Evening star., 1901-02-23
1t Becomes a Necessity as the Country
Grows.
IMPORTANCE OF SPECIALIZATION
How the Value of the Land MAY
Be Enhanced.
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION

written Ior Inc EVenlnS star Dy Pr0f. ID. W. Wiley
The United States in respect Of the great
| industries in which its people are engaged,
is essentially food producer. In this
term however, must be included the pro-
duction Of the raw materials for clothing,
since the production of food and clothing
are the two great branches of agricultural
industry.
1t is true that our country during the
last decades has made wonderful progress
In manufacturing, but this progress has
been made possible because agricultural
products are abundant and cheap. While,
therefore. we pay our laborers more per
man per day than is paid in any other
country, we get higher return for the
investment. 1t is a truth universally con-
ceded that the best paid, best fed and best
clothed laborer gives the best work, so
that, In reality, 1t is doubtful whether
measured by the amount of work produced
american labor is any higher paid than
the labor of any other country.
Our rapid growth in population and the
continued demands made upon us from
other countries for agricultural products
have naturally raised the question whether
this country In the future will be able to
meet the demand made upon 1t from the
agricultural side. We are feeding now
nearly eighty millions of people within the
boundaries of our own country, and send
ing enough material abroad to clothe and
reed almost an equal number Our foreign
markets for agricultural products are the
great source OF wealth and preserve for us
the favorable balance Of trade which deter
niiEes whether nation is growing richer
or poorer. The economic question there
fore. of preserving these foreign markets
appears to be one of the highest import.
As the Country Grows.
The statistician looks forward a few
years and sees our population doubled. If
during that time no great advance is made
IN agriculture 1t is evident that all the
products of our fields will be needed at
nome and we will no longer be receiving
the tribute from foreign countries for these
products which has made US such a wealthy
nation. 1t is the best part of wisdom.
therefore. to forecast the possibilities of
American agriculture and see what rela-
tlon 1t will bear to the progress of our
country in population and industries
IN the hrst place, attention should be
called to the fact that no country in the
world has so richly endowed agriculturaI
research as the United States For the
support of agricultural experiment stations
IN the various states and territories of the |
United States and for Hawaii and Porto
Rico the Congress of the United States an. |
proprlates annually $3.50 In addition to |
thls, Congress has endowed AGRICULTURAL
coiieses IN every state and territory and
these endowments together with the h,ild
equipment, represent a total
of SOB 632, % The total income of these
institutions annually is s6,OOS 3792 of ]
Whlch amount there is given annually by
llrect grant of Congress 81 1OS 61O 3S
Ihese colleges contained at the end of last
year 31,65 students. of whom 4,1S1 were
aking kim the special courses in agriculture
Ihese statistics show that the United
states so far as agricultural education
ana research can go, is providing for the
uture IN the most abundant way.
Agricultural Education.
1t is true that when people sneak or |
agricultural research and agricultural edu
alton they are accustomed to refer still
o what Europe has accomplished There
s no denying the fact that in the past
europe took the lead in agricultural edu-
alton and research, but Europe has al
eady been overtaken and far outstripped
y this country. The practical effects of |
ms educatlonal work are already shown |
ne establishment of many centers of |
Experimental agriculture shows the road TO |
n increased production by an actual dem
nstration or object lesson pointing out the
lethods not only in a theoretical Way but |
$50 in a practical way.
1t is evident that practically all the lands
uitable for agriculture in the United States ,
ave been taken up Hence the increase |
agricultural production will no longer be :
ecured as heretofore by extending the
rea under cultivation. The only extension |
I this kind of any considerable magnitude =
-hich the future gives promise of is in the q
aclamation of the arid lands of our conn
y. When by the best engineering skill all q
ne available water of the arid regions is :
laced under tribute and conducted over | :
he areas where it can be profitably en- | :
loyed we may see many millions of acres q
very fertile soils added to the areas now | =
valuable for agricultural purposes But | q
ven the utmost possible expansion in this E
rection will not be able to keep pace with | =
lr growth in population and our Indus IN
ial effort. Where, then, We may ask is n
lie increased agricultural production to be
'und? In answer to this question 1t NAV ! r
said. first, that our system of agricul- C
re will then be radically changed Here | +,
fore we have devoted vast areas to graz "
g, and thus our production of domesti- u
tied animals has been larger in proportion
our population than that of any other
'untry. But 1T is evident that where two
three acres are necessary for the grazing +
single animal the number of farm ami
ais must diminish when the land is occu II
ed for other purposes. g,
Feed Instead of Pasture m
It has been demonstrated by careful ex- G
riments in agricultural stations that a -
rm animal can be kept in good condi-
N on one-tenth of the area which Would
necessary if open grazing We're prac- 4,