30 



DRY-FARMING CONGRESS, WICHITA, 1914 



from grain-raising is this year as great as it would be during the average 

 year. 



Progress in Agricultural Production. 



Minnesota has long been known as a grain-raising state. During the 

 past decade a gradual transformation has been made from grain-raising to 

 livestock-raising. Crops have been diversified and many of the grain fields 

 are now broken up in pastures and cornfields. The most marked progress 

 during the past year has been the increase in acreage of alfalfa grown and 

 in the production of corn. From an acreage of 2000 to 5000 acres of alfalfa 

 a year ago, we have an estimated acreage this year of 25,000 acres, and the 

 reports from all sections of the state indicate a splendid stand and the 

 probability that this crop will succeed as well as have clovers and timothy 

 succeeded in the past. The inoculated fields especially are showing up well 

 and the knowledge gained in the method of handling the crop will be a 

 great factor in increasing the acreage even more rapidly in the future. 

 This rapid spread of alfalfa is due to the organization of extensive work in 

 agriculture and to the efforts of county agents in many parts of the state. 

 While 25,000 acres is a small area in a state containing 54 million acres, 

 70 percent of which is at present tillable, it marks an increase of 400 

 percent in alfalfa-growing in Minnesota and the interest in the crop is in 

 proportion to the increase. 



The impetus of alfalfa-growing is almost paralleled in the production 

 of corn. While the percent of increase is not so great between last year 

 and the present year, the increase during the past decade is decidedly 

 large. Upon a 2 million acreage last year we secured a yield of 40 bushels 

 per acre. It is estimated that here is an acreage of 2,600,000 this year, and 

 that the crop is as good or better than last year. One hundred and fifteen 

 to 125 million bushels of corn should be harvested in Minnesota this year 

 from the present indications. The increase of two such crops as alfalfa 

 and corn can hardly fail to imply an increase in the production of livestock. 

 While the statistics are not available at the present time for this year's 

 production, the interest in livestock and the agitation given to livestock 

 raising indicate a growth in this direction. Dairying, always a strong in- 

 dustry in Minnesota, has made material growth. Swine-raising and beef 

 cattle feeding have received more attention during the past year than has 

 been given at any time during the past decade. These branches of live- 

 stock raising' are bound to increase where the acreage of alfalfa and corn 

 are increasing and where climatic and soil conditions are so favorable to 

 the production of forage crops as they are in Minnesota. 



Progress in Better Living for Rural People. 



It is not enough that progress is made in agricultural production. 

 The object of greater agricultural production is better living for the rural 

 people who live in the open country. In this direction Minnesota has 

 made a greater progress than in the matter of agricultural production. 

 Better living in the country follows better education of the people. That 

 the people from the farms are demanding better education is indicated in 



