St. Paul daily globe., 1895-11-22

then called to the chair, and presented
a paper on the agricultural Educa-
ton of the Northwest
Few, perhaps, of the members of this
convention are farmers, but all are, to
some extent, directly interested in the
results of agriculture. This is a gath
ering of men from the great agricult-
ural district of the Northwest, and the
subject upon which | am TO speak is
one that bears directly on and largely
influences the results of agricultural
industry. 1.-The dominant industry of
our Northwest has been and always
will be that of agriculture; success or
failure of THAI great industry means
much TO all who are dependent on 1t.
Agricultural education is of particular
and practical value at this time of
changing conditions that demands the
service of the best intelligence TO make
the work of agriculture a success.
This education Is one that is especially
adapted to the industrial needs of the
agricultural classes, it gives special
technical, practical preparation for in
Telligent work ON the farm, one that
will carry with it the same earnest
ness, delight and enthusiasm that at
tacheS to work in all professions re-
quiring investigation and experiment
to make them successful. The import
ance OF the agricultural industry of
our country and the value of special
education in relation to 1t is especially
ing annual appropriations in the sum
of nearly two millions of dollars to aid
in the support of agricultural colleges
and experiment stations, for inStruc-
ton, experimentation, and dissemina-
ton of knowledge gained for the Spe-
cial benefit of the agricultural classes
in fact it is the only industry thus
directly fostered by the government.
In the carly settlement of our North
west it was supposed that nothing but
wheat pNnl1 he raised conditions fa-
vored theldea; wheat fields increased
in number and area, working Westward
with the building of the great trans
continental railways now centering in
this city; wheat became the dominant
crop; men of capital saw in it great
promise of gain, bonanza farms were
opened and operated, no special edu-
cation seemed necessary to fit one for
the work of this So-called farming; it
needed only plenty of capital, the use
of machinery and the management Of
men. For a time all worked well, land
was cheap, new and rich, climatic con-
ditionS were favorable, home and for
eign demand required all that was
raised, prices were good-but of late
years some of these conditions have
changed; now we find reduced fertility
of soil on long-cultivated fields; more
varied climatic conditions, competition
by the newly developed wheat fields of
Russia, India, and Argentina; reduced
of cost of production, all combine to
force farmers of all classes to study
The ways that will best meet these
changed conditions. 1t is right here
that the value of agricultural educa-
ton is recognized, and it is within the
scope of the agricultural colleges and
experiment stations to teach what is
now sought to be known.
They are for the purpose of affording
practical education in agriculture and
the sciences that bear directly on all
industrial arts and pursuits; the appli-
cation OF science to practical agricult-
ure in the field. The work of the ex-
pertinent stations is. in the lines of in
Vestigation OF what the farmer, under
the changing conditions that now gov
ern his work, should know.
Experiment station work is, briefly
stared, a regular business of discovery
for use in farming. Ito promote agri-
culture by scientific investigat ton and
experiment, to increase and diffuse the
knowledge which improves farm prac-
tlce and elevates farm life
But the agricultural colleges and eX-
pertinent stations are doing more for
the farmers than showing them how to
improve their lands, increase their
crops and make money. These and
other institutions of like character are
open to all, tuition is free, and all of
the varied and attractive inducements
that our great Northwest can offer to
the agricultural and industrial classes
of the overcrowded East and of the
Old World, there is not one that will
be of more value to them than the op-
portuniIies given to acquire the practi-
cal education so necessary to the full
measure of success in the battle of life.
/ would be glad to speak more in de-
tail of the work of the agricultural
schools in our Northwest and what
agricultural education is doing for the
great mass of the tillers of the soil and
others of the industrial classes so
closely connected with them; how the
advances in intellectual life, the broad
er ideas coming with educat ton, the
breaking down of the walls of distinc-
ton, that have so long stood between
the people of town and country, and
many things of like nature are all ten
ding to elevate the plane of life and to
dignity the work of our farmers, but
the mass of work yet before this con-
vention warns me not to treSpasS
longer on valuable time.