St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-16
THE EXPERIMENTAL FARM.

The report of the joint committees of
the state and county oranges, appointed to
visit the experimental farm connected with
the agricultural department of the state
university, confirms the statements hereto
fore made by the GLOBE in reference to the
successful management of the farm. For
some fneXplicable reason there had been a
disposition manifested in certain quarters
to cast Odium on the most successful, and,
so far as the agricultural interests of the
state are concerned, the only valuable de-
partment of the state university. 1t was
for the purpose of ascertaining the facts
and presenting to the public truthful
statement Of the condition of the expert
mental farm and all the details of its man
agement that representatives of the GLOBE
visited the farm and made care
full investigation of all matters pertaining to
it. The result of our observation was pub
lished at the time and the opinion expressed
that the foundation had been laid for MAX
ing the experimental farm department Of
exceedingly great value to the state. The
report of the grange committees is. in sub
stance, an approval of the practical manage
ment of the farm, and two important sug-
gestions. One is that quarterly bulletins be
issued giving the results of experiments
made and farm work done, and that these
bulletins be published in all the newspapers
of the state. The other suggestion is that
an elementary school be connected with
the farm at as early a day as
possible. AS is well known these sugges-
lions agree with Prof. PoRTER's opinions
concerning proper administration of this
department. In addition to being merely
an experimental farm it is also desirable
that it should be made training school for
farmers. AS a rule farmers do not want
their sons and daughters to go through the
classical and scientific classes of a university
course. They want them to have good
English education, with just enough of
scientific information to be useful in their
vocation. In other words, they desire an
application of that system of industrial edu-
cation which is now engaging the earnest
attention of all practical educators.
The suggestion that an elementary
school be established at the ex-
perimental farm is in the line
of Prof. PHELPS suggestion in his address
before the chamber of commerce that the
industrial arts be taught in the primary
schools. While the embryonic farmer is
learning his lessons in geography and arith-
metic and history let himself be learning
the principles by which the germ is devel-
oped into the plant, and at the same time
gaining practical information as to the
methods of planting and cultivating, as we'll
as knowledge of the elements of the soil
and the atmospheric conditions which are
to terminate the plant. These studies
can all go along right together,
and when he quits school he is a
good, practical farmer. AS agriculture is
ever to be the principal industry of Mime
sofa, it is all the more important that this
branch of industrial education should be
carefully provided for. The experimental
farm is now self-sustaining institution
1t forms the basis of a system of agricul-
tural education which will be of incalcula-
BILE benefit to the state and at comparatively
little cost. Instead of casting odium upon
it and being engaged in efforts to pull it
down, it is the duty of every citizen who
has the prosperity of the state at heart, and
its agricultural interests in particular. to
enter heart and soul into every scheme for
building it up and making it the agency of
good which it is destined to be, if suffi-
ciently encouraged and supported.