Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-11-30


ance from the scene, the maintenance OF
our agriculture on basis calculated TO
supply our needs has taken on new
character which calls for the extensive
and continued use of a great variety OF
more or less complicated machines. To
some people the operation of machinery
4 Is a simple thing, but to the vast ma
jority 10 is a nightmare. AS there is
no likelihood of there being an abundant
supply Of farm labor available for some
years to come, If ever again in the de-
4 gree once witnessed, the use of ma
chinery becomes a fundamental matter
and so there must be developed a class
of farm mechanics or agricultural en-
gineers which for the most part is nom
existent at the present time Unless
we are able to utilize machinery to the
fullest possible extent the cost of nv-
ing is bound to increase rapidly. The
supply of our raw materials, which we
have hitherto had in such abundance
for the support of our numerous manu-
featuring plants, will be seriously cur
tailed and continuance OF our present
I economic organizations and relation
ships endangered.
/ II should be borne in mind that this
| Is not a situation TO be faced in the
/ distant future but now; hence the neces-
| sity of Fastening the solution of this
/ problem with as much expedition as pos
sibIe. Fortunately I'm no other country
/ in the world has farm machinery OF SO
| effective a type been developed as in
/ the United States The chief operations
on our farms can be performed by ma
/ chinery with an astonishing degree OF
celebrity and success. The use or ma
| chinery. however, calls for a heavy in
vestment on the part of the farmer and
a correct knowledge and understanding
of the principles of operation involved
and which we unfortunately do not pos
| sess on a nationwide basis at the pres
ent time. 1t is true that We are using
much machinery but we use it in a de-
structive manner and cast IL aside be-
Il fore we have obtained anything like
/ the full efficiency to which we are en-
titled from its use. On the other hand,
II is evident that through the proper
use of machinery we can maintain and
! increase agricultural production in the
/ United States even in the face of
diminishing supply of farm labor and
particularly hand labor. Machinery con-
| stitutes the determining factor in the
agricultural progress of the nation. 1t
holds the key to the solution of many
Of our most perlexing farm life prob
/ lens and IL is the main factor concern
ed in establishing the final relationships
which shall exist between the country
and the city. Everyone who has studied
the present situation must realize. the
| tr1thfulness Of this conclusion, for we
| have already witnessed the complete
| transformation Of American agriculture
through the agency of machinery in the
last fifty years. It's essential nature
in the present struggle is shown by
the ever-increasing use made of IL in
agricultural production abroad. Were
it not for the enlarged use of farm
machinery some of our allies in the pres
emit war would probably have been fore
ed to capitulate long ago.
If the facts in the case have been
! clearly stated, IL is evident that in
struction in agricultural engineering has
become an Indispensable part of the
work of an agricultural college. Even
the trucker or the small farmer must
be something of a rural engineer or at
least he must be in position to obtain
the service of man who has special
lied in this subject to conduct his oper-
ations with economy and success. On
farms of any considerable size, and es-
pecially on those operated on an ex-
tensive basis. the time is not far dis
tant when an agricultural engineer
must form a part of the permanent
force. Agricultural engineering, there
-, fore, is bound to exert a very great in
fiuence on the progress of our agricul-
ture in the immediate future. 1t will
be definitely related to what we are now
pleased to term the high cost of living
and will exert primary influence there
on. 1t will measure the economic de-
| velopment which our country is to make
in the next quarter of a century, and
upon the agricultural engineer will de-
pend the successful solution of the
problems relating to the satisfactory
nutrition of our rapidly growing pepu-
lation at a reasonable cost.
! Doubtless many think that our pres
ent engineering courses will train men
satisfactorily to perform the duties of
an agricultural engineer. In this / feel
that they are mistaken. 1t is as differ
entiated and specialized a field as one
can discover anywhere. Only the man
with the proper point of view, with ade
quate farm experience and possessed of
special training and knowledge can per-
form this service work successfully. AS
an example, the type Of architecture
suited TO a rural district is separate and
distinct from that adapted to our towns
and cities. Convenient barns can only be
built by those who have studied the in
dividual needs of the land owner. What
does the average city architect or en-
gineer know about modern dairy farm,
tobacco curing house or an incubator
cellar? 1 have frequently witnessed the
distortions in towns and cities which
pass by the names of homes and which
men OF this class are said to have per-
petrated on an unoffending public. If
these edifices were originated in the
brains of men who were thought to be
trained as engineers and as architects,
Il is to be hoped the country may escape
the ravages of their fertile lmaginations.
1t is devoutly to be hoped that our
land-grant colleges will be able to turn
out agricultural engineers and archi-
tects who will be able to build struc-
lures that will harmonic with the nat
ural beauty Of the open country and not
prove question marks and eyesores on
an otherwise harmonious and unified
, landscape.
There is an urgent and insistent de-
I mand for specialized courses in agricul-
! tural engineering. There Is equal need
/ for research work along this line. There
Z is a wonderful field OF opportunity
/ opened up to the youth of the nation in
this direction. Up to the present time
: IL has remained practically a virgin
field. Through the service of trained
men general progress along essential
lines can be achieved. To my mind Il
Is the duty and the privilege OF every
/ agricultural college to offer specialized
4 courses that will train men to serve ac-