Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-08-15
COLLEGES FOR TIE FARMER
(From the Boston Globe)

(From the Boston GlOOe)
The benefit agricultural colleges are to
farming IS we'll illustrated by the sue
cess which Is attending the efforts Of the
agricultural division of the Iowa state
college of agriculture and mechanic arts.
It Is not long since there was considera-
BILE skeptiCism among farmers as TO the
value OF scientific knowledge in agricul-
tural pursuits. but that day has passed.
There Is no moro honorable calling than
farming. and it Is generally conceded
now that men occupied in cultivating
agricultural products cannot possess too
much knowledge rela tive to the best
methods Of raising and caring for all
crops.
The farmers in Iowa, old and young
have made wonderful progress in the
few years they have been suppl'eh>with
data on the most approved methods Of
farming. The best feature of the whole
plan Of this education is that II aims TO
prevent serious failures of crops In the
future. at least in the State of Iowa.
A notable phase Of the instruction
given the Iowa farmers Is what Is term
ed the short course" lectures In addi-
ton to these there are other factors which
Review of Reviews;
% The short course" IN stOck-iudg-
Ing. started at the State agricultural
college at Ames in 1899, and now devel-
opcd into other lines and adopted by
other states (2) The local agricultural
experiment stations on the county poor
farms. begun in 1903 and "dcstned to go
aAund the world" ~ The seed-corn
n;,,c .a1 yGAt ,r-1,t 1h i,,
three seasons covered 1000 miles OF
railway and brought audiences of farm
ers aggregatng 10000 to learn the I'M
| portance of better selection of seed
| corn. care in testing before planting, and
| other facts that have Increase Nhe
average yield OF the state by onc-th'rd
| in three years. a. The department of
agricultural extension in the State agri-
| cultural college, started in 1906. literally
supported by the state. giving practical
aid to every seeker for information con-
corning animal husbanrry farm crops,
soils. dairying horticulture and domes-
tic science.
These lectures are so popular that the
work Of the short course" has been ex-
| tended until now It includes corn and
grain Judging. darying horticulture and
about 500 and includes many who have
spent their lives In successful agriculture.
Every section OF the country sent stu
dents last January
The results achieved by this class of
practical educational work are worthy
OF consideration IN those sections where
there are not any agricultural colleges or
| similar institutions.
Young men will remain on the farm
| when they SEQ tho products and revenues
Increasing steadily In IOWA farm land
| that was worth from IS 10 500 an acre 20
years ago Is now worth from s75 TO sl5c
per acre The value Of the products. be-
cause of more Intelligent work, Is many
times greater than II WIS even a few
years ago. Old men who thought they
knew all about raising crops are gladly
availing themselves of the scientific in
formation furnished them free on how tc
| increase crops
judge OF the supreme court Of Iowa
himself an organizer OF the "shori
course" lectures. Is quoted as saying;
Good Judges tell me that the yield o,
| corn has increased at least 1--WE bushels
per acre as n result of this corn school
The results Internationally have beer
very great. The farmer down hero-and
better than that. the farmers boy-has
| concluded that his business is ms hon
orable and worthy as any other and
that 1t takes Just as much brains to be
a good farmer ms to excr' In anythine
else. The result will he and has been &c
keep the hoy on the farm.
The financial results OF the agriculture
education are noticed already In the lar
| ~ =