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LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, SATURDAY, AUGUST 2.'t, 1002.
ESTABLISHED IN 1880
NEW RACE OF FARMERS IN THE, WEST
Operation of State School of Agriculture in Conjunction With
f ' University Gives Soil Tillers the Advantage of a l
Scientific Insight Into the Knotty Problems that Confront Farmers
A new race of farmers is being: bred
in the west. The man who believes in
signs and dark and light of the moon
is being rapidly replaced by the man
who knows. Farming is not a hap
hazard occupation. It is true that
crops are the prey of the elements, of
too much wind, heat, rain or hail, or
too little moisture, but these are the
incidents, the hazards of the work the
exceptions. The man who knows how
to rise superior to the perplexities, to
solve the problems of his business is
the man who succeeds. That state or
government that teaches men and
women to be practical and to know
best serves it creators. Farm lands
an education fitting them successfully
to solve the problems of farm life, have
not been provided in quite a number
of states. True there are agricultural
colleges in most of the states, but be
fore a student can be admitted to these
colleges he must have a high school
education, and quite frequently the
student loses all taste for farm life be
fore he is prepared to enter.
Nebraska, however, has taken the
lead in establishing a school of agri
culture to receive as students the sons
and daughters of farmers who have
completed eight grades in the public
schools. This school is in connection
with her state university. In it are
thousands of dollars every year on
any stock fann where he may be em
ployed. A large majority of the farmers of
Nebraska are engaged in feeding live
stock for the markets. The chief aim of
those engaged In this industry is the
production of meat with the greatest
economy. Through the efforts of our
experiment stations and from the re
sults of our most successful feeders,
the student of agriculture now has at
his command much Information which
will be of service to him In feeding
farm animals. In live stock the stu
dents are given work In judging, feed
ing, and the principles of breeding.
fully the ravages of insect pests. This
Is fully covered by the course at the
university.
Dairying is another great and grow
ing Industry In Nebraska. No nun
can be successful In home dairying un
less he has a thorough knowledge of
dairy machinery. llecognizlng this
fact, the department of dairy hus
bandry is making extensive prepara
tions to give a thorough course in the
manipulation of hand separators. The
department has ten kinds of separators
for use in the course this year.
Success In the dairy business de
pends very greatly on a knowledge of
food stuffs. The dairyman must know
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SHOWING SOME OF THE BUILDINGS AT THE STATE FARM.
are becoming high-priced and compe
tition Is every day becoming more and
more severe. Men are learning that
good crops or bad crops are not the
result of chance, but largely of ability
to control all the conditions which in
fluence crop p'roduction. So it follows
that the farm boy cannot get too much
knowledge of the business he Is to fol
low as a profession.
No state can be said to have an Ideal
educational system which does not pro
vide for the education of the Industrial
classes. The industrial classes must
have opportunities to fit themselves for
the greatest efficiency In their chosen
work. If the state does its whole duty
toward them. The last few years have
seen great progress In industrial edu
cation. Strange to say the opportunities for
farmers' sons and-daughters to acquire
taught the following subjects: Alge
bra, breeds, botany, chemistry, dairy
ing, economics, English, entomology,
field crops, geometry, histology, horti
culture, physiology, shop work, stock
judging, and veterinary practice.
Last year several hundred farmers'
sons and daughters were enrolled as
students. This year it is hoped to
double that number. The curriculum as
will be seen. Is very comprehensive.
The stock Industry, for example. Is a
big one in Nebraska. Now anyone
who expects to become a stockman
cannot afford to be without a knowl
edge of the anatomy and physiology of
farm animals. He must also be ac
quainted with the diseases of animals
and the best methods of dealing with
them. Every young man who takes
the course receives such training as
will enable him to save hundreds and
The future breeders of improved li'e
stock thus prepare for their important
work by making themselves familiar
with those laws concerning animal re
production which are essential to suc
cess In this work.
Every farmer has to fight Insect
pests, many of them of a destructive
character. It has been estimated that
the annual loss to the United States
from Insect ravages amounts to be
tween three and four hundred millions
of dollars. When it is known that not
a single crop which is grown upon the
farm escapes the attacks of insect
pests. It will be apparent that an es
sential part of an agricultural educa
tion should be a training in elementary
entomology, and that the course in the
subject named above should be planned
to give such knowledge as will enable
those who take it to combat success-
what to feed in order to produce a
copious How of milk, and he must also
know how to feed economically. Ex
peiiment3 In the feeding of dairy cows
will be conducted as a part of the
dairy course offered by the school of
agticulture, and the forage plants of
Nebraska suitable for the successful
feeding of a dairy herd will be care
fully studied.
Nebraska has a great future as a
horticultural state, but experience has
taught that climatic conditions In the
west are vastly different from those
in the eastern states. Our severe cli
mate makes it necessary to know what
varieties to plant and how to take care
of them after planting. Many orchards
fall because the owners do not know
what varieties to select and what cul
ture methods to use. Hence It will be
readily seen that scientific methods