The Atlanta constitution., 1900-10-29
Notice to inqulr6rS.
THE NEED OF
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION


CFrom an address delivered by r. j.
RcddinC president OF the Georgia Dairy
mems Association, at Granville. Ga, Oc-
tobcr T.. 1890.
a few days ago received letter from
farmer living not many miles from
Thomaston. Ga. I'm which occurred the
following question:
"Is there any difference in the quality
OF the milk which is Inilked from a COW
at one milking? What l mean is this:
Is the last stripping from a COW richer
In butter Fat than the first2''
Now YOU may smile at the want Of in
formation displayed by this inquirer. He
has evidently read something about 'bur-
ter fat" or heard some one talk about
?. who used this word butter fat"-only
81 late years introduced into the vocabu-
larry OF the practical dairyman. The In
cident IS both discOuraging and encourage
Ing. according 90 the point Of view from
which IL IS considered and the application
we would make Of II. II aptly illustrates
;he sad want Of information vet manifest
IN some quarters I'm that a man has been
found who is able TO write an ,ntelligible
letter ana vet does not know (or did not
know until I answered his letter. that the
last portions Of the milk drawn from the
uddcr are richer than the first or pre-
ceding portions. Now I dare say that
man knows that Andrew Jackson died
and was buried several years ago and
that William Mckinley IS president Of the
United States and emperor OF the islands
of the sea. He is doubtless well inform
cd I'm regard 10 state and county politics
and yet he has just learned that when
the calf gets the last third OF gallon and
a half milking II gets nearly three times
as much butter fat as IS contained IN the
first third. or about one-half Of the total
butter fats Of the one and one-half gall
Ions of milk.
But TO take an encouraging view OF the
case we find that this man was really
making progress. lie had found out the
meaning and had adopted the use OF the
word butter fat.
Nor should this illustration be consid-
erred ultra IN its extremeness. There are
perhaps others IN the state just as bad
on While there are hundreds II not
. thousands Of well-informed farmers and
dairymen in Georgia, men who keep fairly
well up with. or at least in sight of. the
march OF progress. there are tens OF
thousands who seem content 10 plod along
in the old way Even those who have
drunk more or less deeply OF the spring
90 knowledge have but whetted their
thirst for more. Perhaps they realize
the force OF the couplet-
Drink deep. or taste not. OF the Pierian
spring"
None will dispute that II is one OF the
privileges and duties of this association,
rs a body and as individuals. 10 teach as
v-ell a= learn. In ONT first beginnings we
were mainly moved by the desire for
knowledge Of the mysteries OF datryine;
we came together for the purpose of
learning. rather than teaching: for receiv-
ing rather than irnarting. Nor would 1
claim. IN your behalf or my own. that we
have passed the stage Of pupilage and that
VIC are prepared - lay aside the role Of
the school o. college hoy and assume the
snoc;acl, and for-ule Of the teacher. We
are both lcarners-au Of us-and also
teacherS-some OF YOU. In n word we are
prepared 20 give and take" What
means this array Of titled and untitled
speakers and cssayists that I see on the
programme for this meeting? Are they
all teachers only? By no means. These
have been 10 school. some 10 the academy,
some 10 the college of agriculture. some
20 tho great universities OF the land;
others have learned in the plodding and
costly school of experience. and graduated
in "B-ush'' college or Swamp universi-
~ We are here 60 learn-most of us. and
to tcacl-som, or you. But there Is a
vast number of our people who cannot
4 he reached by the direct efforts of the as
E sociation. There are many IN the state
who have never so much as heard that
B there was 4 Georgia Dairymen's Associa-
ton. II would be impra cticable for them
ali TO attend the annual meetings of this
+ body. even II they desired 20 do so-which
many do not. President white and Pro-
f fessor Starnes stand at the door OF our
state college and extend smiling wei
come 20 the youths OF the land. But the
farmer boys are BY no means crowdinS
the halls OF Industrial learning. And their
. fathers and older brothers. 10 whom these
I opportunities for training and acquiring
. knowledge have either not been offered.
or n offered. not availed OF. what arc
Z they 10 do2 How Is the bread Of agricul-
tursl salvation 20 be broken TO them.
Are they Ia be left To go through the re-
mainder ~ their lives with the traditional
bac-a ''punk.n' in one end and a stone