SKVKRANCK ON (^ItOI' I Ml 'KOVKMKNT. «-^ 



some of its specimens th<' student would find added interest; the knowl- 

 edjie thus gained should remain with him lonj-er in view of the daily 

 sight and sound of like subjects. We believe this ((uestion is parallel to 

 the line of modern educational development. 



May we not go a step further? In our modern tyi)e8 of animals we find 

 much that gratifies the artistic sense; beauty of curve, outline, and pro- 

 portion, and in many cases, of color are found in perfection. What more 

 is wanted in the subject for the pen and pencil of the artist or the 

 painter's color? Since the days of Paul Potter to the rich full years of 

 Rosa Bonheur many have labored in vain to truthfully portray animal 

 life and character. It is admittedly the most difficult study in this field 

 of art. Otherwise should we find but one brush to do it justice in a 

 century. To one familiar with animal life here lies an infinite field for 

 work on canvass and in black and white. 



THE NECESSITY AND POSSlBILPriES VOU CTIOP IMPROVE 



MENT IN MTCHIOAN. 



liV GKORGK SBVKRANCIO. 



Stock breeders pretty generally recognize that bi-eeding is as important 

 a factor in increasing profits in animal production as are feeding and 

 environment. Its importance and its principles have been preached 

 and practiced for years until few men who consider themselves stock- 

 men would think of getting best returns if they ignored the problem of 

 breeding. Even those who simply feed what others have bred, recognize 

 the value of blood when purchasing their feeders. In this regard it seems 

 to me crop growers are several years behind stockmen. With the ex 

 ception of seedsmen and a few large growers of special crops, com- 

 mercial producers confine their attention pretty strictly to the prob- 

 lems of increasing the fertility of the soil and better tillage. As far as 

 the seed itself is concerned the chief question is, "Does the seed possess 

 good vitality ?" 



In the early development of our state conditions itither encouraged 

 such neglect and economy seemed to favor the system. The land was 

 rich and any kind of vigorous seed would produce abundant returns. 

 If one acre did not produce enough, another acre could easily be secured. 

 Ten dollars expended on more new land might perhaps double or treble 

 itself, while if applied to land already tilled in the form of better tillage 

 and time spent in improving and selecting seed it might pay only a good 

 interest. With the more complete settlement of the good farming lands 

 of the State, changes have been brought about that demand a change in 

 our methods of crop production. (.Continuous cultivation and careless 

 systems of cropping have on the one han<l greatly reduced the fertility of 

 our land, while at the same time the increase of population and the 

 attendant decrease in readily available government land, desirable for 

 farming purposes have increased the value till the gross receipts per acre 

 and the cost of production come perplexingly near to balancing. Tillage, 

 that on the virgin soil would bring highly remunerative crops, now fails 



