The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-02-17
SCHOOL For FARMERS.
END OF A SUCCESSFUL TERM AT
THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.


CoLFAx. Fea. s.-Sperisi-The third
annual session % the winter school Tor
farmers hss Just closed al the state agTl-
cultural college after a saeceSssui term
TIE winter school consists @ a series
q practical ie~t4res On subjects pertain
ing 20 the farm - professors trained "a
taslr particular fines by a study @ Goth
TIE theoretical ard practical sides %
tae.r subject. The lectures are mainly ~
the members % the college faculty ~
experiment station staT. with al occa-
sional talk ~ the farmers forming the
claszss-
This department CO TIRE college has
grown up IN three years 10 be one % the
most popular classes Ia the Institution,
the attendance az the three sessions hav-
inE averaged al above - actual farmers.
Farmers come from al parts % the state
10 attend. some registering from as far
distant as Seattle and Portland. The
subjects treated In the lectures are as
varied as the problems thar confront the
farmer. TIE chemical properties OF soils
was topic TO which several discussions
were devoted. TIE lessons 10 be learned
from the subject relate TO the proper ap-
plication OF fertilizers. Supplementing
this the physical properties OF the soil OF
Washington and soil moisture IN It's re-
Iation 10 crop production was thoroughly
set forth that the most important thing
10 look after In filling. next 20 exhausting
the soil, was 70 control I'm 50 far as pos
siole the amount OF moisture being eyapo-
rated or drained from the soil.
The present status OF the sugar beet in
duStry was discussed az .eneth BY Prof
Fu.mer VINO has made a special study OF
the subject for a number OF years. Sew
ersi sets OF experiments with oests IN al
~ s.F "a aFa SIS a~Esa a of
four years. prove that the climate and soil
81 Eastern Washington. including the
Yakima country. are admirably adapted
70 the production - sugar beets, and Prof
Fulmer has continually urged the Offering
OF bonus to secure beet sugar refinery.
He Is very much IN favor of a bounty on
sugar az q means OF inducing an invest
meut In a refinery.
The squirrel pest was tho subject o. a
lecture by Prof. Piper on Friday. This
pest has destroyed thousands OF acres OF
wheat In Eastern Washington in the last
three years, and its destruction Is con-
sidered 20 important a problem that Il Is
receiving the attention Of the legislature.
The matter has been the subject of an ex-
tensiye series of experiments by the d.
rectors Of the experiment station during
the past season. These experiments have
been along three lines. The life and habits
OF the animals. the methods OF destroying
them by polsoRs, and the possibTity'of In
PRODUCING some contagious disease among
them which VII spread itself. In the mat
ter OF poiscns IL Is found that strychnlne
and phosphorus are rivals for first place
depending on the time of the season. and
circumstances under which the poisoning
Is 10 be done.
The attempts 10 discover some con-
tagious disease that viii take hold of them
have met witn gratifying success. The
bacillus OF disease has been found iso-
lated and reproduced. and frequent ex-
perlments have shown that Il viii readily
and surely kin them while in confinement
During the coming season experiments
FOR Introducing tie disease into native
co.onies OF the animals VII be extensively
tried in al parts OF the squirrel infested
districts.
Al the close Of the session the farmers
in attendance held a conference at which
resolutions were adopted highly commend
Ing the professors and instructors, the
members Of The college faculty and d.
Tectors Of the experiment station
Some time In the near future PAM
ph!et will be issued containing in brief al
the lectures ana discussions Of the session.
These viii be furnished free 10 all citizens
Of the state applying 70 the director Of
the experiment station.