The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1913-08-15
WATfRVILLE'S PLAN FOR
MORE SCIENTIFIC FARMING
Some Interesting Facts Concerning Dr.
yersified Farming and Scientific
knowledge on the farm

Wateryille, Douglas county, Wash
ington, has a project under way for
uniting big farming community in an
effort 10 bring scientific knowledge,
social advantages and vocational train
ing home to the farmer and his family
which will be followed with keenest
interest by all who are interested in
the problems Of education and country
life.
This little city has a community
center school plant consisting of o.
room school, equipped fully for voca-
tional as well as academic work, 90
year lease on so acres of land for
county fair and experimental purposes,
10 acres of campus, 10 acres for
school gardening and 80 lots for IL
brary investment. There are six dis
tricts sharing in this plant, just such a
situation as state Superintendent Jose
phine Preston contemplates in her
community center plan of rural school
through which she is con-
Quoting the first series Of statewide
boys and girls contests and in which
she is financially assisted by the bank
ers as we'll as the state.
Just what Waterville is doing is best
told in the words of report to Mrs.
Preston from County Life Commits
sioner A. L. Rogers, who is a CO.
worker in Waterville with George P.
Wiley, chairman Of the educational
committee Of the State Bankers Asso-
citation. Mr.. Rogers says in part:
Twenty years ago I operated a
grist mill in this section and the wheat
tested as high as 44% gluten-today
the tests run from 206 to 800.
This shows We are wheating the life
out of our soil and that diversified
farming must come. But the farmer
cannot change at once. The agricul-
tural high school in his community
must solve the problems and lead the
way for him.
We have taken advantage of the
farm director bill passed by last legis-
lature and have arranged to have a
county director. We will build him a
model cottage on our demonstration
grounds where he may work with our
science instructor in connecting up
the theoretical and practical sides Of
this work.
In Douglas county the seasons are
short and the rainfall light. We need
OF wheat that mature early
and get out Of the way OF the hot
winds. Now, we have noticed in all
Dur fields that there are some heads
that mature several weeks earlier than
the rest. On our demonstration farm
We are going to set the boys to work
tight on this suggestion, giving to each
an acre and offering a prize of S25
or the boy who makes the best show
ng at the county fair.
Each boy will carefully select and
study his early heads and be on hand
II the fair to tell the farmers just what
lie has done. These selections will be
lsed as seed the following year. When
lie has his entire acre bred up to high
standard Of perfection, we will find a
ew farmers who will use his seed and
Jay the five cents per bushel premium
IN their crops until we get the entire
country stocked with a we'll adapted
iced.
I'VE are going to work along sim
lar lines with oats, barley, potatoes,
lax, and other farm products. In the
department. Of animal industry we have
visions of community cooperation in
rue breeding. In this department we
will utilize the feed produced on our
30-acre demonstration farm.
Our high school auditorium will be
open to the use Of the Farmers I'm
ons and other public gatherings. The
gymnasium will be open at stated hours
o the young business men, clerks and
,oung men from the country. The
July races, potato carnivals, and fairs
will be held on our demonstration
grounds. We are convinced now that
We do not have to have state aid in
his work, but feel that after all self is
a.nta~