10 July, 1918.] Agriculture in America. 395 



13. In addition, studies have been made of farm management 

 problems in Iowa, marketing problems, pruning and spraying of fruit 

 trees, production of red clover and alfalfa seed, organisms responsible- 

 for the preservation and fermentation of silage, crown gall of apples,, 

 fusarium in corn, canker in apples. The results are summarized in 

 bulletins. 



14. Experiments are in progress for the wintering of pregnant sows 

 and ewes, dry-lot rations for swine, feeding of sows with litters, heredity 

 experiments with swine. I have secured progress reports of these. 



15. Investigations are being made of the effect of calcium, protein, 

 and phosphorus fed pregnant swine, and sheep on the size, vigour, bone, 

 and condition of the offspring, and the maintenance requirements of 

 lean and fat cows. 



The State College of Iowa has reason to be proud of its achievements 

 and its work. It has done much to raise the standard of agriculture 

 in the corn belt, and the farmers and politicians of Iowa liberally 

 support the institution. 965 students, the majority farm lads, are 

 taking a four-year course in Agriculture for the degree. 115 graduates 

 are securing a two-years' extra training for higher degrees. 213 lads" 

 are taking the non-collegiate course in Agriculture because they could 

 not reach the standard for entrance to the College. 2,469, mostly 

 farmers, availed themselves of short courses of one to two months 

 during the winter. 683 took the summer school courses in Agriculture. 

 So you will see that a total of 4,232 received instruction in Agriculture 

 at the College last year. This for a population of 2,250,000 people. 



The Extension Staff, with the aid of 98 county agents, are now being 

 employed to carry the teaching and message of the College to the 

 farmer's back door. Do you remember, three years ago, Mr. Ilughes 

 speaking at the University, and stating that he intended to create an 

 organization, the object of which would be to carry a steady flow of 

 scientific knowledge past every citizen's house, so that any one thirsting 

 for knowledge might be able to dip his pannikin in the stream as it 

 flowed by his back door? Well, Iowa has an organization like that. 

 It first, through its Experiment Station, delved for the truth, studied 

 the relation between cause and effect in agricultural phenomena in 

 the corn belt, and gradually accumulated a mass of information of the 

 highest potential value for the producers. Simultaneously, it began to 

 teach what truths it had found, together with the knowledge accumu- 

 lated at other centres. After several decades of waiting for recognition 

 and appreciation, the College has now come into its own. It is crowded 

 with students, and finds itself compelled to create an organization — the 

 Extension Department — to carry the truths and the lessons to every 

 farmer's back door. It is a vitalizing, Hfe-giving stream of knowledge 

 that flows from Iowa, because it arises from the fount of experience 

 and systematic experimentation. It is definite, systematic knowledge^ 

 technical, scientific, bearing on every-day problems, and the farmers 

 appreciate it, for every county has its county agent, and no county 

 agent is appointed unless the local authorities pay his expenses, includ- 

 ing travelling, automobile, stenographer's, and office expenses. More- 

 over, the farmers are required to pay regular dues towards the expenses, 

 of operating the Farm Bureaux. 



