The progressive farmer., 1901-07-02
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PAYS.


an agricultural college?" is a ques-
tion many young men are asking
just at this time. And we believe
that a little faithful investigation
will convince these young farmers
that the statement which serves as a
title for this article is a correct one
that agricultural education pays"
At the recent East Tennessee
FARMERS Convention, for instance,
| Gov. Hoard said that he had 200 ap-
plications from wealthy ranchmen
and farmers wanting him to find
them good, educated young men to
take she management of their farms
E'I could do little in this line, am
sorry to say" he stated, "because
the supply is not equal to the de-
mand; but l could have sent them
doctors and lawyers by the dozens,
and good ones, too"
This is an illustration of the ad-
vantages of an ordinary agricultural
course To the young man who
wishes to go even further and, as one
would say, thoroughly master the
hi cher science of agriculture, we
commend the following statement of
Secretary Wilson's. Speaking last
week Of his recent trip West, Mr..
Wilson said:
81 was especially impressed with
the fact that the West needs men
skilled in forestry and irrigation and
with a knowledge of the soils. The
forests and ranges are being ex
hausted and they must be replaced
and conserved. Strange to say, the
department cannot find men educated
in the West fitted to supply it's great
needs in agriculture. No university
in the United States, out of all the
universities it has, can turn out
man with thorough knowledge of
the soils. We need agricultural
chemists, soil physicians, who know
the composition of soils and what
they will grow to best advantage.
We need physiological chemists, who
know the juices of plants and what
they require. We had one s1ch T2an,
DR.. Oscar Loeb, and Japan took him
from US at salary Of $1,000 a year.
We have not been able to replace
him, but DR.. Wylie, at my request,
has taken up the study and is fitting
himself for the work by original re-
search
In this connection we are remindep
that DR.. Henry Wallace, of Wallace 3
Farmer, recently had an inquiry
something like this: "Would you
consider a two years course in agri-
culture of enough benefit to the aver
age farmer to pay him for the time
and money spent or, in other words,
would you advise young farmer to
take a course in agriculture? What
would be some of the benefits?"
DIR. Wallace's reply was so sound
in principle and so we'll stated that
we make no apology for reproducing
it herewith:
To this we would answer unhesi-
tatingly: Yes, provided the young
man is determined to make the most
of his advantages in other words, if
he is going there to study and mas
ter the principles, theory and prac-
tice of agriculture. If he is going
simply to put in the time and make
himself a receptacle for cram, we
would say, Stay at home. The ad-
vantages would be manifold, and
among them the following: He
would know the why of doing things
as we'll as the how he can get a good
grasp of general principles, the laws
Of nature that govern, and hence
would come to a good understanding
with nature and her laws and could
work with her instead of at cross
purposes he will be working intelli-
gently hereafter instead of going it
blind; he will have an Opportu.l lity
not merely of studying the principle
of plant and stock breeding, but see-
ing them applied; he will understand
breeds and breeding, about feeds
and feeding, to say nothing of the
development of his mental faculties
incident to the prosecution Of these
studies and finally, by making the
acquaintance of many of the bright
est young men of the State which
will be available to him in future
years, and he will be leader among
men. We have no hesitation in ad