The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-08-29
TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR
THR FARM.

more than other men. There is small
current Of feeling abroad that mans
chances to succeed in rough and tum
BILE business is rather diminished by
the polish of higher education, writes
the editor OF the Southern Cultivator.
It is not our purpose to argue that
question here.
A great many freely admit that the
farmer should have asmuch education
as those who follow other pursuits.
But they are wont to claim that it
should be the same as that given to
others. We beg to enter our protest
against this position. Every one ad-
mits that man should take special
course in medicine or law before he is
fitted to practice either. The laws of
the land compel him to do this. But
many think any man can practice
farming without any special training
or education to fit him to do so.
This, we think, is mistake. Farm
ing, in the true sense of the word, is as
much a science as medicine or law. To
get the best results it re q1ires as much
ekill. II a farmer has studied soils,
plant life, plant food, plant growth,
the effect of culture, and fertilizing
and manuring, and understands the
diseases of plants and farm animals
and the remedies, he is likely to sue
ceed otherwise he is apt to fail. Some
quacks are quite successful in law and
medicine. SO in farming. But these
are the exceptions, not the rule.
So much depends upon the farmer
and so many things are involved in
his success that il there is q difference
it is in favor of his having more educa
ton than others, instead of less.
He not only requires fund Of gen.
eral infor nation but of specific knowl
edge about his own calling.
The farmer should be taught how to
farm. This should be done in the
schools and colleges. Not in all, per
haps, but in many. Such knowledge
would rapidly improve the farming
methods and elevate and dignity the
profession of farming. THIS would
keep the boys on the farm. We mean
by saying that boys should be taught
how TO farm, that it requires mental
training as well as hand training to
farm successfully. To illustrate, we
take the corn crop. To grow corn so
as to make it profitable req 1ires good
deal Of information.
First, how shall the land b9 pre-
pared9 Here we find quite a variety
in opinions and practice. Many be-
lieve in bedding and planting in the
water furrow. They claim ease Of
culture and deepDess Of roofing so as
to help resist effects OF drouth and
blowing down by storms. Others favor
deep breaking in the fall, breaking
again in spring and narrowing smooth
and level. They claim greater power
to resist drou5h and more access to
water by the roots. Experiments have
practically decided the points at issue.
The q lestion lies right at the doorway
to producing the greatest crop of the
country. It is particularly important
that Southern boys should understand
II, We are large buyers OF corn. We
should be large sellers. 1t is great
mistake for our boys to grow up think
ing we cannot make money growing
corn. Because we have not done so
with our detective preparation and
culture does not prove that we can not
do so.
There is no mouey in ten to fifteen
bushels per acre. But there is in fifty
to seventy five bushels per acre. Can
we make the latter crops2 The writer's
experience says, yes. On poor Georgia
lands it has been done, On the aver
age land of the South it can be done
When it is done there is money in
growing corn. How can it be done3
This is the way we did it. You can
do the same:
AN OBJECT LESSON AND ITS RESULTS
Riding through Nacoochee Valley in
search of health, we saw a field of corn
that was like field of wheat, the tas-
sells were 80 thick and level. We
stopped and investigated and found
that there were about eight thousand
stalks per acre. The ears were full and
heavy and many stalks had two ears.
so there was about one hundred BUSH
els of corn per acre. This was before
our eyes and no doubt of it.
This was the object lesson. Now
for the results. Our farm had been
producing only about fifteen bushels
per acre. What caused the diff9rence9
It was evidently question of water
and plant food. We had been taught