Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1918-08-02


many dollars.
such little thing as planting a
cana bulb upside down has never oc-
CURED to great many people who
IKE 10 raise canas. We know of one
instance where tho county ageut dug
into the ground and found bulbs
planted in every conceivable shape.
lie explained to the good lady of the
house that it is necessary to plant
cana bulbs with the root ends down.
1t would seem that everybody
ought TO know simple facts of this
KIND, but the unfortunate part of it
is We do not.
The old idea that because man
may have farmed for 80 or 40 years
is evidence that he knows all there is
TO be known about farming is RAPIDLY
dying. 1t is no disgrace for farmer
not to know the most modern and up
to-date methods of farming, because
he Is in business for profit and he has
no time to personally experiment to
determine better ways Of doing
things. AS a matter of fact if farm
ers took the time and pains to ex-
pertinent they would be dead broke
most of the time, consequently they
farm i'll the way that makes them
living.
The central idea back Of all gov
eminent experiment work is to find
better ways and means for farmers to
increase their crops.
Manufacturing enterprises have ex-
perts who work cut problems of this
kind for them. Why should not the
farmer take advantage of this char
acter of work, particularly when it is
done at his expense?
Being financially interested in all
experimental work done in his local
ity, for that reason, If for no other,
the farmer ought to insist that he
benefit himself to the fullest extent
This can be done more fully than it
is at the present time if the county
agent has some place where he can
show what can be done in conditions
under which the farmers are labor
ing.
The criticisms that farmers som e.
times bring up against agricultural
colleges and experiment stations is
that the work in these institutions Is
done under the most favorable condl-
tons and on land that is enriched
for the express purpose of doing
some certain work. and the work is
done with tools they can not afford.
These criticisms are unjust and I'M
fair, yet they are made and must be
met.
What better opportunity could the
county agents have to show that the
underlying principle or crop-growing
is one and the same and that differ
ence consists in the methods neces-
sary to put different soils in the right
condition for crop-growing?
If the county farm was u demon
stration farm, the agricultural agent
would have an opportunity to have
farmers meet at certain intervals
while the ground is being prepared,
the crop planted and titled. Not
only one, but every farmer in the
county would have an opportunity to
see what is necessary and how the
ideal conditions are made.
The county farm operated in this
manner would make an established
point in each county where the agri-
cultural college and experiment sta
ton of the state could have a won
derful opportunity to show farmers
how to fight or combat some sudden
evil which might happen upon them
at any NON ent. central station
of this kind located in every county
could staye off insect pests or blights
of different character.
A demonstration of this kind with
the farmers of the county would en-
able them to put insect pests out OF
business in short order, because they
would see the necessity of cO-opera-
ton in this kind of work.
No one can estimate the value such
a course would have upon the youth
of the farm.
The secret OF success in keeping
anyone pleased with his work is to
keep his interest constantly awake.
Most boys leave the farm because
they call it drudgcry. They see noth-
ing interesting in turning over the
soil and planting seeds in it.
Visiting demonstrations of this
kind, where discussions could be held
with utmost friendliness, they would
assimilate some of the things that
would arouse their interest, and the
first thing they know they would be