750 BOARD OF AGEICULTUBE. 



So you soe it is mucli better for the land wlien you sell the butter. 

 It really doesn't cost you anything, for you are building up the soil; 

 furthei-more; when you compare the dairy fields of central Illinois, and 

 those of the great corn belt in the northern part you will see that there 

 is a great difference in the land in favor of the dairy fields. They have 

 begun to realize that the dairy section can rai«e more corn than they do; 

 indeed this is a question worth thinlving about. No matter how rich 

 your soil may be, you can ruin it, just the same, as no matter how rich 

 a man may be if he continually takes from his bank account and does 

 not replenish it, some day he will reach the end. It is the same with 

 the soil. 



In Minnesota, the State in which I was born, the State has done a 

 great deal for itself through the dairy interests. We are not content 

 with just one dairy meeting, so we go out and hold county meetings. 

 We meet in one county one time, and the next time go to another county 

 and hold our meetings. We send circulars to the farmers and ask them to 

 come in and meet with us, and get them interested in the dairy cow, and 

 in this way Minnesota has made great strides from a State with a very 

 few creameries 10 years ago to one that now shows over 700. These meet- 

 ings cause a good deal of thought and interest. There are 18 townships in 

 Steel County and nine creameries, and every creamery receives a goodly 

 supply of milk. In that little county Inst year they sold more butter 

 than was ever sold in the history of Steel County before. They support 

 all of these creameries and make a good living. There was one time in 

 that State when the farmers had a time to keep their farms, they had 

 them mortgaged to such an extent. My father and I moved out of tliat 

 country and went to North Dakota, but we returned in about two years. 

 We came back and started in the co-operative creamery. Up to that 

 time it had been hard for the farmers to borrow money at the bank, 

 but after that when they went into the bank with milk oa their boots 

 and trousers, and asked them to loan them $100, the president would say 

 "Most assuredly." And if they came in dressed up nicely, without the 

 milk on their boots they were likely to be refused, for they couldn't 

 borrow $.5. The only trouble is that the farmers are not face to face 

 with the facts as they exist. They must understand that it is neces- 

 sary that they have nitrogen in their soil. If they will go to Pt^•due 

 University th(>y will toll them all about these things. The reason so many 

 people are failures Is because they do not understand their work. I may 

 be a little previous, but it seems to me that agriculture should be taught 

 in our (Common schools. When I was in school they never thought of 

 such a thing, and I never saw a text book on the subject until I was 

 about 17 years of age. When the farmer boys are in school, and expect 

 to be farmers, I think it is no more than right tliat this should be tatight. 

 Plants must have nitrogen, and children should be taught how they 

 can get It When you go Into the open market and buy it you have to 



