The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1893-01-12
FAKnEH.' INSTITUTES.

There seems 10 be . movement
gaining ground IN this state TO have
the professors Of the sgI icultursl col
Iege mold Institutes Ia the several
counties Of the state, wherein the
professors will give practical exposi.
lions Of their knowledge for the
benefit Of the farmers. This IN q
good scheme. II there In any thing
OF practical good known TO the ia
Guilty IL should be impaired 10 the
farmers Of the state. The state In
liberal In providing for the educa-
tionai Interests OF the state for the
benefit Of the states people and they
are entitled TO have tina knowledge.
The tendency Of the age IL to bring
the schools 10 the people when the
people cannot 20 to the schools. We
have it already exemplified in the
University Extension lectures. IL
10 . be1efcent Ides and enjoys de.
served and growing popularity. We
have agricultural societies, horti-
cultural societies, farmers alliances,
dairymen's, live stock aud poultry
associations, all potent factors for
good in their own way, but still we
have not yet reached out and secured
what already lays unused at our feet,
viz. the knowledge aud experience
OF those who devote their whole
time and talents to lettering the con-
ditions and methods Of agriculture.
The practical farmer knows that he
must study TO improve and expert
ment to gain. He already pays men
and wome to perform this service
for the benefit OF bis children. Now
it certainly would be no violation Of
propriety or good sense for him to
lay hold OF some Of the practical
benefit himself.
The months Of January and Feb
ruary are usually the ones when
such institutes can be held with the
most profit, aud two or three days,
say every two years, In each country,
would do first rate. Let the farmers
know something OF the soil, what IL
IL, and how IL IL made, and what II
IL good for. Let them have the
benefit Of the experience the agri-
cultural college folks have attained
in feeding steers, pruning grape vines
and killing weeds. Let the profess
ore tell the farmers wives what is
contained In butter. and what lie good
for facial neuralgia in chickens.
There are many questions that
would recur to the farmers mind he
would like to have answered. and
which he neglects to seek informa-
ton. The agricultural college pro-
feesors could answer these, undoubt-
edly, and the beneficent influences
Of schooling brought home to the
hardworking. taxpsying farmer.
Yes, the farmer would thus see the
gooi Of laying out money for schools,
and he would become their staunch
friend and supporter. The only rea-
son why the agricultural school 10
not better patronized than now IL
because the masses do not under
stand its capabilities and its good
works. The college officials issue n
dry statistical bulletin un the effect
OF chinch bugs on the marsh hay
crop, or the Rise and Fall OF Bolts In
Kansas horses These are sent to
lazy newspaper men, who use them
for newspaper wrappers, aud there IL
ends. Let Us have Farmers Iustit-
utes-the farmers university ex-
tension. Aud 10 any Of our farmer
friends wish to reciie q few lines on
this sui ject or any other proper
subject let US remind them at this
time that the columns OF the Jour-
NAL are freely open to them.