The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-10-13
THE STUDYING OF AGRICULTURE.
Journal Of Ioric,tltare.


Only q few years ago the foolish idea pre-
vailed among the sons Of farmers that they
must 60 to the cities to make their fortunes"
1t is gratifying to state that such is not the
case now. Instead, II is just the opposite-the
city boys are going to the country. There is
no element of chance in such movement, as
was the case when the farmer boys went to
the city, because the boy who stays on the
farm and the young man who goes there, will
both succeed If they have a thorough knowl-
edge of agriculture. Unless they acquire that
knowledge, however. they are very likely to
make failures. While a great deal can be
learned on farm without attending an agri-
cultural school, 1t is an acknowledged fact that
the successful farmer of the future must have
training in scientific agriculture. New and
better methods are constantly being discovered
and the farmer who persists in sticking to an
tiquated ideas will soon find himself left far
behind, while his up-to-date neighbor is reap
ing the profits, part Of which should have
been bis.
Statistics from the various state universities
throughout the country show that not only
the farmers, but their sons and daughters, are
taking advantage of the possibilities offered
them. The college agricultural departments
show larger increase in studies, comparative
ly, than any of the older sciences. It is only
Of late years that the value of agriculture as
vocation became universally realized. For
merry farmer was looked upon as a man who
by working day and night somehow managed
to exc an existence from the soil. This was
true to certain extent, but with modern
methods, improved implements, telephones
rural deliveries, etc., he has become wealthy,
educated and the most powerful man In the
country. And the bulk of the credit for all
this is due to education.
"a aaunr1o IF tho x,roorooo
schools are making, 200 students are enrolled
in the agricultural departme alone at Missouri
University. When IL is remembered that there
are six distinctive courses at the university and
that there was q total of 1924 enrolled in all
made by the agricultural department is proof
that farming is rapidly taking its rightful place
among the other sciences. Nearly every state
university has farm of several hundred acres
which is used for instruction and agricultural
experiments. These experiments include tests
of field crops, feeding, experiments with cattle,
sheep and hogs, breeding experiments, investi-
cations in horticulture, entomology, botany
and other subjects which are of the greatest
value to farmers. For live stock investigations
and experiments, herds of cattle. swine and
sheep are kept and excursions to successful
farms are made to show modern methods in
actual use. All this teaches the student that
agriculture offers inducements unsurpassed by
any trade or profession in existence. Its pos
sibilities for profit are unlimited. The average
doctor has only a small community from
which to derive an income and the same is
true o. the lawyer. but the farmer has the
world for q customer.
Men trained in agriculture can not only
make fortunes on farms of their own, but they
can command high salaries as farm managers,
experiment station workers, teachers of agri-
culture and editors of agricultural newspapers
Therefore it behooves every farmer, with bis
son and daughter, to get a thorough, scientific
knowledge of agriculture. If it is impossible
for the farmers son to take the full course at
some university or college, he should at least
be given the benefit of the short winter courses.
The days of leisure on the farm are almost here
and they can not be more profitably spent,
either by the farmer or his children, than in
studying agriculture.