The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-31
Experiment Station IN
Modern Agriculture
y DR.. P. A. Yoder, Director Utah

The time has arrived when the farm
er is no longer content with following
blindly the customs of his forefathers.
He begins to look upon farming as a
business and not merely as a mode of
existence, to which he is necessarily
driven because of the circumstance of
his birth. He compares farming with
other forms of employment and figures
on capital invested, income and eX-
penses, net profits or losses just as he
would in other lines of business.
The result of an awakening to such
views OF farming has at first had the
effect to drive many from the farm
into mercantile, manufacturing, mining
or some such business other than
farming. They observed the drudgery
OF farm life, the lack of inspiration,
and the small profits resulting. They
possibly had engaged in it themselves
In the same routine manner as was
done By all the others, and after a
hard years work found that they had
but little to show for their efforts. One
and a half to three dollars a day,
working eight or ten hours in a shop,
In mine, or on railroad was a
temptation to the ambitious young
man which the drudgery of farm life
could not counteract This was the
and thoughtfulness among the farming
classes. 1t took many away from the
rural communities and swelled the
population Of our cities.
A second stage in this development
is now on hand. 1t has occurred to the
farmer that the lack of the financial
success with him is not because he
happened to be a farmer instead of a
manufacturer or miner, but that it
may be because he does not use the
same common sense business princi-
pies that he would in a manufacturing
or a mining industry. The manufac-
turer is forced. by the nature of his
business, to be thoughtful and improve
his method where possible, change the
nature OF his output if the market con-
ditiOns demand 1t, and In 1t all watch
the progress that is made In the arts
and sciences which can be turned into
profit in his business. Why should not
the farmer be likewise thoughtful and
watchful, and why would not thought
fulness and Watchfulness be equally
we'll rewarded if exercised in the farm
ing industry?
Farmer and Manufacturer.
After all, there is not fundamentally
so much difference between farming
and manufacturing as a business as
may at first thought appear. He must
select that branch Of the industry for
which he is best qualified. or better he
must qualify himself for that branch
Of the industry which he thinks he will
like and which promises to be profit
able. He has his raw material upon
which he puts labor to convert it into
new forms which command a higher
price. Similarly the progressive farm
err makes his selection Of some particu-
lar branch Of the farming industry.
He qualities himself by studying the
best that Is known on that line. He
realizes that a little less of the monot-
OnOus drudgery and little more leis-
ure to think and read pays in the long
run and at the same time makes his
occupation a delightful diversion. He
sees as clearly as the manufacturer
where his expenses are incurred and
where his receipts come from, and he
plans Just as thoughtfully all along the
line how to keep down the former and
how to increase the latter. Most nat
urally by this mode of farming he fire.
quently stumbles across problems
which tax his ingenuity to its utmost
to solve. 1t may occur to him that
some new crop or new breed of stock
may be more profitable in his locality.
or that a different way OF trea tment
of soil, crop or livestock may be more
favorable. He may conceive that some
lines of expenses might be reduced or
avoided. He may encounter pests or
diseases of his crops or his stock that
battle his attempts TO overcome them.
Thus at hundred and one points in
his work he will brush up against
problems and difficulties which his linn
tied time and training prevent him
or years Of careful Investigations to
not afford this time, even IL he had
The knowledge and training that would
he necessary. Besides, why should he
stop his business TO work out such
questions when likely q thousand of
his neighbors have the same difficult
ties and the same need of the results
of an investigat on.
Need for Specialists.
Here then, comes the occasion for
their joint employment of trained spe-
cialists to work out the problem for
him and all his neighbors.. As there
are problems of various kinds coming
uD continually, there Is a need OF spe-
clalists along various lines TO be con-
tinually employed at their solution.
These specialists should then be organ
lied into one body to Cooperate 10 the
best advantage for the advancement
of the agricultural science. They
should be equipped with the necessary
rooms, libraries and apparatus to car
~ on their investiga atoms. AS their
labors are for the good Of all. their en-
ployment should be by the state or ma
ton. Thus arises the experiment sta
lions" in modern agriculture of which