Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-09-23
TAKING MINIATURE
AGR|CUL LTURAL
COLLEGE COURSE

Washington, Sept. 25.-Taking min
iature agricultural college course di-
rectly back to the farm is new
enterprise of the government and va
rious states, according to recent an
nouneement of the department of agri-
culture.
Formation of home classes of far
mers and farm women for rural instruc-
tion without having them step foot Off
their own doorstep is the plan Classes
of ten or more farmers or farm women
will be organized for home instruction
in farming and domestic science, and
will be furnished textbooks, lectures,
lantern slides and laboratory and cook
ing equipment, in cooperation with
state agricultural colleges, experiment
stations and the department.
"The object of the plan, the de
partment announces, sis to make ac-
cessible at home, to men and women
who have not the time or means to at
tend the regular courses in colleges,
practical short courses in agriculture
and home management specially adapt
ed to their districts,
"These courses will consists of from
10 to 20 lectures and will consume five
or more weeks and can be arranged to
suit the spare time and convenience OF
each group of people.
Initial courses will be offered in farm
bookkeeping, poultry raising fruit
growing, soils, cheese making, dairying
and butter making ahd for women in
cooking and preparing various foods,
States when have agreed to cooper
ate in the plan will lend laboratory
and cooking apparatus and a reference
library to the various groups.
When "hOme class y is organized,
state agent and representative of the
department of agriculture will be sup
piled to lay out the work for some
leader" in the class.
/ Morning and afternoon sessions OF
/ the class will be held until the local
leader qualities. Time will be given
1 for all members to take care of house
hold and farm duties. The student viii
meet at some neighbor S farm house.
Sessions will only be held two OF
three days week. Textbook work
will be the morning schedule and laba
ratOry and cooking instruction in the
afternoon.
As there viii be no regular pal,
teachers, classes can be carried on al
fast as state organizers can give pre-
limnary instruction. All students whit
complete the courses will receive "A Ger
tiiicate from the state college,
Extension of the home class worl
was decided upon following highly sue
cessful experiments in that line las
winter in Pennsylvania. Massachusetts,
Florida, Michigan and Vermont ar
planning to organize home classes
Other states such as Maine, New York
New Jersey and Delaware have indi
Gated willingness to cooperate with tn
: department of agriculture.
, That the home study plan is mucl
better than correspondence courses ha
been amply demonstrated, according t
Secretary Houston of the department.
Warning against sO-called "tree sui
geons' or "tree doctors is being is
sued by the department of agriculture
J Many Of these protesscd professions
"'tree surgeons often do their tree
patients more harm than good, the Il,
partment declares. A careless filling O
tree cavities and use of climbing dt
vices and pruning hooks, which injur
barks and limbs, are charged to til
novices or unskilled professionals
tree surgery.
".Just as a person waO is subject
!: infection through cuts and scratche
trees are rendered subject to nfectio
> by having their back torn, the 1t
partment experts declare
I" Don t neglect cavities, is = war
ing of human dentists which appli,
equally well to trees, according to Il
department.
J. Slight cavities and rotten places, all
slight injuries to trunk and limb
: should be attended, to Immediately al
:. save trouble - or 20 years later, it
stated.
: Use Of climbing spurs is particular
. injurious to trees, it is asserted. ~
wounds rendc? trees mere liable
catch disease Gin The air. High Ia
dera, ropes and rubber soled snoes Il
the prime requisites for the tree dc
toring, according to the advice of t
forestry experts.