The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-09-30
A Craft of Skill and Science.

The entering classes in the various
schools of agriculture show very plain
ly that the farmer of the future is GO
ing to be more or less a trained crafts
man. He must be even more than that,
because the farmer of to-day has to
deal, not only with details of crops,
stock and markets, but is continually
exposed to the hazards of the weather
and the natural deterioration of his
material, or soil, coming inevitably
unless renewed and fortified
The weather he has not, as yet, been
able to do very much to control or
even ameliorate, but he has devised
many interesting methods to overcome
the natural handicaps which it imposes
upon him. The arid lands of the west
he has reduced to fertility by irriga-
ton. The frosts in the apple orchards
he has counteracted by smudges. The
hopelessly dry areas he has made to
produce by means of finely developed
cultivation which conserves the mois-
ture.
Here is Vermont, the heavy SHOWS
and periodical rains pretty well dis
pose Of, the. weather handicap, so that
more or less routine observation of
fertilization, crop rotation and return
Of humus to the soil settles those stir.
ring questions of the further west.
There are, of course. periodical frosts
and occasional droughts, but the for
mer usually come at times which are
not especially fatal to crop perfection
and the latter are much less disastrous
where careful attention has been given
10 soil preparation and cultivation. In
brief, the rudiments of careful, intelli-
gent farming will often spell success
for the farmer of New England.
Vermont has not yet reached prac-
teal working basis with her agricul-
tural schools and colleges. There is
plenty Of good instruction, but so far
most OF the trained men have taken
up the work of instruction, the man
agement of large farms on salary
basis, testing or some of the various
scientific outgrowths Of the more edu-
catienal side Of the business.
What we want as much as anything
is farmers trained to their business,
not only in the priceless school Of ex-
perience but also In the scientific lore
which the agricultural schools and col
leges PROFOUND. We need young men,
products of our public schools, who |
will go on and study scientific agricul-
lure in advanced institutions. then re-
turn to the home farm and farm IL"
on a practical basis, with such scien-
tifc knowledge as he can apply TO the
home conditions.
We think the time has passed when !
the practical farmer can safely be con-
temptuous of the schooled farmer. The /
former knows how things are done
from the way they have always been
done; the latter knows how things can /
perhaps be done better and more prof
itably by applying the research and re-
sources Of the scientific farm school TO
existing conditions.
The ''aggie" schools of New York are
six in number and it is stated that 80 ,
per cent of the entering classes come
from the city They will have a choice
II learning dairy farming, crop farm
ing, stock raising, fruit growing, mar
ket gardening, poultry raising, etc, /
most Of them going ultimately, not TO /
farming, but TO become milk /
inspectors, dairy testers, butter and
cheese makers, teachers, etc. So Yer
mont's problem in getting these grad
yates back to actual farming is the
problem of New York and other states.
How shall we induce these young
men TO return to the farm and carry /
IN family, farm and community tradi-
lions, with the added benefit Of scien-
life training addedf That seems to be
The problem of this NEST diversified
and exscting of crafts.
The schools and colleges can do
to solve the problem, but it
sets back, like most of the others,
argely TO the individual, his environ.
ment and the community. Our farm
bureaus can do perhaps more than any
,ther single agency in keeping the
.rsined boys on the farm and in get
ing the boys who are inclined 10
'tay on the farm to adopt the most
profitable methods.-Rutland Herald.