Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-08-09
EXPERT STUDIES
SOIL CONDITIONS
NEARFARM|NGT0N
Scientific Investigation of Re-
sources of San Juan Coun-
ty Is Made by Agronomist
From State College,

ssrsc'sa ecssss-ososscs TO sorslso JOURNAL
Pennington. ". NJ. Aug S.-Dr. Eu-
gene +. Humbert. agronomist for the
New Mexico agricultural experiment
station. spent the greater part Of last
week In san Juan county studying the
agricultural resources % the district
and getting acquainted with the farm
ers and business men i'm and about
Pennington. Aztec and pendleton. He
has charge Of the crop and soil work
for the experiment station and these
subjects occupied most of the time in
his evening lectures for the farmers
In Aztec and Farmlngton, but the gem
eral livestock industry as solution
to the present difficulty of marketing
products also received attention
DR.. IIumbert gave several talks and
demonstrations before the teachers
institute In Aztec concerning the in
PRODUCTION of agriculture into the
county schools in a way to be helpful,
not only TO the pupils but to the fam
lilies and communities from which
they come.
Among other interesting things Or.
Humbert said
Practical Instruction.
Teach the child all you know about
the milky way, but do not forget 10
teach him the way TO milk And teach
him by means of the little Babcock
testing outfit that may be purchased
for your school for 81 the difference
between the COW that does not pay
for her keep. and the one that re-
turns profit. Test some farm seeds
for vitality and purity I'm the school
room. and impress the pupil with the
importance of good seed for farm
crops The best seed is always cheap
est
1T costs as much To plant and care
for a crop that will give but half a
harvest as one that will produce a
maximum yield.
Conduct a few very simple expert
ments in soil physics and show the pu-
pills how the common salts are solu-
BILE in water and then YOU can discuss
how water moves downward and up
ward in the soil. and the relation of
these movements to crop production
and the alkal problems"
While at Pennington Or. Humbert
explained the three working divisions
of the school, namely. that section de-
voted to the studies of agricultural,
and mechanic arts. the experimental
station. and the extension department.
1t Is through the latter department
that the college hopes to reach the
Al 80 la
and with the aid of the federal APP
preparation provided for in the Lever
bill Il Is hoped to establish expert
ment farms IN different parts of the
state for the benefit of the farmers
in thta community, thus obtaining the
most direct results from their effort
His talk on plant breeding by selec-
ton and by crossing were very inter
esting, and he gave much valuable in
formation In a concise manner And
delivered in way that his hearers
readily understood him
This is the first attempt of the
State college to visit the San Juan
region, and Dr. Humbert confessed
that he did not know just what he
was going to find here, and was indeed
very much surprised to discover such
a different flora from that found in
the rest of the state lie said the !
wild growths reminded him of his |
home in Iowa rather than of a county I
in New Mexico, and that for this rea- I
son the experimental station would /
experience some little difficulty in /
understanding the conditions and /
needs of our people, having such a I
difference in the character of the soil
and flora.
County superintendent of Schools j.
L. G. Swinney had charge of DR.. Hum
bert. who visited the orchards and
ranches at Aztec Pennington. and GO
ing up the Laplata to look over that
He was favorably impressed
with the orchards. which he said
were among the best taken care of (
our people had seen in the state. and
was very generous in his praise Of
our people and their industry. {