, 1906-08-02

The following is from the current
number of the Ranchman's Reminder,
recently mailed to subscribers:
The following editorial in the July
number of the Scientific Farmer is so
near the point the editor of this paper
is continually trying to make that we
quote it in full. We believe it true, how
ever, that our western ranchmen are
making more use of ~up-to-date methods
than any other farmers on earth. More
of them should send their boys to the
Agricultural College, however, and as
they learn of its benefit more of the
older ranchmen themselves are availing
themselves OF the opportunities to attend
short courses in these institutions.
The value of correct soil culture can
hardly be over estimated, and it is in our
Agricultural Colleges and on our Elk
pertinent Stations that these things are
being carefully studied and demonstrated,
1t takes some years for any man to learn
the underlying principles, but the results
of applying correct methods are being
clearly shown by these institutions. 1t
is a patriotic duty to the state and a per-
sonal financial and ethical duty of the
individual to make use of his home ad-
yantages:
GOING IT BLIND."-A late bulletin
from the United States Department of
Agriculture indicates that there are some
six millions of farms in the United
States. This means not less than six
millions of farmers. OF this entire num-
Der, just 2,47I last year attended the
agricultural colleges of the various states,
while 1890 more were enrolled in the
short course classes in the same institu-
tons. In other words, one farmer in
one thousand is absorbing the best and
latest knowledge available about the
business to which he is devoting his life.
A goodly percentage of those who stay
away do so from necessity, but there is
another and a much larger percentage
who would not go if they could.
For nearly three hundred years-in-
deed, since the days of Jethro Tull in
I72o-men who knew whereof they
spoke have been urging the value of
thorough tillage i'll the cultivation of
soils. How many farmers in the United
States today are using system in soil
management? One in one hundred?
Possibly; the ratio is probably greater
than that. And this in the face Of the
fact that advanced knowledge of farm
ing methods was never so available as
now, and of the further fact that wher-
ever scientific methods have been adopt
ed the farmer has been amply rewarded
by the increase in the quantity and the
quality of his crops.
The greatest drawback to agricultural
America today is that the average farmer
i)nsis:s upon going it blind; upon cul-
.tivating his soil in a haphazard way (;
upon doing as little work as is possible
commensurate with living results. When
seasons are good and rainfall abundant,
such methods may, and often do, bring
excellent crops, but the record of ten
years in any locality in the Unitd States
will show one or more years of crop
failure and consequent poverty that
might have been entirely avoided by the
adoption OF modern methods of farming,
By modern methods is not meant the
steam pillow, the gasoline engine and the
electric motor. These are well i'll their
way, and each adds largely to the pro-
ductive capacity of any farm by its mere