Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1897-12-17
EDUCATING FARMERS.
Not Every Farmer Can be Educated In an
Agricultural College.


Agricultural College,
Under the most favorable conditions
and most liberal policy on The part of
the state, only n small proportion of
farmers can be educated in agriculture
al schools. The agricultural and me
chanical colleges may be said to edu-
cate a small portion of the coming
generation only, while large major
ity of the farmers. too old to attend
agricultula al colleges, but not too old
to learn, are as much in need OF in
struction rs the boys who are to be the
farmers hereafter Most of the states,
even those not counted as agricultural
states, have made provision whereby
all farmers who will may learn all that
is embraced in the combined wisdom of
the best farmers in the different coun-
ties OF districts They have provided
for the systematic holding OF insti
tutes, such as have been found SO use
full TO teachers, that wherever public
schools are provided teachers insti-
tutes are held to be necessary feature
of the sehool system. Farmers insti-
tutes are held TO be necessary feature
of the school system. Farmers insti.
tutes are as useful TO farmers as teach-
ers' institutes to teachers. So true is
this that we do not hesitate TO say that
there has never been scheme tried or
suggested that has been so beneficial
to agricultural committees as farmers
institutes, where the farmers of a CON.
munity meet together for the purpose
of asking and answering questions per.
tanning to their vocation and OF mals-
ing every ones experience and knowl-
edge common property. In a certain
community in Wyoming there was one
farmer who regularly, year after year,
made from 45O to 800 bushels of pota-
toes per acre, while his neighbors were
| growing from $50 to 200 bushels. At a
farmers institute this farmer was
called on 10 explain his method of
growing potatoes. The result is that
now they all do it, aud that county
has become famous and farmers pros.
porous from this special crop, one man
making this year s55 bushels on an
acre, winning prize of 500 therefor
1t has often been remarked that one
progressive farmer moving into q
neighborhood of unthrifty and unsuc
cessful ones causes revolution in
methods among his immediate neigh.
bors. His example is contagious, and
his neighbors profit by it. The intiu
ence Of farmers institute is similar
but much broader; it reaches all who
have enough desire for information tt
influence their attendance. And more
than this: Facts are brought out in in
stitutes that would never be ocularlI
observed, Every state ana territory il
the Union, except Texas, Nevada ant
Alaska, have some sort OF system o
farmers institutes, encouraged ant
sustained by law. 1t Is humiliating I,
every thoughtful Texan that the great
est Of all the agricultural states hal
never had legislature with enough
foresight and public spirit to take sucl
action as has SO greatly benefited 9th
er states. 1t Is still more Illuminating
fact that number OF alleged farmer
who have been sent to the Legislature
opposed farmers institutes, preferrinl
a reputation for parsimony rather thar
for progress. We believe more farm
ers should be sent TO our state legisla
lures, but they should be intelligen
and progressive men, not simply Windy
Jims, who have no higher ambition
than to turn over chips to see whethe
there be any bugs under them. -Texa
Farm and Ranch.