Report of Missouri Farmers' Week. 73 



wanted to give could not be rendered in so short a time, and this 

 led to the arrangement for a week's program and the adoption of 

 the name "Farmers' Week," and the first meeting under the 

 new name was held January, 1906, under the auspices of the 

 State Board of Agriculture. If there is a farmer in the State 

 who has not heard something of the Board of Agriculture and 

 College of Agriculture through Farmers' Week, it is because he 

 does not read the papers, for it would be hard to find a paper 

 that has not given wide publicity to this annual farmers' round- 

 up. 



Those familiar with the growth of the Agricultural College 

 know that one of the great factors influencing such growth has 

 been the direct results of Farmers' Week. It was largely through 

 the influence of the men who had attended these meetings that 

 the Legislature made the appropriation for the $100,000 new 

 agricultural building which now adorns the campus of the State 

 University, as well as for the large appropriations for betterments 

 of the college and Experiment Station. The Board of Agricul- 

 ture first suggested these appropriations and, with only passive 

 support from the University authorities, fought them through 

 the Legislature, and we are proud of the fact that the agricul- 

 tural department has become, in many respects, the greatest of 

 all the departments of our great State University. 



One of the great features of Farmers' Week is the State 

 Corn Show, which has grown in ten years from a small show of 

 very common corn to a magnificent show of almost perfect 

 exhibits, and it is recognized as one of the leading shows of the 

 United States. A more recent feature is the ham and bacon 

 show, which is destined to restore to the farms the good old 

 practice of making nice, sweet hams and bacon, and while it may 

 rob millionaire packers of a little of their profit, it will keep more 

 money in the pockets of the farmers to be used in building better 

 homes, better schools and better roads. Another feature of 

 Farmers' Week which has a great future is the Rural Life Con- 

 ference, which was organized by W. L. Nelson^ Assistant Secre- 

 tary of the Board, as was also the ham and bacon show. This 

 Rural Life Conference, if supplemented with community clubs 

 all over the State, will prove a great influence for better schools 

 and roads and for all those better things of life for which we are 

 all seeking. 



The great success of Farmers'* Week has been due, first, to 

 the cause, and second, to the hearty co-operation of the officers 



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