Show D r ti rho r a 11 I r i M ro FA FARMER R. R 5 Not the traditional sort but i g the scientific farmer the man Q who Is equipped to enjoy a a free Q YA and pros prosperous life How life How your v 4 8 boy can get the tho education of a y D R scientific farmer for nothing or orf a A f next to nothing States nothing States and 2 federal government anxious to tor r help the boy who wants to masI master master mas- mas j ter tor the new The farming farming arming The rewards re- re ji j wards of farming by modern VA I methods O BY C. C W. W JENNINGS L 4 ONT turn up your nose when hen a friend suggests that w T you encourage your boy to 4 take up farming for his life- life d work I know that a n farmer farm farm- er has been looked upon as an unkempt Illiterate awkward poor struggling creature without hope of reward for the utmost self-denial self and planning with buildings and grounds and machinery and horses mortgaged wife overworked and children children children chil chil- dren forced to remain out of school to help at farm work nothing but tolland toil toll and poverty If It such conditions ever really reany existed existed existed exist exist- ed generally among Uncle Sams Sam's tillers tillers tillers till till- ers of the soil which is extremely do doubtful they have departed for a agriculture agriculture agri agri- l- l culture nowadays Is king It has taken takena a 11 long time to bring It about but the farmer of today has every opportunity city to be the most moat Independent and self respecting citizen of at this country Dont Don't object that you cant can't a afford tto rd to pay his way through college though for lor that matter any ambitious boy can work his way through college without cent from home bome and it is particularly particular particular- ly ty easy to do so 80 In agricultural colleges colleges colleges col col- leges for the most mOlt earnest effort of ot colleges all over the United States these days Is to help a boy become proficient in agriculture Really it Is istar tar far easier to be a scientific farmer than the other kind I A recent letter from D. D J J. J Crosby government specialist in agricultural education to the writer contained this Nearly every state agricultural college college college col col- lege In the United States makes some provision for reaching the young man who cannot secure a college collete education Several of these Institutions offer correspondence correspondence correspondence cor cor- COU courses courses- les- les and reading courses courses In agriculture ture nearly every everyone one of them is engaged In farmers farmers' institute in In- s 's work or In conducting movable schools of ot agriculture or short wInter winter win- win ter ler courses at nt the college or at accessible accesSIble accessible sible places In different parts of ot the stale I So great has ball been the Impetus in education for the farmer that there are Institutions giving Instruction in agriculture Those Thole Include nearly 70 colleges normal schools high schools and academies corresponding And reading courses coursel in 15 states 15 elementary elementary el el- schools and over 30 for ne- ne and Indians Agricultural colleges proper which are maintained in all the states give a full fun college course generally bestowing bestowing bestow bestow- ing the degree of bach bachelor lor of ot science and graduates are fitted for tor the most difficult and advanced problems of ot any character In agricultural lines but so great ireat is the demand for instructors that most graduates graduates' take up professional protes- protes professional lonal work or as teachers Instead of becoming actual farmers If for some reason your boy cant can't goto goto go goto to college still every opportunity Is open p n for him to get all the education and training that h he can find time forIo for To Io quote from one of ot the government bulletins For those engaged in agricultural occupations the occupations the the dair dairymen Jllen and fruit growers growe s and the their r sons and daughters who are unable to leave home during the busy seasons the seasons the the special winter courses course's have been be n or or- These cour courses es carry In length from a we week l to twelve weeks They arc are In most cases severely practical They center around the judging pavilIon pavilion pavilion lion the laboratory the dairy and th the il cheese room with lectures and readIngs readings readings read- read Ings to la supplement the The nature of these courses is even more more varied than their length of ot term They offer courses in gener general l agriculture ture including more or less thorough Instruction In plant production animal husbandry dairying poultry culture I domestic science agronomy bee culture culture culture cul cul- cul- cul ture forestry beet sugar production farm mechanics botany bacteriology and entomology There are also a large number of practicum courses and lecture courses which are confined to toa toa a single lI line e of t practice r suc such a as cereal al judging stock stacIe Judging and the destruction destruction de de- de- de of noxious Insects Tho The special winter courses are the utility courses Important because of at tho the Influence of at present practice on future practice And present practice Is js sure to fo havo have 1 a powerful influence on the young people who are to be the future farmers and on the quality of ot soil soU farm machinery and domestic animals with which these young people peo pea will have to do when they take charge of ot farms And finally there are the summer summit schools for teachers and the year one and n J year two t year o-year normal courses In all al of which nature study and elementary agriculture re are important features These special and extended courses are generally given glyen with only a slight if any charge for tuition and entrance examinations are not required So great h has s been the recognition of ot the importance of agriculture that In nearly all states it Is taught in the common schools A typical year four-year high school agricultural course Includes Includes In In- in- in eludes such subjects as study of the seeds of ot grasses grains and vegetables vegetables vegetables vege vege- tables methods of ot preventing and erg er era eradicating of weeds physical features o othe of the soil solI their composition and behavior behavior behavior be be- havior under different treatments different types of soils and their characteristics characteristics char char- chemical constituents of ot soils soUs and effects of rotation of crops and different systems of oC farming fanning breeding feeding care and Judging of swine ewine horses and cattle principles es esat of at fruit growing location and climate tillage fertilizing planting diseases Insects spraying pruning etc I Another important phase of ot present I day agricultural education on Is the farmers farmers farmers' farmers farmers' farm farm- ers' ers institutes of which over are held annually under state or government government gov gOY auspices running from one to several days In duration They take taka up a great variety of at subjects which fit the particular needs needs- of the loc locality where they are held Attendance la is always free The government department of oi agriculture stands ready to to assist farmers farmers farm farm- ers in every way It can even to the tha extent of at sending experts to their farms when hen these experts are within reaching distance Often this is done don without any expense to the farmers farmen if It the question raised is one of at general Importance I If the farmers farmer's question can be answered by correspondence oi of by sending a publication the expert does not go to visit him If It the inquiry relates to some new problem of general gen general eral importance the expert goes to th the farmer armer Just to show what can be achieved by y a man that is determined to be a scientific farmer note this A man who has followed the ministry and was ordered by his physician to get into an outdoor occupation used his saving savings and a mortgage to acquire 15 acres and a few cows In Pennsylvania The land wasn't worth much and anti h he knew nothing about farming bat but begot he be got into communication with tural ural and dairy experts in ton on and did things as they shou show bedone bi bt bidone done in lIght light of ot modern scientific methods At the end of ot three years he had 30 blooded cows was employing four our men the year round had paid oft off the he mortgage and was clearing 2000 a year from the sale of ot cows calves and farm products He raised from these hese 15 acres acres more food than his hii 30 cows consumed though consumed though it li h held by dairy farmers generally that thai usually two acres are arc needed for onu cow and for tor one acre to furnish suf sufficient sum clent sustenance is rare Perhaps your boy it is safe to say after learning that he doesn't need to tobe tobe toe be e th the traditional clodhopper because he is a farmer but can be as cultured a gentleman as anybody else will not protest when he discovers that you have lave the farm in mind for him After he has got all the education he hs feels eels he can afford he reaches the problem problem lem of at how to get a farm Jarm There Is la lano no end of avenues He can go to work to o fix up his fathers father's farm as most would probably do or can can get a a ajob job as farm hand for a neighbor who will pay him 10 to 20 20 a n month and board He can save at least three fourths ol of this and by the end of ot two years or ors orso orso s so can make first first payment on a tract of ot land somewhere t L Mostly any sturdy y young young ung man can get a job on a a farm the requirements requirement l laro aro so obvious and simple but with the scientific training he has had he will probably have a situation offered offered him or another avenue will be opened up some time b before fore he leaves school The more schooling along scientific agricultural lines Unes he can get the more competent he will be of course and the more clearly will he be able to outline outline out out- line Une the future Nu Numerous erous well trained young men are employed as superintendents on large farms or find their openings In resuscitating so-called so exhausted farms If It your boy should wish to a 1 postal card sent to the reclamation service of the department of the Interior In terror will bring Information how to tc I acquire Irrigated land where land where the tha problem of rainfall does not exist exist- for 30 an acre in ten annual payments without interest and at the same time tima he will have hava even Closer closer operation co-operation of ot government experts Anyhow your boys boy's place as a selen title farmer will be an enviable one ono particularly as nowadays owing to improvements in all lines of activity every farm In a populated section can car have Its own telephone and running water and trolley troney lines that will take your boy to the city In a short time Ume will run by his door or nearby And the farmer that knows his business and succeeds Is always the one ono hi his neighbors neighbor delight to honor whether to elect him president of the local grange or alliance or to send Bend him to the tho legislature legis legis- lature I Copyright 1910 by the Associated Literary Literary Lit Lit- Press |