Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-27
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
~ DR. ANDREW M. SOULE

| to at least meet our national needs.
The Importance of this matter can
not be oVer-emphasized because very
few of our people yet realize the
nature and extent of our cotton-man-
ufacturing enterprises or the lntlu-
ence which the expectation of raw
cotton has exercised on the main
tenance of a trade balance favorable
to our country.
We are certainly suffering at this
time from the neglect Of fundamental
research and education as applied to
the solution of our agricultural prop
lens. The boil weevil necessitates
an immediate and radical change III
our farm practice in the south.
Which way shall we go and how
shall the transformation be made.
Slaves as we are to the one-crop
system, we face an appalling prop
osition when you add to it our fall-
ure to support and encourage agrl-
cultural education and research on
basis sufficiently broad to provide
us with the necessary leaders. There
is much consolation in the fact that
sit is never too late to mend" and
7 am disposed to think that our pres
ent experiences may be fruitful IN
results in so far as the adequate
support and endowment of agrlcui-
tural education and research are
concerned.
Research is essential to our well
fare and progress. 1t Is currently
reported that the losses accrulng
to our farmers as a result of the IN
roads of plant diseases and insect
and rodent pests aggregate more
in a year than the entire cost OF
our national government. The sad
dest part Of the story lies in the
fact that much of this loss can
be obviated through the medium OF
research. In fighting the boil wee
vii, for instance, the planting OF
an early-maturing variety OF cotton
is of the utmost Importance. Such
variety has been developed in Col
lege No. / through the efforts or
the scientific workers employed in
the George State College of Agrl-
culture. This variety natures about
one-third of the seed cotton 1t I'LL
timately yields before the bolls on
many strains open. InlS indicates
that n.ough it's widespread cultiva-
ton, present weevil damage might
be reduced by onG-third in d given
state, thus saving several million
dollars a year to its farmers
In the face of these facts, we
find research strangely neglected
and poorly supported in most of our
AGRICULTURAL and mechanical col
leges; yet hundreds of additional il
Illustrations testifying to it's potency
might be presented if space permit
ted. The interest of the farmer and
the welfare of society demand that
waste be stopped. Let us see that
research is so we'll endowed in the
immediate future as to insure the
attainment of this end.
The education of the farmer and
of his boys and girls has not been
fostered as extensively along voca-
tional lines as circumstances war
rant. I am a sincere believer in
fundamental education. The farm
er's children need and deserve as
much proportionately Ct what we
call cultural values as any other
class of society. In addition, they
must have basic training in the
fur darnental sciences and in the
special subjects that prepare them
to live most happily and success
fully under the conditions of their
particular environment. Will this
sort of training make them more or
less efficient? The answer is obvi-
Gus. Surely, a competently trained
plant breeder would be worth his
weight in gold to any community,
for instance, in which corn or cot
ton is grown extensively. In spite
of this fact, millions of boys and
pir1s who now live on the farms
of our country and expect to live
there all their lives receive no voca-
tional inspiration through the me-
dunn of our schools and many of
our colleges as well. Surely this con-
dition should be corrected.
Education holds the key to prog
ress. Through the trained intellect
, we unlock natures secrets, bring