Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-01-27
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE
MEN WE'LL PLEASED

'N"-ANhN - = AtaAAA AAFAAhthaAaNa
MEN WE'LL PLEASED
We could have asked no more cor
dial reception than has been given
us py the farmers Of New Mexico and
the people generally on this tour"
said President W. r.. Garrison of the
state Agricultural college. THE at
tendance has been much larger than
We expected. The interest has been
All That could be desired. II has been
eager Intelligent interest: a deep de-
sire 10 know how to do better farm
ins. how 60 grow better frait. how 10
Improve irrigation methods. how to
grew better stock. This interest has
been the most encouraging thing we
have encountered IN the whole course
VI the work of the Agricultural coll
legc. II shows convincingly how great
Is the need FOR carrying the work Of
the college Ia the farmers OF the
state; the need for intelligent. per-
s'stent extension work SO that our
farmers may receive the benefit OF
practical instruction In the most adj
vanced and most profitable farming
methods.
The farmers IN many parts OF New
McKee, continued Dr. Garrison. "are
az the turning OF the way. The next
two or three years will determine
whether these districts are 90 be filled
with a prosperous and happy people
or whether the plains are 60 be mark
td with abandoned homestead shncks
as monuments of failure. There is
every reason % believe that success
IS possible. Il Is only "a question of
coins after IL In the right way AS
an investment the state could not do
better than 10 pend generous
amount of money iH encouraging and
instructng these farmers The i'm
vostment WI be repaid ten-fold with
in a decade Ia the increased tax re-
celpts from the enhanced value of
the land ana us Improvements.
While the dry farmers In eastern
New Mexico are especially IN need OF
instruction and assistance. because
they are working under conditions
winch are new Co them and are at
tempting the solution of problems
which are as yet unsolvcd, Il ls equal
~ true that the farmers In the irri-
gated valleys. In the broad areas
where pumping projects are being de-
Vcloped and Ia the older settled por-
lions of the state need expert advice.
The most profitable forms OF agricul-
lure under irrigation are highly spe-
cializcd industries which can be best
pGrsued by men who have made a
special study OF them
"Our state constitution provides for
the establishment OF q department of
agriculture under the direction OF the
regents of the Agricultural college Co
do this kind of work, n the governor
and the members OF our first state
legislature could have been with us
on this train, II they could have heard
as we have heard at every station the
appeals for help from men who are
doing an that men can do 90 help
themselves. ana 81 they could have
seen as We have seen the oagerness
OF these people 60 learn improved
methods OF farming there would be
no doubt but that prompt and ample
provision would be made for this eX-
tension work. / believed that they
are aware Of this great need and that
the cry OF the farmers which goes up
90 them viii fan upon sympathetic
ears"
TEN PER CENT or STATES
POPULATION VISITS TRAIN
The first New Mexico agricultural
demonstration train has made a new
record for attendance upon such a
train la an equal length of time. The
trab was out for eighteen days. %
which two We're sundays when the
train ala not operate. There were
sixteen days of actual operation. Dur
ing that time the train trnversed sew
entoen Of the tweniy-six counties OF
New Mexico. travelled i,6bS miles over
santa Pc tracks, not counting the re.
turn trip TO the Agricultural college,
made siXty-elght stops az from one a.
three hours and was visited by ap-
proximately $4,000 people. or more
than 10 per cent of the total popula-
ton of the state. In several counties
go per cent of the county population
visited the train and IN number OF
smaller towns 30 per cent OF the pope
ulatlon attended In cities like Albu-
querque. Roswell, Las Vegas ana Ra-
ton, from 20 90 40 per cent OF the
population passed through the exhibit
cars aud heard the lectures.
NOthiug has been done Ia the his
tory Of the state which has 80 en-
couTaged better farming. The train