REPORT OF FlElvD AGENT, SEED IMPROVEMENT WORK. 4! 



During my visits to the farmers this summer, the following 

 points became apparent to me: 



First. The average farmer does not know the value of pure, 

 strong, selected seed of one variety. 



Second. Very few farmers know where to obtain such 

 seed and if they do know where to obtain it, they are not will- 

 ing to pay the necessary price. 



Third The average farmer will go to some expense and 

 much labor to prepare his land for a crop and then he will 

 plant as seed anything he can not sell. He does not know that 

 if he should use the best seed he could obtain, he would in- 

 crease the value of his crop 15 per cent to 75 per cent. 



Fourth. The ordinary farmer does not know how to select 

 his seed so as to increase and improve his crop. 



Fifth. The principles ordinarily applied to business are 

 used on the farm in only a very few cases, and as a result the 

 farmers do not know how much a crop costs them or how 

 much it is worth and in some cases they do not even know 

 how much they are getting. This is not business and as a 

 result of such methods the farmers very often lose when by a 

 little care, bookkeeping, and inquiring, they could turn to a 

 profit what is now a loss. 



THE VALUE OP HOME GROWN SEED. 



The value of growing their own seed is not understood by 

 many farmers. If the seed is grown at home, any danger of 

 bringing in new diseases is avoided and in the potato crop this 

 is worthy of much consideration. The seed becomes accus- 

 tomed to the climate and soil and larger and better crops will 

 result. This is especially true of corn. Seed grown at home 

 can be kept free from all weed seeds and seeds of other crops, 

 and varieties of the same crop. This is of great value in the 

 small grains and potatoes. 



Before seed should be grown at home, however, it is most 

 necessary to obtain a sort that is good. 



Good seed may be defined as seed that is of otic variety and 

 is superior in the foUoiving points: 



I. StiitahiUty for the conditions under zvhich it is to be 

 groivn. That is, seed should be adapted to the climate and soil 



