The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1912-03-08
Many inquiries.

BrOokings.-Last year the South
Dakota State colleges at Brookings
mailed 25,6O0 letters in response to
inquiries throughout the state. Most
of these inquiries have been for ex'
pert advice on some matter relating to
the business of fruit growing, n
NAL breeding, the raising of crops,
dairy industry, insect pests, veterinary
troubles. household economics, me.
chanics, and engineering. At the
rate Of IS letters per day the PROBES.
sors of the State college are meeting
the call of the citizens of South
Dakota for information on various and
vital p%erplexing questions. This de-
monstrates that the South Dakota
State college is probably n Of the
most important public servants of the
state.
The Department of Animal Hus.
bandry, under the direction of Prof.
essOr Wilson. answered nearly 10000
Inquiries last year relative to some
features of animal breeding, stallion
registration, etc. Professor Hansen OF
the Horticultural Department answer.
ed close to 400 inquiries regarding
problems in fruit breeding and alfalfa.
Professor Hume of the Agronomy De.
partment dictated about $500 letters
relative to crops and soils in all sec
lions of the state. DR.. Brigham OF
the School of Agriculture carried on
a heavy correspondence relative to
the shorter, three year course in agri.
culture, and correspondence educa'
ton. Professor Larsen, and Mr..
Ry5er of the Dairy Husbandry De.
partment and office of the State Dairy
Expert, sent out about 1000 letters
answering inquiries pertaining to the
dairy industry. The Botany and Ento.
mology Department, Under h direc.
ton of DR.. Olive, and Professor Sew.
erin, also answered nearly 1000 in.
quiries relative to the protection OF
crops against wood pests. insect and
animal pests, etc. DR., Moore Of the
Veterinary Department., was constant.
ly besieged with inquiries for advice
on the treatment Of diseases of live
stock. The remainder of the cores.
pondence vas quite evenly divided
dlllOu5 llC uGpdItllSHL Vi Gig
ing, home economics, chemistry, alum.
nj, n the office OF the president.
The Chemistry Department is fire.
quently requested to analyze stones
and ores with the hope that the send.
er has found a valuable mineral de.
post. Professor Shepard reports,
however, that he is obliged to give
Ii-,, ,o;ptirr rn,l,oo %~ -nnrIu al 80
these inquiries.
1t may be readily seen that the
average professor at the State col.
lege who is obliged to handle this
correspondence in addition to his reg.
ular class work is an extremely busy
a The importance of the work OF
the various departments in giving
first hand and expert replies to the
thousands OF inquiries which pour in
annually can not be over-estimated.
Several of the professors were inter.
viewed as to their opinion regarding
the matter of correspondence, and in.
stead Of suggesting that they were
weary of it they stated that they
wished hat more people in the state
would avail themselves of the oppor.
tunity. The information is here, and
any person in the state who is beyond
the student age, or unable to attend
the State college, may at any time re-.
ceive information by writing any of
the various departments for it, In
fact, although the State college is al.
ready getting close to the people,
she can do more for the state If the
people will get closer to the college.