The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-01-22
Io be C0ntialued.
ANOTHER SCHOOL OF AGRICUL
TURE.
From the Milauaakes Sentinel. J

nosha county, gentleman well known
through his frequent contributions to
the agricultural journals
In discussing this question it is proper
to inquire what facilities we now have
to supply the need for general education
and for special agricultural education.
The college of agriculture connected
with our state university is as thorough
ly equipped to furnish an agricultural
education as any agricultural college in
any state of the Union. The object of a
college of agriculture is to teach those
sciences which are closely related to
agriculture, and which are not taught in
an ordinary college course. This fact is
indisputable-our common schools, our
high schools, our normal schools and
our state university, not to mention a
number of secular institutions, are equal
to all the demands of the people for the
general education of their sons and
daughters.
The PRESENT COLLEGE.
For a higher agricultural education
we have college of agriculture and the
experimental station connected with it.
1t teaches there agricultural chemistry,
or the chemical ANALYSIS of soils, ma
nures, plants, food, etc. 1t teaches agri-
cultural botany, Or the forms, classiGca-
ton and character of the plants grown
as crops. 1t teaches the anatomy and
physiology of farm animals, their care
in health, and restorative treatment in
disease. Students have the benefit of all
the scientific experiments made or being
made at the experimental farm. The
fall course of the agricultural college
embraces many other branches of study
not especially related to agriculture.
Thus far but the NJ crest excuse for mum
bers have attended the college of agri-
culture. You may ask the question
why SO few students have attended it.
I will answer it by asking another ques-
ton: Of what use is it to build another
college of agriculture when the one we
now have would accommodate forty
times as many pupils as it has ever had
1 think there are sufficient reasons
why so few have availed themselves OF
the facilities afforded at our college of
agriculture. Farming does not depend
largely for its success on professors OF
scientific agriculture. This is not be
cause what is taught is not useful and in
some way essential, but because the
practical part of what is taught can be
more easily learned in other ways and
from other sources. 1t is a fact, an in
disputable fact, and very Joyful fact,
too, that practical farming does not de-
pend for its success on an agricultural
college diploma. If it did there would
be no such thing as successful farmer
in this great commonwealth of Wiscon-
sin for, if l am correctly informed,
there is not practical farmer in the
state now farming who has won the di-
ploma Of our college of agriculture.
There is another reason: If young
man has time to devote to acquiring q
higher education he can gain greater
advantages to himself by mastering the
sciences related to the profession and to
other industries. IF young man finds
opening out before his expanding mind
other avenues than farming leading to
wealth, happiness or fame, it is his priv
lege to leave the field Of agriculture and
seek elsewhere.
WHAT Is SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE?
h The question occurs what is scientific
agriculture, or what is agricultural
science? Thousands of farmers have
asked themselves this question, but no
one has fully and satisfactorily answered
it. What we understand by the word
science is the facts and principles relat-
ing to any subject or thing. To illus
trate, take the facts relating to the cult
walton of clay land. fit is plowed WIN en-
wet, it becomes hard and lumpy in dry
ing. A hard, lumpy condition Of the
soil is a bad condition of the soil, and no
crop will grow well on land in that con-
dition. Clay lands should always be
plowed in the fall, and the burrows should
be placed on edge, leaving the surface
in rough state, so that the action of the
frost will put it in fine, mellow cnndi-
ton, for this condition is the most favor
able for the growth of the crop. Never
60 on to clay land either to pillow, harrow
or cultivate, when the soil is wet. There
are several known indisputable facts
relating to the treatment of clay lands
that are truly part of the science of
agriculture. The farmer who works in
accord with these facts may in this re-
gard DE called scientific farmer. A
farmer who works contrary to these facts
would be very unscientifc farmer. IF
these and similar facts were printed in
text book and taught theoretically by
scientific professor, on scientific salary,
it would be called scientific agriculture
at the expense of scientific tax payers.
The facts l have noted are known as
wide rs clay lands are found. Even
farmer who may be so ignorant of school
as not to be able to read and
write knows these facts as well as the
most competent agricultural college pro-
lessor In the United States. It is quite
likely he may know them far better, be-
calise some time in his experience he
has by the pressure of work fallen into
the temptation ofgetting on his land be-
fore it was dry enough to work right,
and has suffered from the disastrous
consequences. It is a fact in agriculture
that a good clover-field is one of the
cheapest and most healthful means Of
summering hogs. 1t is proved by the
of practical farmers that an
acre of good clover, with thrifty pigs to
grow on it, will produce 500 pounds of
good pork. Were any such facts as
these ever born of professor of agricul-
tural science? Not one. There are
hundreds Of such facts in agriculture
widely known in practical everyday
farming. 1t is the practical experience
ofintelligent farmers that has given birth
10 these facts which are the genuine
.eience of agriculture.
TIE PROFESSORS SCIENCE.
) We may ask now what is the profes-
sor's science of agriculture He has
made 8 study of the facts and laws of
and he knows all about
he science Of plants. He is an agricul-
.ural botanist, and viii give your SONS in
teresting and valuable lectures on agri-
cultural botany for a good round salary.
You think clover is a grass. He laughs
IN his sleeve at your ignorance and says
L o.