The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-26
THESE WILL TILL THE SOIL
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES AT
THE AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL
Graduates Receive
Their Diplomas and Leave the
College HnlIs-The Exercises
Yesterday Held in the Gymnasium
and Witnessed by IL Large COn-
course-Interestin Papers.

w tNhSSSeu ny Soh-
5 coursc-Interesting Papers.
! The ninth annual commencement eX-
erCiSes of the state school of agricul-
ture We're held yesterday afternoon in
the gymnasium and We're attended by
a gathering which more than filled the
main floor of the hall and the balcony
above.
A great American flag made a suit
able background for the platform, a
pure white frame of enormous size
holding the flag in place. The balcony
was draped with white, and crossed
with festoons of bunting in the univer-
sity colors, gold and maroon.
There were twenty-three GRADUATES,
and the several papers given were short
and interesting, and showed a thorough
knowledge of the subjects attempted,
Rev. J. NJ. Prendergast offered the
opening prayer, and the first
speaker was the salutatorian, George
Ross ingalls,, of Spring Valley.
His address was replete in compli-
mentary words as to the Institution
and its instructors, and in appreciation
of the wisdom of the state in providing
I so literally for the college.
In his concluding words he expressed
the wish that the time would not be
far distant when there would be a
course of four years at the college in
stead of three. He referred earnestly
to the need Of the education of the
farmer, showing that the illusion that
any one could be a successful farmer
who merely pulled off his coat and
pitched in" was fast being dispelled.
In illustrating his talk on The De-
velopment of Cultivated Plants" Max
Whitney Buel, of ST. Anthony Park,
took the common cabbage and followed
1tS evolution, a1 DIV
ing brightly and entertainingly many
facts about this we'll known vegetable
which are not generally known among
its admirers.
Mr. Buel showed first how man has
modified all domestic animals by con-
tinued selection, and then passed to a
consideration of the variability N
plants taking up the cabbage, for an
example, and illustrating in an inter
esting manner the various types of cab
bages found in the world.
BY proper selection first of all the
heart is changed of the wild cabbage
and the common cabbage is developed.
BY changing the flowers we have the
cauliflower by developing the stem the
kohlrabi, from the side leaves come
the BRUSSELS sprouts, and on one of
the Jersey islands, in the British chan
mel, there is grown a cabbage with
stalks twenty-four to fifty feet long,
which are used for rafters in barns.
One of the most frequent causes Of
variation in plants was due, the speak
er said, to changes in environment, the
plants always tending to adapt them
selves TO their surroundings. Very
many of our valuable domestic plants
are artificial productions, unable to eX-
list If left to shift for themselves.
The common Indian corn, for In
stance, is so dependent upon its en-
virOnnents under cultivation and the
distribution of its seed by man that, if
left to its own resources, it would prob
ably be lost within one or two years.
Many of the most common roses would
die out in one generation were it not
for mans intervention.
The speaker referred to the laws gov
erning heredity and desceEs IN plants,
and predicted that the twentieth CEN
tury would probably witness a much
more rapid development and improve
meat in domestic plants than has been
witnessed in any past period.
This paper was illustrated by col
oled diagrams.
"Chemistry of Foods was the sub
ject Of William Carl Palmer's paper
Mr.. Palmer is from Somerset, Wis.
The aim Of agriculture, to his mind
was the production of food and cloth
ing, and the use of food was equally
as important as its production. The
main constituent parts of common
foods We're indicated and their food
value shown. The relative value of diff
ferent foods was indicated in definite
figures, and by the aid of a large
chart the speaker was enabled to give
q graphic illustration of his points.
After considering the nutrients he
} devoted some time to the proper ration
for a man to eat, and the improper
ration as found on the table of a good
! many farmers. In his conclusion he
said:
( You may ask why it is important to
know what foods to eat. answer with
the question: Why is China so backward
in civilization? Why has England extended
her empire to all parts of the world? The
food of the Chinese is mostly rice, which
contains very little protein; hence the Chi
nese are poorly fed and their brains starved
The English, on the other hand. eat largely
meat and cheese, two foods rich in protein,
which means that the English are well
fed, their brains we'll nourished.
Timothy Leroy Perkins, of Red Wing,
gave the class history which abounded
in humOr. Glass statistics showed that
there were five Norwegians, six Swedes,
3 one ScotChman, two Yankees, one Dane,
one Irishman and eight Americans, the
average age being twenty-one and five
eighthS years, the oldest twenty seven,
the youngesA fifteen.
Parasites" were treated generally by
Franklin James Ryder, OF Buffalo, who
gave a clever definition of the word
and referred to the parasite in nature,
animal and vegetable parasites that in
fest others or live at their expense.
Three classes of parasites We're des-
cribed, meSSmateS who partake of the
feed of their neighbors but who do not
live at the expense of the host; mu-
tualiSts, parasites which live on each
ether, some affOrding each other as
sistance, some being given merely an
asylum; and true parasites which feed
upon the flesh Of their host, but eau
tiously in order that the means of sup
port be not endangered.
He divided parasites into four groups
those free during their whole life, those
free while young, those free when old
and those that undergo transmigration
and metamorphosis. Parasites he pro-
nounced numberless, and found almost
everywhere.
The valedictory was given by George
FritiOf Lund, Of Dawson. The growth
of agricultural education was treated
especially the education in America.
Prof. Northrup, who conferred the
diplomas, spoke briefly to the class. He
made two points in his remarks. One
was to the effect that there is a general
tendency to shirk work now days
Every one wants to live without work
There is an idea af1oat that the man
who works with his hands is not sc
\ honorable as the one who works with
\ his head. There are a vast number OF
young men going to the cities each
year who don't find work. The farm
life is the only free life.