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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 8, 1908)
THE BATTALION 15 Agriculture at A. & M. (Continued from page 6.) with belts to a power-shaft, which is run by gasoline engines, so that the students can study the machines in motion. In this new building, there will also be one or two section-rooms for the accommodation of the farm husbandry students. Plats have also been laid cff on a piece of land, upon which the vari ous crops of Texas are planted by the students. Notes are taken from day to day, and the students study the habits and growth of the plants. In this way, the students learn to apply theory to practical work. Thorough instruction in regard to the different grains is also given. The State Fair Association has encourag ed this by arranging contests in corn judging at its fairs. In regard to the animal husbandry department, we are glad to say that many improvements have recently been made under the management of Prof. Burns, assisted by Mr. C. M. Evans. In this course, the boys are in the fundamental principles of mar ket gardening, orcharding and flora- culture. Instruction and practice is given in the propogation, by breeding, | grafting and budding of plants and ; trees common in this section. In the | orchard are grown all the common ! fruits, as peaches, apples, pears, i plums, apricots, berries, pecans and ! persimmons. j Forestry is another subject that is j taught, and it is becoming more and more necessary day by day, for the time is rapidly approaching when we shall have to look after our forests as we do after our meadows at the present time. Then landscape gardening is thor- ! oughly worked cut. Also the students i study the most profitable truck crops ; and irrigation as applied to them. Prof. Kyle always arranges a trip | for the students during the summer. ! It is a fruit picking trip, and the boys j make their expenses. It is a great ex perience for anybody, and there are always a number of boys on hand to j take the trip. They generally start | in East Texas and go on up through boys exactly the effects of different fertilizers on various plants. Prac tice is also given in the physical and chemical analysis of soils, feeds and fertilizers. In general, it may be said a course in agriculture at this school tends to shorten the period in which a man ; would otherwise gain the experience ; so necessary to the successful opera tions of a Texas farm in all of its ! phases. A Toast to the Sophomores. | Here’s to the men of the Sophomore I class; | May they always stand together; : May their fellowship be of the kind that will last, ■ Regardless of storms and weather. ! , > j When school days are over, and we are dispersed. At cur various callings employed. May we not be absorbed in the things of this earth To exclusion of pleasures at college enjoyed. Release. i The hour is gone, and the bugle ' Sounds from the western door; ! Then “Deacon” says, “dismissed,” i And we leave the second floor. | I see the band in motion i Reflecting the summer sun, And a pang of hunger strikes me That a school boy cannot shun. A hunger born of fasting. That I cannot overlook; Which can be allayed only. By Sbisa’s Spanish cook. Then lead me to the Mess Hall (“Step faster guide”), 1 beg, I must kill this hungry feeling With butter-beans and “Reg.” —B. F. ’10. Fresh shipment of Downey’s fine choclates just received for commence ment, by M. H. James, leading drug gist, Bryan, Texas. taught how to judge all mar ket classes of live stock, and also learn the characteristics of each individual breed, and thus are enabled to decide for themselves which breed of live stock is best adapted to their conditions and local ity. The department keeps on hand some of the best speci mens of the different breeds. Animals now on hand consist of Percheron horses, farm mules. Short Horn cattle, Hereford cattle, Angus cattle, Holstein and Jersey cattle, and a number of fat steers of different breeds. Cots- wold, Shropshire and South- down sheep, and Berkshire, Poland China, Yorkshire and Duroc Jersey hogs. Several of these animals were pre sented to the college by prominent breeders through out the State. Besides this, the Dallas and San Antonio Fair Associa tions, and the Fort Worth Fat Stock Show, encourage com petitive judging, by offering cash prizes to students doing the best work in judging prize-winning classes at their shows. These State contests are supposed to train for a final test in an international judging , Arkansas and Missouri and up to contest at Chicago between the differ- i Michigan or Cclorado, as the case may ent agricultural colleges of the United The Tents. States and Canada. Also, some of the breeders are kind enough to lend their herds to the col lege for class-room work at certain times of the year. Thorough instruction is also given in principles of feeding and breeding of animals, thereby teaching the stu dents how to improve the breeds. Practical work in this line is given in be. It is a change of environment for a boy, and it all adds to his in terest in agriculture. In regard to the study of soils and fertilizers, this subject is mentioned all along in the courses as they pro ceed, but finally a more detailed study is made of them under the head of agricultural chemistry. The boys are taught the different formations of But may pleasure and sunshine be every one’s part. And many sweet memories of A. & M. life Come often to cheer and lighten each heart. As we go through this world of trou ble and strife. —B. G. ’10. connection with the work of the ex- ! soils and the different characteristics periment station here. of them. They are also made familiar j The department of horticulture must : with the various fertilizers, and when not be forgotten, for it is becoming they ought to be applied to the soil, more important day by day, especially | The value of economical savings of in the irrigated sections of the conn- ' offal in the feed lot, and how to save try. Prof. Kyle is at the head of the ; it, is also thoroughly studied, department, with Prof. Ness as assist- j Dr. Fraps is the instructor in this ant, and both men, besides being line, and he calls the students’ atten- graduates of this School, have taken tion to different bulletins, which are advanced work in higher universities. : very profitable to them. He also car- This course consists in instruction ries on experiments, and shows the Scholl and the Mosquitoes. Students and residents of the -cam pus have noticed the almost complete absence of mosquitoes this year. The work toward their extermination has been done by Mr. E. Scholl, ’07, of the Entomoligical department. He has been untiring in his efforts to keep all pools covered with oil, thus preventing the young from reaching the adult stage. He has the thanks of all the students and campus people. Prize Long Horns Awarded. When the editors of the Dong Horn began work last fall, they announced that prize copies of the annual would be given those students who handed in the best poem, the best piece of prose, and the best drawing. Since the Dong Horns have come out, the judges, Prof. Domax and Mr. Dean, have rendered their decisions. Mr. Holloway’s poem, “Adieu of the Class of 1908;” Mr. Arneson’s operet- ; ta, “The College Fool,” and Mr. E. W ! Smith's drawing, “Athletics,” were considered by the judges to be the best, and these men were awarded the prizes. Downey’s fine candies. Just receiv ed fresh shipment. M. H. James, the leading druggist.