The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-02

ated close to the main structure. This will greatly relieve the state of conges- ton which has handicapped these depart ments for several years past, and will fa- cilitate not only the instructional work in the agricultural courses, but will also assist materially the scientific investiga- tional work conducted in each of these departments for the Alabama experiment station.
 The department of agriculture, including the offices of the director of the experi- ment station and the classrooms and lab oratories connected with instruction in crops and soils, will occupy the entire second and a part of the third floors. The department of botany will occupy the remainder of the third floor. On the first floor will be located the offices, class rooms and laboratories of the depart ments of horticulture and entomology and the offices of the department of animal industry. Stock judging work is provided for in large room in the basement. As sembly rooms for student agricultural or ganizations, library and reading rooms are among the accommodations provided for. An auditorium seating from 400 to 500 in entered from the first floor and the gallery from the second floor. This will be utilized in public meetings connected with agricultural work such as exhibi- tions of fruits, flowers and vegetables, farmers institutes and similar occasions. Necessarily several lines of work in diff ferent departments had to be provided with separate quarters outside of the main hUil6iDgE Among these the dairy laboratory work which requires four large, well-lighted and ventilated rooms in a one-story structure standing about 100 feet to the southwest of the main hall Directly in its rear Is located a range ofs three greenhouses. one for each of the departments of horticulture, botany and entomology. These are con- nected in front by a one-story brick header in which various necessary phases of the work will be carried on.
 During the past year about 12 per cent of the men in the senior class have been pursuing the agricultural courses beside those who have been specializing in chem istry and veterinary science. The pros pect Is that for the coming year fully double this proportion will elect agricul- tural work The completion and equip ment of Conner hall will give a dignity and standing to the instruction in agri- cultural sciences which will certainly lead much larger proportion of the students in the polytechnic institute to equip themselves for the many promis- ing positions opening to trained men as teachers in schools and colleges, as ex- pertinent station workers. as leaders in the rapidly extending work of the United States department of agriculture, or in other positions in which they may serve their fellow men as leaders in the ex- ceedingly important educational work which really lies at the bottom of any extended adoption of improved agricul- tural practices. Beside these there are the men who may do a great work in restoring agricultural prosperity upon our large plantations as superintendents or managers for owners who realize the ad- vantages of applying up-to-date methods upon their estates, but who are not them selves so situated or so trained as to do this work. Many many more will be prepared to return to the farms of which they will one day become the owners, and by application of the principles which they have learned will realize a success such their fathers could never attain, and whose work will do much to remove the stigma which has rested for so long upon the direct pursuit of an agricultural occupation
 Another evid.ace of the growth of in terest in advanced agricultural work is the, provision which has just been made by a cooperative arrangement with the United States department of agriculture for professorship of school agriculture. By the work in this department ad- vanced agricultural ideas will be carried to a multitude of young people who are not likely to attend any college where they might receive such instruction.