The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1910-12-02

cludes such subjects as study of the
seeds OF grasses, grains, and vege-
tables; methods of preventing and era
d1cat1ng weeds: physical features Of
the soil, their composition and be-
havior under different treatments,
different types of soils and their char
acterist1cs; chemical constituents Of
soils and effects of rotation of crops
and different systems of farming;
breeding, feeding, care and Judging of
swine, horses and cattle; principles
OF fruit growing, location and climate,
t1llage, fertilizing, planting, diseases.
insects, spraying, pruning, etc.
Another important phase of present
day agricultural education is the farm
ers' institutes, of which over $4,000
are held annually under state or gov
eminent auspices, running from one to
several days in duration. They take
up great variety of subjects which
fit the particular needs of the locality
where they are held. Attendance is
always free.
The government department Of
agriculture stands ready to assist farm
ers IN every way it can, even to the
extent OF sending experts to their
farms when these experts are within
reaching distance. Often this is done
without any expense to the farmers,
if the question raised is one of general
Importance. If the farmers question
can be answered by correspondence or
by sending publication, the expert
does not go to visit him; If the inquiry
relates to some new problem Of gen.
eral Importance, the expert goes to the
farmer"
Just to show what can be achieved
by man that is determined to be a
scientific farmer, note this: A man
who has followed the ministry and was
ordered by his physician to get into an
outdoor occupation, used his savings
and a mortgage to acquire Is acres
and a few COWS In Pennsylvania.
The land wasn't worth much, and he
knew nothing about farming; but he
got into communication with agricul-
tural and dairy experts in Washington
and did things as they should be
done in light of modern scientific
methods
At the end of three years he had
80 blooded cows, was employing
four men the year round, had paid of
the mortgage, and was clearing $4,000
a year from the sale of cows, calves,
and farm products. He raised from
these Is acres more food than his
80 cows consumed - though it is
held by dairy farmers generally that
usually two acres are needed for one
COW, and for one acre to furnish suftl-
cient sustenance Is rare.
Perhaps your boy, it is safe to say,
after learning that he doesn't need to
be the traditional clodhopper because
he is farmer, but can be as cultured
a gentleman as anybody else, will not
protest when he discovers that you
have the farm in mind for him.
After he has got all the education he
feels he can afford he reaches the prob
lem of how to get farm. There is
no end Of avenues. He can go to work
to fix up his fathers farm, as most
would probably do, or can get job
as farm hand for a neighbor, who will
pay him $40 to $40 month and board.
He can save at least three-fourths of
this, and by the end of two years or
SO can make first payment on tract
of land somewhere. Even If he has no
horses, he can hire few acres plowed
for one dollar or so an acre and plant
something that will give him consid-
cradle money at the end of the season.
Mostly any sturdy young man can
get job on farm, the requirements
are so obvious and simple; but with
the scientific training he has had he
will probably have a situation offered
him or another avenue will be opened
up some time before he leaves school.
The more schooling along scientific
agricultural lines he can get, the moro
competent he will be, of course, and
the more clearly will he be able to out.
line the future. Numerous well-trained
young men are employed as super1n'
tendents on large farms or find their
openings in resuscitating so-called
exhausted" farms.
If your boy should wish to gowest,
a postal card sent to the reclamation
service of the department of the in
terror will bring information how to
acquire irrigated land-Where the
problem of rainfall does not exist
for $50 an acre in ten annual payments
without interest; and at the same time
he will have even closer cooperation
of government experts.
Anyhow, your boys place as scien-
tific farmer will be an enviable one,
particularly as nowadays owing to
improvements In all lines of activity.
every farm in a populated section can
have its own telephone and running
water, and trolley lines that will take
your boy to the city in short time
will run by his door or nearby. And
the farmer that knows his business
and succeeds is always the one his
neighbors delight to honor, whether to
elect him president of the local grange
or alliance or to send him to the legis,
lature.
(Copyright, 1910, by the Associated Lit
erary Press)
Not That Kind Of Faith.
Bangs says he believes in meeting
the exercise of one virtue with an
other"