Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1909-05-07
THE AGRICULTURAL
FUTURE OF MONTANA
Splendid Course Of Training Offered at
Bozeman A. 6. College.

culture college been 80 Hooded with
letters asking for information on all
phases Of agriculture: and never be-
fore has there been such Il demand
Tor young men who are trained along
agricultural lines and who are COM
petent to handle large agricultural
enterprises.
Montana agriculture is compara-
lively new. To certain extent II
man must learn how to handle land
either above or below the ditch. Dur
ing the next few years, Montana will
develop agriculturally as she has new
er done before. There is coming to
be an enormous demand for this land
which we might say is thu last cheap
land OH the continent. Already i'm ii e
eastern part Of the state, regular
scramble for land is beginning nd in
the western part Of the state, the fruit
lands of the Bitter Root and the Flat
head are attracting attention the
world over. Land values are iucreas-
ing Oy lVdpS tlItl DOUIluS.
This year every department of the
agricultural college has been flooded
with inquiries asking for young men
who are capable of handling various
agricultural projects. All of the
young men who are capable have been
spoken for long ago and if the college
had had fifty more young men who
were ready, they could have found
splendid positions in almost any sec
tion of the state.
We cannot understand why it is
that so many of the bright young men
OF Montana will content themselves
with meager position when by
little application and hard study for
a year or two they might double or
treble their earnings capacity. Asit
Is, % per cent Of all the young men
in the state drop out after completing
the sth grade and receive no further
education. For young men who con-
template doing this the agricultural
college at BoZeman is offering
short course in agriculture to cover
the six winter months. BY this ar
rangement, the young men can have
all the busy summer months to work
upon their own ranches, or to work
for Others, and thus may be able to
save up sufficient amount of money
to put them through college for the
entire winter.
Young men all the way from four
teen to twenty-five and thirty years
of age are taking advantage of this
course. In many cases young men
attend who have completed the Sth
grade, but it was so long ago, and
they have been out Of school for SO
many years, that their grades are
lost. Such young men who have a
definite purpose in view will be adj
mitted to this course upon passing an
entrance examination, and it is abso-
lutely certain that the right kind Of
young men will be fitted for filling
much larger salaried positions.
The course as outlined is made Just
as practical as it possibly can be.
Practical work along the line Of feed
ing and management Of live stock,
srenmerV sens a MarK reaKses ayn dsifyns e. and and
and irrigated farms; the best seed to
SOW; the best methods Of cultivation:
and also a thorough training in the
handling and development of an
orchard. In connection with this
course is given one i'm wood and
forge work. Thus the student will
receive Il thorough training in sharp
ening drag teeth: drawing ont plow
lays and in fact doing all of the iron
and wood repair work about the large
college farm. This gives them an
insight into the proper way of handl-
ing all iron and wood tools and proves
OF very great value to those who take
it.
Now this course is not meant in
any way to conflict with the high
schools OF the state, but is simply IN
tended for the 95 per cent. mentioned
above. and drop out after the eighth
grade and who wish to qualify them
selves for this line of work.
The course will begin about the goth
on next October and already a great
many young men in the state have
registered for it. On account Of lack
OF room it will be almost impossible
to register more than a hundred
students for this course, and SO the
first hundred who apply will be ac-
cepted.
The above course is a distinct one
i'll itself and must not be confused
with the regular college course in
agriculture. Graduate students from
the high school enter as freshmen for
the college course, and, just to give
you an idea of the great demand for
thoroughly equipped and trained
young men from the college course,
we might say that every graduate in
agriculture this year was spoken for
before Christmas at salaries ranging
from a thousand to fourteen hun
dred per year.
The names of 63 young men have
been handed to the principal of the
school of Agriculture of Bozeman,
from Fergus county for this course
and it is sincerity hoped that the
great majority Of these may attend.
Eighteen of these are from Lewis