430 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



the scientific knowledge necessary to a rational understanding of suc- 

 cessful agricultural exploitation and are applying to their industry 

 the numerous benefits secured. Agriculture has again become re- 

 munerative, and the sons of farmers are remaining on the farms and 

 becoming proprietors themselves. Thus emigration to the cities has 

 become very rare in the last few years. 



This improvement in rural conditions has reflected to increase the 

 value of land. In 1895 arable land sold for $105 per acre, now it is 

 $162 per acre. Prairie land was $140, now it is $243. Heath land 

 was sold with difficulty in 1885 at from $4 to $1G per acre, while 

 now this same land, uncultivated, sells at from $16 to $56, and it is 

 not rare to see it sold for $64 per acre. 



In 1885 the average production per acre for two districts in Ant- 

 werp was: Wheat, 22.27 and 25.23 bushels; rye, 21.47 and 25.44 

 bushels ; oats, 44.53 and 47.5 bushels ; potatoes, 193 and 222.6 bushels. 

 To-day these two districts produce, respectively, wheat, 29.68 and 

 32.5 bushels; rye, 30 and 33.4 bushels; oats, 65.2 and 68.26 bushels; 

 potatoes, 296.9 and 291.5 bushels. In the space of 25 years the money 

 value of the annual products of these four crops has increased 

 $559,200 for the first district and $1,850,000 for the second. When 

 all farm products, such as live stock, truck vegetables, fruits, etc., 

 •are considered, the increase is even vastly more apparent, since great 

 advances have recently been made along these lines of production. 



The extension supervisors haA^e contributed much to the general 

 rise and increased vigor in agi'icultural production. By their nu- 

 merous conferences and personal consultations, and also by the 

 demonstration fields organized by them in every community, they 

 have enlisted the cultivators in the path of progress. 



At the time of the establishment of extension supervisors in 1885^ 

 chemical fertilizers were practically unknown to the cultivators, the 

 only commercial fertilizer being guano from Peru, which was subject 

 to adulteration and but little used. A very few men were experi- 

 menting with nitrate of soda, but as this was applied alone and with- 

 out the use of potash and phosphate, and consequently injured the 

 soil, it was with great difficulty that they were finally convinced of 

 the beneficial results secured by the use of chemical fertilizers when 

 rationally employed. However, the supervisors accomplished a 

 change of attitude in a remarkably short time by their conferences on 

 fertilizing the soil, personal consultations, and numerous demonstra- 

 tions and experiments in the fields. To-day chemical fertilizers are 

 used in large quantities, but they are mixed by the planters them- 

 selves to suit their particular needs. 



A great change has taken place in regard to the employment of 

 farm implements. Wliile in 1885 the farmers seldom had other im-. 

 plements than the simplest plows and harrows and churns run by a 



