The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-10-23
Farm l4usbandry Term Opens.

WE NsA@N@SsGfT %tft SF%ts~r
During the week some 100 or more
students have entered for the three
year farm husbandry course. The
work is now well under way, and the
coming week will see the usual ac-
tivity that follows the coming Of the
snort term men.
Place Of the Course.
This course, Intensely practical in
Its nature. is winning steadily in pop
ularity Its BRIEF term, covering that
part OF the year when the boy IL
least needed on the farm. makes 1t
possible for many to attend who 9TH
erwise could not give the time to the
work, while it's period, covering three
winters, IL not too long for large
percentage OF those entering to carry
the work to completion. 1t cores
ponds In a way to the high school
course offered Shy the city to the boy
in town, and still more nearly fills the
ideal Of the trade school 1t gives
time to history, English, mathematics.
civics, and other studies that the man
on the farm. quite as well as the man
back OF the counter, needs to know.
IL goes directly at the meat of the
agricultural education, in thorough
manner. The work OF the animal
husbandry division may be taken as
a type OF that done throughout the
course. There is a systematic course
of feeds and feeding, another on
types and breeds OF farm animals.
still another on stock judging. The
student gets all these. Professor
Richards, who has charge of this line
OF work, says that this year the stu
dents may not go to South Saint Paul,
as has been the custom for some
years past. change in the giving of
the Judging work. throwing it up q
year in the schedule, leaves the agri-
cultural college without the backbone
of good student judging team, and
If such is developed In the limited
time left before the st. Paul contest.
IL Kaust OF necessity be made up of
farm husbandry men, and Of men
largely without experience in the
judging ring. For this reason it may
be thought best this year not to enter
contest which has been one Of the
most interesting features of the fall
terms work There is some excel
lent stock for judging purposes on the
college farm, and Richards and Dynes
make the best possible use Of them
In the ring.
Farm Mechanics and Road Building
Are among the most practical of the
lines Of work offered by the farm
husbandry courses. This line of work,
under the direction Of Professor Dolve,
aims at making a man competent to
handle machinery on the farm with
out the highpriced expert. 1t con-
sists in studying the mechanism of
binders, in estimating draft, in TAX
ing down and putting together all
kind OF farm machinery, In working
out practical schemes for the better
ment Of the country roads.
Another phase Of the work Of the
farm husbandry man is that connected
with the study OF soils.
Meeting Soil Depletion.
with the lessening crop Yields
study Of soils and the means of main
tanning their fertility has become i'm
perative. The basis OF Improvement
in yields is a knowledge of where the
trouble lies that causes the lowering
OF the grade and yield. The farm
husbandry man gets soil from his
home farm, and uses this in his stud
les. in so far as they relate to the me-
chanical nature Of the soil. He stud
les the effect of fertilizer on the soil.
and finds that 1T allows more air to
enter, and that a well fertilized soil
will hold more water than one without
such treatment. He watches the evap-
grafton OF water from a dry, crusted
surface, and checks 1t up with a sim
liar soil sample where the surface is
kept thoroughly loose, and finds out
the practical value of the Campbell
system OF farming, under dry land
conditions.
So the story goes. From the engi-
neering department he learns some-
thing Of tine handling Of farm motors
which belongs. properly, TO the course
spoken OF below. He learns how to
plan a barn. how to figure the bin
for it's material the advantages of
one kind Of roof over another for a
given purpose, how to weld broken
link in a chain, what to do, and what
not TO do, in thousand and one lit
tie things that come up In the course
OF years work on the farm.
The Value Of Such Education.
The value of this course depends
largely upon the man himself That
ii merely saying that 1t lie practical.
broad, bread making, and lifting IN
it's ideals. Some of the graduates Of
this course have made splendid rec
ords for themselves within the short
time that has elapsed since their
graduation, Mr.. Johnson. assistant to
Mr.. Porter, superintendent Of the DEM
onstration farm, Is one Of these men.
But look at the money making
mower of an education az incidental.
after all, to the lifting power that ed
ucation has upon mans ideals, his
concepts, his attitude toward the So
cial and civic life OF hts time. One Of
the graveet charges that can be
brought against any education IL that
Il leaves the man self -centered One
or the most serious problems BIZ our
time il to enlarge the view point OF
the average man. He works more or
less in a rut He becomes liable to
i've in rut. And one Of the largest
BENEFITS coming from the farm hi1e-
bandry course ID this enlargement OF
fna view that enables the student to
grow as the years go by.
In fact. education socially consid
cred, Ii like an army OF conquest that
has to send its scouts forward, men
aauannAd in every way for the bat