10 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



HELPFUL MEASURES NEEDED FOR FUTURE SUCCESS 



These may be considered under two heads: First, such as are 

 dependent upon legislation, and prominent among these I would 

 name the following: 



(a) A good State Fair under State control, if possible, but if not 

 possible, let it be under corporate control, the chief thing being 

 to have it. 



(b) Legislative provision requiring certain valuable agricultural 

 statistics to be taken by township assessors, to be tabulated by Com- 

 missioners' clerks and sent, at the proper season, by the County 

 Commissioners to the Secretary of Agriculture. 



(c) Better public roads over which farmers may be able, at less 

 cost, to get their products to railroads and local markets. 



(d) Stringent laws for protection of sheep, poultry and other 

 farm animals from injury from dogs. 



(e) Rural high schools in every school district or township of 

 the State, in which the elementary principles of the science of agri- 

 culture are taught. 



Second: Measures needed for improvement dependent upon farm- 

 ers themselves. These are practically innumerable, but prominent 

 among them I shall mention: 



(a) More intensive farming. Better cultivation, including soil 

 preparation, seed-breeding and selection; also including harvesting 

 and preparation for market. One of the greatest mistakes made by 

 farmers of the present period is the attempt to do more than they 

 are able, with their limited help, to do well. 



(b) Those engaged in stock breeding should discard mongrels, 

 and "stock up" with pure-bred animals, not all at once of course, but 

 by degrees as they are able. The cost of raising a pure-bred animal 

 is less than that of raising a mongrel, and its value to the farmer 

 in many instances is more than double that of the latter. 



(c) More attention to construction of farm buildings so as to 

 provide for the comfort of inmates and minimize the cost of keep- 

 ing everything in proper order. 



(d) Careful study of crop rotation, selecting only such as are 

 best suited to most available markets and soil and climatic condi- 

 tions. 



(e) Some arrangement for giving to farmers' boys and girls a 

 personal and money paying interest in what is produced, so as to 

 increase their interest in the farm and its operations, which is, in 

 my judgment, the most available means of keeping them on the farm. 

 Johnnie's calf and dad's steer when the buyer comes, will dishearten 

 the best boy on earth. 



Such suggestions for improvement are not original with any one 

 man, but all, and many more that might be made, are apparent to 

 every one having experience with farm conditions and practical 

 knowledge of farm life. 



