10 WHEAT CULTUEE. 



of the business of the Department of Agriculture. That 

 Department should, long before this, have adopted the 

 practice of sending thousands of circulars to intelligent 

 practical farmers in all wheat-growing portions of the 

 nation, submitting interrogatories and requests for an- 

 swers, in order to obtain statements and reports of the 

 largest yield, and the average yield, per acre of wheat in 

 each locality, together with the details of the modes and 

 conditions under which large yields and poor yields were 

 produced, also the kind of seed and soil employed in 

 the operation, and then publish the replies. 



Such reports and details would afford highly practical 

 and useful lessons, and aid others in obtaining higher re- 

 sults by such examples ; but probably we shall not have 

 such practical service from the Department of Agricul- 

 ture very soon ; at least, not until the agricultural papers 

 everywhere speak out, and the farming community rise 

 up in their might and demand the appointment of an 

 earnest, honest, capable agriculturist to fill the important 

 position of Commissioner, one who is not a speculator, 

 seeking eclat, and who will have more regard for the best 

 interests of agriculture than for his own purse and noto- 

 riety. Such an official would make the Department a 

 benefit to the farmers. 



Of the vast and vital importance of agriculture Mr. 

 William Saunders some time ago wrote: "At no time 

 in our nation's history, more than at the present, has there 

 been greater necessity for the encouragement by Govern- 

 ment of this 'Art of Arts' Agriculture which is the 

 foundation of wealth and greatness ; for to that source 

 we must look for the means of paying the national debt. 

 It is the fountain whence must flow that material aid 

 without which it is impossible for civilized peoples to 

 exist." 



Nothing is truer than the above remark. The farmer 

 feeds all, and he pays most of the Government expenses ; 



