The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-05-19
HOW MATTERS
STRIKE THEM
VISITING GERMAN AGRICULTURE.
isTs MEET WITH SURPRISES.
FIND MUCH TO COMMEND
American Farmers Ahead in Most
Things, but Behind Their
Own in Forestry.

conducted in the heart of one of the
/, greatest little irrigated areas in the
country, where conditions are differ
/, ent than any that have come under
/, their observation, it may be OF inter-
est to the people OF this locality to
know how American farms and farm
ing have thus far impressed the tour
! ing Germans who are travelling over
( the United States to learn Yankee
! notions and ideas concerning agricul-
tural matters. Last week they passed
through Iowa and made a stop at
Ames, the seat OF the state agricul-
tural college and experiment station.
With characteristic German thorough
ness they made critical examination
and inspection OF everything in con-
nection with the two institutions.
They visited every department, every
shop and every laboratory and inspect
ed every piece OF apparatus. Compe
tent and we'll informed guides met
them at every place, who explained
the methods of study and experiment.
Especial attention was given to the
agricultural and, experiment station
departments and all tests and expert
ments conducted were explained in
detail, as we'll as the results attained.
The party made no attempt to con-
ceal the wonder felt at the differ
ences between conditions existing in
this country and the lands across
the sea. In speaking OF the incidents
OF their trip thus far the party as a
whole seemed to find one particular
alone, in agricultural conditions, that
in this country they regarded as in
ferior to those existing in their own
country. That thing was the question
of forestry Count Kinsky OF Bohemia,
speaking of forestry in Austria and
Germany, said, conditions being about
the same in the two countries:
''The people in the United States
are not up to the standard of our
country in forestry. They do not take
care of their timberlands, and in view
OF the fact that in other regards they
are so practical it was surprise to !,
me that such was the case. In Austria
we consider that the trees must be
protected else the rains will wash ,
away the soil, and that, l find, is the
existing condition in many parts OF
this country. In many sections the j
forests on mountain sides have been
destroyed and the soil, being left ex-
posed, has washed and quilted. In
our country we have laws that require
every man who cuts down tree shall I
plant one to take it's place, and also
owners of large estates are required
to have a certain portion OF their es-
tates preserved as forest lands. Ac-
cordingly we have become a strong
forest producing nation
AS regards the schools they have
visited the Germans admit that they
have been struck by their practical
nature. While in their own country
such schools are largely humanistic
in their character and afford a pleas
ant study, they do not have the courses
that are of practical benefit in agri-
culture and mechanical industries that
should accompany Institutions of the
kind to which they are paying par
ticular attention and to familiarize
themselves with is one of the objects
of their tour. The experimental work
done at the agricultural colleges they
praised highly and the interest mani
tested by the state and national gov
ernments in fostering such work was
commended and enthusiastic
cally commented upon.
In speaking of Americans as agri-
culturalists, as judged from the Sec ;
lions of the country that they had
come in contact with up to that time,
the visitors remarked several inter-
esting things. They seemed to be !
at the widely differing areas
that support the same crops. When
they reached Kentucky they were sur
Drised at the excellent blue grass for
which that state is famous Their .
surprise, they said. was increased
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