Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1913-07-24
SHORT
COURSE REVEALS TRUTHS
Attendance Smaller Than Expected,
But Great Interest Manifested
by Those Present

Since Monday Texas farmers attend
ing the farmers short course at the
A. and M. College have heard great
scientific truths about agriculture and
the related sciences and have been
given the benefit of the training and
study Of those who have been making
a specially OF agriculture for years.
The short course opened Monday and
has an enrolment OF about 10 repre-
sentative farmers. The attendance Is
much smaller than Dean Kyle, OF the
echool OF agriculture had expected,
but the interest manifested In the
work more than makes up delin-
Quency In number.
The short course this year is divided
into four separate and distinct divi-
sions- agronomy. or general agricui-
|ture; horticulture and vegetable gard
ening; dairy husbandry, and animal
'husbandry. While specialization is
|practiced in each of these divisions
there is general course on soils and
fertilizers, irrigation and drainage.
farm terracing, crop rotation. etc.,
which runs through all OF these divi-
|sions. Every student has heard DIR.
u. o. Morgan, of the agronomy de-
Ipartment. talk on soils and fertilizers.
One of the most popular features OF
the course this year is the lectures
which are being given in the evening.
On Monday evening, Col. Henry Exall,
president OF the Texas Industrial
Congress, delivered his famous lee
ture on THE Conservation OF the
Soil" The address was full of in
lteresting figures and observations and
the great man made powerful plea
for more scientific methods OF agri-
culture. rotation and diversification OF
crops.
Tuesday night DIR. F. II. Blodgett,
plant pathologist at the state expert
ment station at the college, discussed
l"plant Diseases" The speaker de-
fned the various diseases, showed
plants that had been affected by these
diseases, pointing out the symptoms,
and answered many questions relative
TO plant diseases which are prevalent
in Texas and offered suggestions as to
how best to combat them. He said
THAT plant diseases were incurable,
but that preventive methods could be
lrursued which would practically rem
DEF the crops immune. Little danger
arises from planting crops where dig
eased plants have been grown the
lprevious season, he said, but added
mat by all means the crops should be
lrc;ated. Never plant the same cror
on the same ground two years in suc
Iceesion," he said. DR.. Blodgett de
clared that three years, at least
should elapse before the same croi
was planted in the same field. The
on,y way to prevent wheat rust and
Iusl in other small grains and sor
ghums is to wash the sed in fornaline
preparation just before planting, thf
preparation killing the spores which
would infect the plant.
Or. Blodgett ADVOCATED the use Of
spraying machines to destroy most
parasites and said that only those
sprays which give a fine mist should
be used.
Wednesday night DR.. Mark Francis
head OF the division of veterinary
science, talked on Texas Fever" DR.
Francis is the most eminent author
lily on that subject in the world, he
having discovered the innoculation fol
THAT disease. He explained the heavy
loss occasioned by that disease, meth
DDS of innoculating, and gave much
valuable and interesting information
The students who are in attendance
are here for business. The sessions
begin at s o'clock in the morning anC
continue until noon. At l o'clock the
work becomes more practical and the
students are sent out to execute tht
work they have had instruction on
Budding and grating, drainage and ir
Irrigation, spraying, stock judging anC
other work is performed in the after
noon.
The short course will continue il
session until Monday, when the Texas
Farmers Congress opens.