The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1905-01-04
WORTH OF THE A. c. OF U.

The question as to whether the
Agricultural College is worth the
money spent on it has been a much
mooted one for some time. Personally
the writer has never had doubt, and
here presents portion of an article
written by DR.. John A. Widtsoe, head
of the experiment work at the college.
DR.. Widtsoe wrote at considerable
length for the New Years Tribune,
a clipping from which reads:
Persons whose knowledge Of our
work is limited occasionally ask If the
good done by the experiment station
equals the amount Of money expended
for its maintenance. That the station
excrts an influence upon Utah agri-
culture which has resulted in the
in the saving of hundreds of thouS-
ands of dollars to the farmers Of the
State is a fact quite generally I'M.
derstOod in farming communities.
However, few simple calcula-
tions may demonstrate even more
thoroughly than the experiment
station is really a money-making in
stitution for the State. For instance:
During the last year 1875, 235 acres were
Sown to wheat The great majority
of farmers, knowingly or unconscious
! ly, followed the the advice Of the
station in their selection of wheat.
The station has demonstrated that
certain varieties yield from one to five
or more bushels of wheat per acre
than do other varieties. If by the
work of the station the yield of wheat
has been increased only one bushel
per acre, it means the total increase
for the State of lS9, 235 bushels, or il
where wheat sells at 60 cents per
bushel, of $ll3,54l. A bulletin was
recently issued dealing with horse
feeding, in which the statement was
made, based on long periods of ex-
perimentation, that the amount of
lucern fed to a horse on Utah farms
could be reduced One-half. According
to the census, llj,SSi horses are
owned by farmers of Utah.
If by using the results Of o.. work,
! the farmers can save but TWO pounds
of hay daily for six months, then per
| year the saving will be 10000 tons Of
lucern hay, which has cash value Of
about $4,000. The Utah experiment
station has probably done more work
than any other station in the world
on the composition or feeding value of
lncern or alfalfa. 1t has shown quite
conclusively that If lucern is cut at
the right time its value may be in
creased one-tenth or more. According
to the last census, 5Sl $40 tons Of hl-
Germ were raised IN Utah farms, hay
ing cash value Of S2,726,084. One
tenth OF that amount, about 1915, 900,
may be credited TO the careful system
attic and scientific work Of the station.
Our experiments in irrigation tend to
show that on the same land and with
the same amount of water by apply.
ing the water in the right way and at
the right time, the yield of wheat may
be increased three bushels per acre
which means an increase TO the State
of 37S,47O bushels, or $257,0s2. The
possibility of similar increases has
been shown with numerous Other
crops. 1t has been shown how sugar
beetS may be increased several pei
cent. To increase the sugar in beets
only one per cent represents 500,O
pounds of sugar to factory handling
$1,000 tons of beets per season, OF
about 500 200. Should the farmers
follow our advice, the gain TO the fac
tories Of the State would be about
Sl5O,OO0. OF still higher importance
have been the results which indicate
that by the more economical use OF
water the irrigation area may be in,
creased at least one.fourth without
the building of any new canals.
There are now 500, l2O acres of irri.
gated land in the State. To increase
that area One-fOurth would mean an in
crease OF l57, go acres, each of which
would certainly yield $40, which would
result in adding to the annual wealth
OF the State 81 1852, 800. The value of
such results is fact beyond estima-
tlos. Our work in showing the posi-