COLLeGe DGFftRTMCNTS
AGRICULTURAL, DEPARTMENT.
Few people understand what is meant
by an agricultural education. This form
of education is new and is the product of
latter day competitive conditions.
All intellectual people want a well edu
cated physician or teacher in the com
munity, hut the trained and educated
farmer is not so generally appreciated.
Our people have noticed that the Greek
and Latin languages did not increase the
efficiency of the farmer; that usually he
was made impractical and unfitted for
farm work, hut this is equally true ol
other forms of business.
As the educated physician understands
the physiology and compos,',tion of the
human body, the nature of drugs and
the reagents in his pill case, so the edu
cated stockman or farmer should under
stand the relations of feeds to live stock,
of fertilizers to soils and crops, and know
how to combine these for best economic
or business results.
The agricultural college is a logical
successor to the medical college, the nor
mal, and the law schools.
The agricultural department of the col
lege teaches the application of the sci
ences and business principles to the
growth of field crops and forage plants,
the breeding and feeding of stock, and
the manufacture of butter and cheese.
Besides these subjects the student re
ceives a fair knowledge of mathematics,
English, history, chemistry, veterinary
medicine and surgery, botany and ento
mology. There are various other sub
jects, but as they may not be of interest
to the reader they will not be mentioned.
Agricultural colleges were established
and are maintained for the purpose of
educating men in agriculture from a
scientific standpoint, but from the above
mentioned facts it can be clearly seen
that, should a graduate from the agri
cultural course choose not to take up ag
ricultural pursuits, he is well prepared
to enter upon the study of several of the
professions, among which may be men
tioned the study of medicine and phar
macy, he having had a fafi,r education in
inorganic, organic, industrial and agricul
tural chemistry, and geology, besides the
practical work in the chemical labora
tory.
The department has been hindered
somewhat on account of insufficient ac
commodations due to the small spdce
now occupied, but this will soon be rem
edied, as the agricultural building is
nearing completion—to the joy of the
students and professors of the agricul
tural department. The building will be
equipped with all modern facilities, ana
agriculture will be taught along a broader
line.
For the last three summers a farmers'
congress was held at this place for the
purpose of discussing practical questions
of agriculture. Men from all parts of
the State attended, and the congress has
no doubt done much for the advancement
of agriculture and live stock interests
of our State. The proceedings of the last
meeting, held in July, are now off the
press and 1 ready for distribution. These