30 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



ture aud ha^e employed graduates of the college to carry on this work. 

 After a careful investigation, we are firmly of the opinion that the teach- 

 ing of agriculture can be brought to a larger number of young people 

 and in equally as satisfactoiy manner through our high schools as 

 C(mld be accomplished by the organization of separate agricultural 

 schools. If instruction in elementary agriculture is ever to become 

 anything like universal throughout the state, it must be made a part of 

 our public school education. The introduction of agriculture in our higli 

 schools is very promising, and we believe that this action on the part of 

 the college Avill result in great good to the agricultural interests of the^ 

 state. The college has also made an effort to assist the farmers during 

 the past year by placing in the field three men Avho give their entire 

 time to the interests of the farmer. Mr. W. F. Kaven has under the 

 direction of the Dean of our Agricultural Department during the past 

 year organized about twenty Breeder's Associations. These associa- 

 tions are incorporated for a term of thirty years. The object is to in- 

 duce farmers and especially dairymen to use pure bred sires. Each 

 association is required to purchase not less than three registered sires. 

 These are shifted every two years, which makes it necessary to purchase 

 new sires once in six years. The members of each association must own 

 forty females for each sire, or one hundred and twenty in all. Some 

 of the associations are much larger. One having purchased eighteen 

 sires; another nine, etc. It is safe to say that these twenty associations 

 have purchased at least one hundred registered sires during the past 

 year. These associations have led to the purchase of registered sires 

 by many individuals. It is claimed that as a result of this movement 

 fully as many sires have been purchased by individuals as by the asso- 

 ciations. It is probable that not less than two hundred registered sires 

 have been purchased this year as the result of Mr. Eaven's work. The 

 greatest good that will come from these organizations will be the result 

 of continuous breeding by dairymen along one line. It is predicted that 

 in a few years this movement Avill lead to the development of high grade 

 herds throughout the state. It is also destined to produce other favor- 

 able results. Many members of these associations are purchasing one 

 or more registered"^ females, and are starting in to develop thorough- 

 bred herds. It will also result in developing certain breeds in certain 

 localities. One section will breed Jerseys, another Holsteins, another 

 Guernseys, etc. This Avill center the interest of a community on one 

 breed, which is found to be a great advantage in the way of marketing 

 surplus stock. 



Our field men in horticulture and soils while at work only during 

 the last few months of the year have created considerable interest, and 

 the outlook for their work in the future is very promising. The college 

 in carrying this work to the farmers is properly fulfilling one of its 

 important Ifunctions, and Avill we believe by so doing, receive the hearty 

 approval of its constituency. 



