Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-09-14

that great depletion IN soil fertility
has taken place IN recent years; nor
has the malpractice ia this direction
been arrested. Tho Yields per aero
OF our farm crops have fallen % an
alarming dcsrcc and this in spit" ~
the sUorJli. efforts made here ana
there Co maintain or increase yields
od the part OF the farmer hy the use
oi various soil amendments. The SIT
uatlou ls therefore one OF national
concern and the importance OF the
clsc cannot easily Doe uyvrstatcd.
There rs much talk ut tho present
time nf the movement back Goo tho
land The great need lg Goo point out
il the land owner. ana Geo me boy ana
girl uNWE m the country the poesi-
hiHti,s of farming where scientific
policies ate Iuuupurntcd. .ud when
this Ia done me urban movement VIII
have been yhrgkmat"d
Farmers obviously need help in
many directions. ana 1t is essential
that Il Do, brought tp them as quickly
ls possible ana .n the most accept
able and easily understood manner.
The ott-r,pc1ird suggestion mat an
agricultural revolution may ho
brought about ls one OF the facts nov
1s we'll demonstrated ass mans mas
trry OF electricity. but little has ever
been done Co pat the know ledge which
is 10 BRING about this desirable result
ln an acceptable form Within tho
reach of those who must possess ~ %
The end sought rs to DEE attained. In
teHigcnt consideration calls Tor a def
..f HHf
muy properly luclado. Generally
sp,ukiug. IL may bee regarded as %
method OF disseminating information
on AN topics TclJtcd CO. agriculture ~
the uroadcst sense ut the word.
Under systematic instruction may
Dee Included what ~ known as the cX-
tension school witch undertakes, ns
US nam, shows. Co carry ON definite
instructions along certain lines into
% given community for "a period Of
three days tp month This Is prob
ably one eft the most efficient forms
of extension teaching which can bo
lntuFurtvd no any state.
The experimental farm or dyrnitc
soil test win follow next in import
uuye. Correspondence courses would
bee found helpful. The lecture aud
reading course viii also be- found
helpful iu many communities IN
other instances study clubs may loo
formed. ana last but not least under
this division would be- ranked the
work uf the boys and girls clubs.
Undc" the head ot informal teach
INK probably the most efficient agency
Is the farmers institute. Then would
com, the farmers week generally ar
ranged tor M the agricultural college
conferences of one kind and another
and which may hc arranged either az
the college ~ IN various local ccn-
tors. The occasional lecture would
come under this head
Under object lesson teaching may
hc grouped the farm demonstration
work, the special train, the fair eN-
hibit. the educational excursion ana
publications. These should include
the press bulletins sent out weekly
or monthly the lcallct or agricultural
periodical. series of popular bulletins
and travelling agricultural libraries
The work must bc carefully organ
iScd and efficiently manned where
effective service Is contemplated, The
men chosen for this line OF work must
hc exports in fact and reality In
tho administration of the work II viii
br Wcii Co have an executive secretary
or director OF the extension service
with a siaff of men and clerks under
his control. This constitutes the hu-
cleus for the organization ana dircc-
ton of the work. The experts need
cd IN agronomy horticulture. animal
hughnudry agricultural chemistry,
etc.. viii bee delegated from the meme
bors of the specialized Stats of these
departments by the heads OF the same
on reppou of the oXtension director
In organizing cNtrut ION work WIN
in the confines of any state the rol-
lcgc should, OF course, undertake 10