Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-12-13

Many inquiries have been received con-
corning agricultural education and the
benefits which such a course OF hstrue-
ton might confer on the individual. The
following was presented by Mr. Ia h
Rast of the class OF 1911 Mr.. Rasts
home Is in the southern part OF the
state. He came TO the college entering
the one-year course. and has worked MS
way through. This shows you what
Young man Of determination with limited
financial and educational facilities may
accomplish. The editor of this Depart
ment thought the short article as pre-
pared by Mr.. Rast would be the best
answer which could be given to the IN
quiries cited above;
That there has been an AWAKENING OF
interest along agricultural lines IN the
s,outb is clearly demonstrated by the &C
,Sor ~ The schools and colleges Of this
section In establishing this valuable phase
of education on an equal foo..ng with oth-
er lines OF study. No institution mas
made more rapid progress along e-.is hne
than has the University OF Georgia. a
: contrast OF the conditions Of the agrieui-
tural department five years ago and now
will clearly prove this point
There we're Only two instructors in this
department al that time These were
earnest workers who accomplished mucn
GOOD. but what could two men do toward
Soresdinz the underlying principles OF
Agriculture among the people OF TINS
sfate9 Their Offices and class rooms
were in a little building that was almost
hidden by an oak tree. There were no
laboratories. no demonstration feds, no
orchards. except q small pear orchard
that has since been dug up. and no stock
for Judging purposes Nearly all OF the
farm was rented out. Practically no IN
terest was taken by the students only
a few OF the men in the one-year class
were taking the course for the good they
could get out of it 1 was a member OF
that class and feel quite free TO speak OF
IL as I please Being the last and lStn
man TO enter / was supposed TO nave
brought dire calamity to their goooly
number, and N consequence thereon hao
TO bear the blame for any mishap that
befeU the class Some OF our NUMBER
were men that failed in other lines OF
work and were taking the course just 70
stay here II was generally understood
amoag the students that IL a fellow could
not take the regular course he would
take the 'sOne-year Az. as It was called.
The men in the regular B. s. course in
agriculture were not as well spoken OF by
the student body as they deserved This
probably came about from the fact that
the few men who had taken this course
came from the farm and when they grad
uated. went back 10 the farm and At
that time il was thought that only men
who could do nothing else were farmers
Now, however. things have changed
we have come to realize that II takes ed
ucated men 20 farm IL IL is to be done
correctly. Mere time, thought. and mon
ey are being spent each year TO make
farming more profitable business This
department of the university has grown
so rapidly in the last few years that IL is
thought that in few years IL Will be
the largest in the entire university system.
BY far the best bui ding on the campus is
the agricultural hail. OF which we are just
" proud. The laboratories of this build
ing are equipped with modern apparatus
and durable furniture In these, soil
problems and experiments have TO be
worked out by the students
We have an unusually well equipped
laboratory in farm mechanics, containing
such Implements as plows. harrows, cul-
tivators. manure spreaders. road ma
chimes shredders. and many kinds Of
seeding machines. also gasoline engines,
motors. rams. pumps and wind mills.
Just back OF the building is the college
farm, none OF which is rented. The parts
that can not be cultivated are In forest
or pasture. The most interesting part of
the farm Is the demonstration field, where
the value OF different fertilizers plant
foods for various crops are shown on the
growing plants At the same time work
IN plant breeding is being done on these
plats. The results OF these experiments
are recorded and give us an excellent OPP
portu1ity for studying variation In plants.
nice orchard OF the various fruits is
conveniently located. giving the students
IN that line OF work a chance TO study
the different varieties of fruit and their
adaptation to this climate and soil. also
practice in budding. grating, pruning.
and spraying The location OF the build
ing Is such that il affords excellent OPP
portunities for the students to study
landscape gardening
The students in animal husbandry are
equally fortunate in that they have a
dairy in operation at all times. There
are large herds o. both dairy and beef