Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1920-01-22

WI. d.
FARMER BOYS, THINK 1T OVER.
Contributed by Albert j. Larson.)
Say, you farmer boys all know that
it pays to cultivate the corn crop the
right way. Then why doesn't it pay
to cultivate your brain the right way?
A man never attempts to practice
medicine unless he is graduate from
medical school, so why should you
boys attempt farming without know
ledge Of scientific agriculture. Nor
does he take course in landscape
architecture with the idea of using it
in his medical profession, so why
should you take business course
which can only be applied in part to
the business of farming?
The business of farming is being
handled very we'll today without
scientific knowledge of agriculture,
but you boys will be farmers thirty
years from now, and that is what you
must prepare for. The soil of our
state is getting to a point where it
must be treated in order to keep up
the fertility, so that we may raise
enough crops to make farming pay.
The old fashioned scrub live stock
that grandfather bred must go be-
cause it has been found that pure
bred live stock is more profitable.
This is what we are facing and the
man that has agricultural training
will be the man that will know what
to do when confronted with these
problems, and will also rtap the great
est benefit thereof. Some of you
boys are graduates from high school,
and will see the way clear to get the
agricultural training, but you fellows
who have not had the opportunity will
wonder how it is possible for you to
obtain this training. We all realize
that it is a disadvantage not to have
high school training, but that is
partially eclipsed by the fact that
there is at Iowa State College two
year course in agriculture open to
boys without high school training.
The two year course in agriculture
was founded at Ames in 1910 for the
purpose of offering thorough course
in agriculture to men wha have not
had any or all high school training.
Any boy over II years of age and has
graduated from the eighth grade is
eligible to take this course.
The work taken up in this course is
,of very practical nature and can be
applied as whole to the farming
operations. A course in farm crops
10 given which covers the selection,
seeding and harvesting of corn, oats,
wheat, hay and other minor crops
grown on the farm. Soils courses are
given that cover the care and man
agement of soils to assure the great
est returns from them. The soil as
you know is the foundation of all
agricultural operations, SO the study
OF it is very thorough. Two courses
in farm management are offered.
which deals with the business of farm
ing, including farm layouts, farm ac-
counts, crop rotation, and types of
farming. The knowledge obtained
from the English course gives a man
greater power of expression, both in
writing and speaking, which is of un-
told value to the progressive farmer.
The courses deal with the correct use
Of words, sentence, structure, letter
writing, and the writing of articles
for publication in papers. The sub
]ects Of chemistry and botany are
treated in such manner that one OBJ
stains fairly complete workinge
Of them. The growing of fruit and
vegetables, and the subject of land
scape gardening are taken up under
the heading of horticulture. The
landscape gardening deals with the
planning and the beautifying of the
farmstead. There are courses offer
ed in the agricultural engineering
division, that treat the science and
practices of carpentry, blacksmith
ing, planning farm buildings, survey
ing, the care and operation of farm
machinery and farm motors. Dairy
courses, which treat on the produc-
tion and marketing of milk and it's
products.
The last and most important sub
ject in the two year course comes un-
der the heading Of annual husbandry.
Around this the two year course is
built. There are several courses Civ
en- under this heading that cover
types, breeds, and market classes of
live stock, which consist of judging of
live stock, and lectures on the subject.
The feeding of live stock is taken up.
and covers calculation of balanced ra-
tions aid kinds Of feed to use. Breed
ing, care and management; covers
selection, breeding and building up of
the pure-bred herd and the prepara-
tlon and showing of these animals at
the shows. A herd book course is
given, which covers the study of
blood-lines and the making of pedi-
prees. A courso IN b,,+.L.: