404 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



by the pupils of both rural and city schools, and samples of the corn 

 grown by boys" corn clubs and similar organizations, as avoII as b}^ 

 individuals. Many of these entries were extremely suggestive as in- 

 dicative that appeal is being made with success to the farmer of the 

 future as Avell as of the present. 



The educational value of the corn exhibit was much enhanced by 

 an ingenious arrangement through which the racks were so con- 

 structed as to make it possible to see every ear entered. Significant, 

 indeed, was the very evident improvement in quality' which has Ijeen 

 brought about during the past few years. Hundreds of entries of 

 large, Avell-matured, uniform sam2)les, of rich color and high i)ropor- 

 tion of kernel to cob, met the eye in bewildering profusion and ren- 

 dered extremely difficult the rating of the samples by the judges. In 

 the wheat section there was not only an exhibit of improved types 

 and strains, but the judging of the various samples themselves was 

 also supplemented by milling and baking tests, thereby acquainting 

 the grower in a practical way with the requirements and point of 

 view of the miller and the consumer. 



The object lessons from the exhibits were explained and empha- 

 sized anew by a large corps of lecturers and demonstrators. The 

 speakers included men prominent in state and national affairs, a long 

 list of scientists from this Department and the agricultural colleges 

 and experiment stations, and many experts engaged in various com- 

 mercial jDhases of the industries. Xot infrequentlv the audience 

 taxed the capacity of the two lecture halls which were available. A 

 special feature was a two-day session of the Commission on Country 

 Life, in which farmers, agricultural editors, professional and busi- 

 ness men and many others participated. 



The third day of the exposition was set aside by the management 

 as Agricultural College Day, and special trains brought several hun- 

 dreds of students from the nearby States for the occasion. But to a 

 large degree the name might well have been applied to each and every 

 day of the exposition, so prominent was the influence of these institu- 

 tions and so apparent the confidence and esteem with which their 

 work was regarded. In the main auditorium a prominent section 

 was reserved for their special exhibits, twelve institutions presenting 

 illustrative material with reference to their Avork both in general 

 and Avith particular reference to those phases relating to crop im- 

 provement. Thus, Illinois showed that the protein content of corn 

 could be increased by selection ; Ohio that wheat must be improved 

 by selection and not by the fanning mill ; Indiana compared the re- 

 sults of continuous cropping with rotation in wheat growing; and 

 Wisconsin showed how through the State Experiment Association 

 improved seed has been distributed in the State. The Iowa and 



