The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-09-08
PROMINENT EDUCATOR AND SCI
ENLIST LEAVES STATE.
LONG and ENYIABlE RECORD
Professor Traphagen Resigns Chair
In Agricultural coIiege-WilI
Remove to Colorado.

After having given 10 years to the
state Of Montana, during which time
he rendered valuable and conscien-
tious service, Professor Frank w.
Traphagen has resigned his position as
head of the department Of sciences at
the state agricultural college and
chemist of the experiment station,
conducted by the general government
in connection with the college. His
future work will be for the state OF
Colorado, he having accepted a pro-
fessorship in the school TO mines, To-
Gated at Golden. For the present, at
least, Mrs. Traphagen and the chill
dren will remain at Bozeman.
The professors work at his new
station will be to teach m%etallurgy and
assaying.
Professor Traphagen has made an
enviable name as one OF the educa-
tors of the state, having for many
years been identified with educational
institutions in Montana. He was elect
ed one OF the faculty OF the agricul-
tural college in 1893, the year OF the
organization of the college. Prior to
that time, for six years, he had been
one of the instructors OF the Montana
college at Deer Lodge. BY his de-
parture the last OF the original facul-
ty OF the agricultural college has sew
cred his connection with the institu-
tion.
Not only in Montana and the north
west is Professor Traphagen promi-
nent as an educator and scientist, but
he has earned a reputation that eX-
tends throughout the country, and
abroad his name is well known in sci
.entific circles, especially in those de-
voted to chemistry, by reason OF some
of the discoveries he has made. Within
a comparatively recent time his name
figured in the London Lancet and
MANY of the French technical journals
in connection with a discovery he
made OF great importance, by which
he demonstrated that instead OF being
present rs an adulterant, salysylic
acid is one of the natural components
Of almost every kind of fruit used in
making preserves.
Experiments With Alkali.
What has probably made his name
most familiar in the eastern and
northern parts OF the state are the
experiments he has conducted in the
direction OF the reclamation OF alkal1
soils. In this field he has accomplish
ed much and some OF the discoveries
he has made will prove ultimately o.
great value to the state. BY actual
demonstration he proved that, con
trary to the old accepted theory, lane
in which alkaline salts are presen'
in no greater amount than two pei
cent. plant life can be easily an6
successfully maintained. Other dem
o%nstrations have been in the direction
Of s~ub-drainage OF alkali and an
under his directions arrangement
have been perfected in this and ont
or two other counties ito carry his the
DRY OF drainage into effect on a seal
large enough to fully and SATISFACTORY!
demonstrate its utility and practica
bility.
He bases his belief in the success Q
s~ubdrainage on experiments made b,
him that showed c~onclusively that tn
surface water is responsible tor tn
failure OF crops on strongly alkalin
lands, more than the presence OF tn
salt itself, and contends that ii it ca
be drained and kept from rising neare
the surface than three feet the amour
Of alkali in the soil above that dept
is not sufficient to interfere with tn
strong and healthy growth OF plal
rife. In addition to preventing tt
llkali from rising to the surface, tt
,ystem of drainage he advocates wi
eventually free the soil above OF tt
ALT and render it equal in productlv
ness to the best ground in he state.
While all classes regret his depa
ture, the people OF the eastern an
northern parts OF the state will !
particularly sorry, as he has been OF
81 their best friends and has worke
earnestly for their interests in the q
rection OF adding to the area OF Ian
calculated to provide additional hom'
and increase the number OF settler
besides giving greater value to mut
az the land already under cultivate
by increasing its productiveness.