86 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



They have been perfecting the machinery for the manufacture of this 

 corn, this hay, this grass and this fodder, and all the forage crops and 

 all the feeds of the farm into the finished wholesome products. And it 

 takes but this simple and casual reference for us all to appreciate the dif- 

 ference between the use of a first-class machine in the manufacture of any 

 kind of product, and a poor machine, and that is what they have been do- 

 ing. Suppose that by reason of the improvement of our live stock which 

 this Association represents — the Missouri Live Stock Improvement As- 

 sociation, which embraces all the farm animals — suppose that by reason 

 of an improvement of the animals and machinery so as to get an increased 

 efficiency of the use of the beast by five per cent increase, what would it 

 mean? A five per cent increase now over and above what otherwise 

 might be had, would mean an increase of $10,000,000, yes, more than 

 that. It is easily possible to increase the efficiency of our feeds by feed- 

 ing them into animals that are capable and competent to give you good 

 results. It is easily possible to increase the efficiency to ten per cent. 



You know every time my friend Mr. Harned brings about a develop- 

 ment of his animals that will increase their intrinsic value as machines, 

 he has been helpful to the cattle industry of the entire State. That is 

 what he has done and is doing ; and my friend, the President of the Poul- 

 try Association, when he and his coworkers have increased the efficiency 

 of poultry they have upon the farm, when they have brought forward a 

 strain of chicks that will produce ten per cent greater product in eegs, 

 he has added a ten per cent increase, of $2,000,000 more. But I am get- 

 ting intc figures. However, it means a whole lot, that ten per cent, and 

 will any of you gentlemen tell me that it is not possible as between a 

 mongrel grade and mongrel management of poultry — that it is not pos- 

 sible to increase the production ten per cent? It is easily possible. It 

 requires brain work. Just one central thought, and the only one that I 

 intended to impress, that this Association will have for consideration 

 such propositions as shall lead her not only to the improvement of our 

 live stock all along the line, not only to do so ourselves, but to induce 

 others to improve the live stock. It is one thing to investigate and find 

 out the truth ; another thing to promulgate that truth and get it among 

 the people and get the people to accept these advanced propositions, and 

 this is one of the purposes- of the Association here, and this State Board 

 of Agriculture is standing behind these people and they will do the best 

 they can and will use their office as a propaganda for getting these ad- 

 vanced thoughts, these improved ideas out among the people. 



I will say just this to the Mayor. He made a statement awhile ago 

 that struck the key note. He said farming used to be a business. Farm- 

 ing is to-day not only a business, but it is more than a business. Farming 



