TENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VIII 377 



I took the farm twelve j'ears ago, very badly run clown. It had been 

 managed by tenants for about forty years. My present foreman had been 

 the last tenant on the farm for the two years previous. He informs me 

 that the average production of the farm today is at least double what it 

 was during his experience with it. My definition of a good farmer is 

 one who farms for the increase of fertility and who sees to it that the land 

 is supplied with elements of sufficient nutrition to make up for all the 

 losses in crop growing. 



In answering Gov. Hoard's letter, I stated that I would not want to 

 burden him or have his farm run over with visitors but that I would 

 like to see hundreds of our dairy farmers go there and observe the prac- 

 tical demonstrations that are given in such a manner that any intelli- 

 gent man could apply them on his own farm. 



If all the milch cows in this state produced on an average the same as 

 Gov. Hoard's cows, Iowa would be producing more than half the buuer 

 that is made in the United States, and the revenue would be increased 

 from dairying alone, over $50,000,000.00 annually. The Governor's farm- 

 ing is not only an inspiration to that particular community but it is an 

 inspiration to the whole state. 



There is no line of agricultural pursuit today that is better adapted 

 for conserving the fertility of our soil and at the same time gives greater 

 returns than dairying, and the State legislature has acted wisely in mak- 

 ing appropriations so as to encourage this line of work. 



My friend, Mr. W. W. Marsh of Waterloo, Iowa, I believe acquired 

 wealth and became famous through the cream separator that he manu- 

 factures. While these things are good so far as they go, the greatest 

 work that he has ever accomplished and a work that will hand his name 

 down as a benefactor to the state, is the fact that he gave $1,000 to es- 

 tablish test associations that w^ould enable our farmers to determine 

 whether their cow's were a source of profit or loss. 



These tests, or lessons of observation, must necessarily be a source ot 

 education to the participants. 



If the creameries of this country, whether co-operative, individual, or 

 so-called centralizers, would have a meeting sometime during the year at 

 a given place and bring in a few of the best cows and have someone 

 thoroughly posted on cow culture give the records and talk to the far- 

 mers on the importance of keeping such cows, I believe it would tend 

 more to create harmony and uplift the dairy business than anything else 

 that I could suggest. 



It is surprising how the civilized world today depends upon that little 

 country called Great Britain for the up-building of its herd with full 

 blooded stock. We import from that country horses, cattle, sheep and 

 swine. 



One of the greatest factors in building up the live stock industry in 

 Great Britain has been the agricultural show known as the "Royal Agri- 

 cultural Sliow." This show has been moved from place to place in the 

 British Isle, thereby bringing the fine stock to the people, instead oi ce- 

 pending upon the people to go to some central point to see the stock. 

 These demonstrations at their doors had the effect of stimulating an 

 interest and creating a desire for good stock among the people. 



