The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-18
NEW AVENUE FOR FARMERS.
WANTED: A correspondence school
Of agriculture for Kansas farmers.


WANTED: A correspondence school
Of agriculture for Kansas farmers.
The correspondence school has be-
come an esta blished factor in educa- |
tional work. It is an invention Of |
very recent date, but already it has
become a great benefit to thousands
who are unable to avail themselves of
beneficial schools Correspondence
schools cover almost every field OF
technical learning, and in the majority
of fields they have proven success
In a number Of states advantage has
been taken of the correspondence
school idea to disseminate knowledge OF
scientific agriculture. These cores
pondence schools of agriculture are not
conducted as a means Of profit for
those interested in them, but have been
instituted by those in charge Of the
experiment station work in the agri-
cultural colleges. At the Cornell col
lege of agriculture at ithaca, New
York, there is not only q correspond
ence school of agriculture for the bene-
fit of New York farmers, but cores
pondence course has been formulated
for farmers wives, teaching them some
of the principles of domestic science
which are usually not learned outside
of domestic science schools.
While there are doubtless many who
will scott at the idea, these cores
pondence schools of agriculture are do
ing vast amount Of good in the states
where they have been started. They are
wei patronfzed by the progressive
farmers who are anxious for in1orIfla-
ton that will aid them in their work
! SCIENCE has
made tremendous strides in finding out
things which are of benefit to the
farmer, but the present day farmer can
| know nothing of them unless he is
| taught. Ten years ago farmers would
have laughed at the idea of rural mail
delivery and farm telephones, but these
are now an accomplished fact which no
farmer who has tried them would 90
without, and just as great advance has
been made in the lines Of scientific ag-
ricuIture as the farm telephone is an
advance in the conveniences of rural
life.
Here a great field is presented in
Kansas. In no state in the Union is
there a more progressive or intelligent
class of farmers than right here, and
a correspondence school conducted by
competent authorities to teach agricul-
ture as it is taught at the best agri-
cultural colleges would be a great bene-
fit to the state. The next generation
will see a tremendous advance in farm
ing methods and the up-to-date farmer
must keep up with the procession. He
must know about the botany of the
: wheat and corn plants and other crops
, which he grows; he must know about
the preservation of the fertility of his
soiI-the kind of plants which introduce
bacteria, and through them nitrogen
t into the soil; he must know about farm
management, and the up-to-date farm
: er will have simple but accurate sys
TEN of farm accounts.
The bulletins issued by the expert
z ment stations are teaching the farm
: ers to test their seed corn so that they
/ will not SOW some which is perhaps
b,vorse than worthless because it vii
not come up, and that nearly all kind
f of crops can be improved by breeding
a and various other things which are o
I great advantage to the farmer. Blu
: these bulletins do not teach thes
? things as thoroughly, nor the why
y them as well, as would an efficient cor
respondence school of agriculture. AM
o knowing the why of them would en-
: able the farmer to utilize the expert
: ments much better by adapting then
to his particular needs.
q The correspondence course Of on
state would not be the best for anothe
n because soil and climatic condition
\ vary. If Kansas had a man in her ag
= ricultural college who would devils
:. such a course especially adapted to tn
. needs Of this state. and the corps of tn
= institution at Manhattan would carr
- it out efficiently. within a few year
the results would be tremendous in tn
increased production of Kansas farms
1oau1,n,,e tLnro is s11ch a one.