dr. L. H. Bailey.

SCHOOLS TEST CLOVER SEED. W. E. McCoy, agent, Decatur county, Ind.: One of the most impoitant phases of the work this past month has been the testing of clover seed for purity and germination, by children in the public schools of the county. Purity ranged from 74 per cent to 99 per cent, while germination ran from 42 per cent to 98 per cent. In some cases farmers having poor seed were advised by the children of the fact and several sold the bad seed and bought seed that had tested out well. This emphasizes the necessity of testing seed when buying. Corn and poultry club work is progressing very satisfactorily. —Purdue Agriculturist,