300 Plant-Breeding 



State plant-breeding associations. One of the most 

 significant advances in popular interest in plant improve- 

 ment is the banding together of persons in many of the 

 states and provinces in an organized effort to improve 

 plants, especially field crops. This line of effort has been 

 largely brought about at the suggestion of some officer 

 of the state agricultural college, who is often an expert 

 plant-breeder himself, and usually acts as secretary of the 

 association. These associations have done great good 

 in arousing interest in plant-breeding. 



The Wisconsin Association, known as the Wisconsin 

 Agricultural Improvement Association, was established 

 Feb. 22, 1901, and now has a paid-up membership of 

 over 2000 persons, consisting of "all former, present, and 

 future students and instructors of the Wisconsin College 

 of Agriculture," also " any person residing within the state 

 having completed a course in agriculture in any college 

 equivalent to that given by the Wisconsin University." 

 More recently the county agricultural schools have been 

 admitted to membership and honorary members may be 

 elected by a majority vote at any annual or special meet- 

 ing of the association. 



The association has organized some 44 county sub- 

 orders, which are smaller units conducting an active 

 work in more restricted areas. These county orders con- 

 tain approximately 4000 members. Any one interested in 

 agriculture may unite with the county order. They have 

 become live centers which stand behind all agricultural 

 activities and lend a helping hand in making agricultural 

 and other resources of the county known far and near. 

 As a result of the association there has been established 



