Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-01-18

at least two years before the data
can be compiled and a soil map pre-
pared for general distribution.
COURSE ATTENDANCE BIG.
Never since the short course in agri-
culture was instituted by the Illinois
agricultural college has the attend
anee been so large as this year.
There are now $50 students register
ed, hundred more than last year.
when all previous records were brok-
en-. The capacity Of the class and
lecture rooms in the college building
is severely taxed and practically all
available quarters in the vicinity of
the university grounds are occupied.
The increase in attendance indicates
the striking growth In interest in the
science of farming that is taking place.
Besides the regular members of the
faculty who take all the time they
can spare from their classes to in
struct the short termers, a number
of men from abroad who are consid-
cred leaders Of thought along lines
of interest TO the farmer have been
brought here. Among those students
from Rock Island county have had the
privilege of hearing during the last
two days are George Burnap, land
scape architect in charge of public
buildings and grounds at Washington.
d. c., and George o. Shields, presi-
dent of the League of American
Sportsmen. The former spoke on the
home problem in landscape garden
ing and the latter upon the value Of
insect eating birds to the farmer.
Mr.. Shields lecture was especially
instructive, for in it he told of the
prodigal killing of birds that has taken
place on this continent, 80 per cent
of them having been destroyed, accord
ing to the best available data. Fig
ures were presented showing the value
Of song birds. quail, prairie chick
en-, etc, as destroyers of insects and
I of the manner in which these friends
! of man are being ruthlessly extermin-
ated, largely through pot hunting in
the south, and by foreigners. especial
ly in the vicinity of the larger cities.
PERIL OF WEEVH.
Mr.. Shields predicted that within a
! few years, as a direct result of the
killing of the birds, the boil weevil
will make the growing of cotton in
the south almost impossible, that fruit
viii largely have succumbed to the
coddling moth and that.the brown tailed
moth. which is rapidly taking the trees
m New England, will have spread all
over the entire country
All the classes for the short term
ers are we'll filled. The corn stock
judging rooms are crowded at every
session and as a result hundreds are
acquiring definite ideas as to types OF
different breeds of domestic animals
and varieties of corn. The display
of pure bred corn from al, over the
state would open the eyes of many 6
Rock Island county farmer who thinks
he has seen fairly good samples o.
our chief grain crop.
OF the lectures that are being giver
, in series probably none are attract
ing so much interest as those b!
Professor ]. G. Mosier of the depart
ment of soil physics. Next to DR.
Hopkins, Professor Mosier is prob
ably best known among the soil ex
perts in Illinois, and there are nom
more qualified to speak with authority
Both are pioneers in the preaching o
gospel which means more to tn
: future of Illinois and the United State
: than any political issue that can arts,
gospel that it is to be hoped wi.
spread so that this country may es
cape the fate of the older agriculture
lands where soil robbery has bee
practiced