VOL. LIV.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., AUGUST 19, 1899.
NO. 33
%xpzxizutz §tpi%xtmznt.
Name Some of the Advantage of a Short
Course at Purdue.
let Premium.—The advantages secured bya
student in the four year course in agriculture
at Purdue are too numerous to be justly considered in so short an article. The course is
very broad including practically all of the
work found in other university courses, such
as literature, history, higher mathematics,
chemistery, physics, geology, psycology, political economy, model drawing and physiology. Each of these studies is pursued for
one-half year to one year. Many of them
may be selected ln the last two years of the
couree. Interwoven with these general subjects are lines of work bearing directly upon
the practical work of the farm. The study of
soils and crops makes a better tiller of tbe
soil. The student knows how to increase the
yield of crops and husband the fertility of his
farm. He will watch with jealous eye the
manure wasting around the barnyard. The
student taking the agricultural course will be
a better stock man,because[he becomes a judge
of good stock. He will be a better feeder,
because he will know the comparative food
value sof the crops raised, and can compound
them into a ration suited to young or old
animals. Through tbe study of farm sanitation and the preventative of disease among
farm animals the student is given a great opportunity to diminish the loss caused by outbreaks of disease. The beautifying of farm
houses, convenient farm buildings, tho value
of good roads are sufficiently emphasized to
inspire in the student a desire for these
things. The care of the orchard, of small
fruits, the fighting of insect pests and fungus
diseases are dwelt upon, and have a direct
bearing upon the successful growing of fruits
and cropB. The dairy at Purdue isan up-to-date
farm dairy with modern appliances, and
here the student gets the work that he must
have, should he run a dairy upon the farm.
In lectures and text work he becomes familiar
with the needs of the dairy, the dairy cow,
and the proper handling of milk to produce
good butter and cheese, In short, it may be
eaid that a student in the Agricultural course
at Purdue will invaribly combine brains with
muscle in all of his farming operations, and
should public duties and responsibilities fall
to him he is prepared to meet them with as
much training and ability as do other professional men. His influence will always be
found upon the side of progress and for the
Public good. W. B. Anderson.
Southern Ind,
middle age, who have spent many years in
gathering the wide knowledge so necessary to
successful farming. The large majority of
men who farm are not a success aB farmers.
Why don't they quit the business? Generally
because it costs but little to live in the
country where the table is largely furnished
with product from the farm. Those who are
succeeding have learned the need of a better
knowledge and have gotten much by reading
and studying and twenty or thirty years of
experience. To-day they are sending their
boys to the agricultural colleges. What we
need is the young man who can Btart in life
equipped to master the problems of live stock;
men who understand the chemical and physical changes in soil, plants and animals without experimenting and picking up pointers
here and there until they are able to do what
the agricultural graduate ought to do when
he starts out. We need men who have been
taught to be neat with their work and give
careful attention to little things. . The agricultural college Is just the place to get such
equipment. First, everything in the agricultural school is conducive to making broad
minded, energetic men. Men In the widest
sense. They have had practical experience ln
dairying and stock judging, and are able to
treat and prevent many of the diseases common to farm animals. X. Y,
2d Premium.—There Is probably nothing
in the United States to-day, that Is receiving
more attention than the matter of education.
Tha training and fitting of young men and
women for the greatest usefulness, occupies
the time and energy of our best minds, and
costs millions of dollars annually. If a man
tlf*_U to succeed In the professions, he
winks nothing of giving from eight to ten
years of the better part of his life to prepara-
>on. Thr mechanic must give from five to
to eight years. The clerk realizes the need
"college training.   In fact to be most suc-
arfth'i.*leader iu any bu8lneg8> a m*a need8
a   the help he can get from  every possible
ource. BuBiness men everywhere are ask-
8 for the college graduate because they
«e a greater capacity for work, and are far
"etter fitted than the untrained men.   But to
catl   m~"°h that don't toke a colle«e  edu-
'°,     There i*  no   business to-day so
And .T need °f tla,ned men as agriculture.
ml .,!re U no business in which trained
w£dW,1Ufind ^lr efforts so  generously re-
«u<:ce*.;n,?hye8' y°U 8ay' there are man*
"-«»nn farmers who have not  had college
""Wng; but we will find they are men  of
3d Premium.—The benefits of a course of
instruction ln Purdue University School of
Agriculture are not so apparent to the average farmer as to the student himself, or to
those who have some definite knowledge of
what ls to be gained by such a course. It is
not so much that the student learns so many
facts, but that he knows what, why, and how
to do the many different operations ln real active farming. It is not the purpose of such
an Institution to convert the young man into
a walking encyclopedia, as Bome seem to
think, but to teach him at least some of the
scientific principles underlying the prorogation of plants and rearing of live stock,which
muet be observed if success ls attained.
To the young man desiring an agricultural
education Purdue University offers valuable
opportunities. The courses are comprehensive and full- of practical, scientific work.
The instruction in the short course is mainly
by lectures. These are necessarily concerning the common and more practical operations. The students in this course have free
access to tbe library and reading room. They
are thus enabled to use all their time profitably. The two and four year courses are more
extensive. The two year course deals principally with agricultural science, while the four
year course Includes all of the two year work,
besides courses in history, literature and general science. The young man is placed under
conditions which enable him to develop bis
mental resources to the limit of his effort to
do bo. No young man can leave Purdue University School of Agriculture and say he was
not given the opportunity or means of research by which he could Inform himself
upon the subjects he might wish to study.
Surely the young men on the farms of Indiana should awake to a sense of their opportunities. The possibilities of the young farmers of to day are great, and when we notice
the large numbers entering the professions,
we are inclined to believe the future of farming holds opportunities which are Been today by only a few.
The farmers' boya of to-day are the farmers of the future, and since the condition of
our agricultural industries depends to a great
extent upon the farmers themselves the young
men engaging in these pursuits should be
thoroughly fitted for their undertakings.
F. M. Foulkb.
successful men in all occupations are those I
who have made a "life's study" of their bust-1
ib. . And this successful class will be more
marked in tbe future. At Purdue University
the faculty is instructing the students of agriculture in science as applied to farming. The
science of agriculture is a broad one embracing all the fundlmental sciences; namely:
chemistry, Biology, physics and geology. A
general knowledge of these subjects is necessary as a preparation for a thorough etudy of
the special subjects in agriculture. The
theories taught at Purdue all have a practical
application. I believe tbat no young man in
Indiana can afford to start in business as a
farmer without taking one of the three
courses in agriculture at Purdue. The four
year course, leading to the degree of B. S., Is,
by far, the best and most thorough. Of the
graduates from this course 15 per cent are
station workers and 25 per cent are engaged
in the occupation for which they were especially prepared. In all other lines there are
men who are well prepared and yet fall to get
employment, but in agriculture the positions
open to those who have a knowledge of the
subject are more numerous than will be filled
in many years to come. The two year course
is so arranged that the student may get as
much as possible of the special work of the
four year course In the two years; and is Intended for thoee who have not the time or
means necessary to take the four year course.
CThe winter course ls especially valuable to
the practicle farmer. It is intended for those
who find it impossible to get away from the
farm except during the winter months. All
departments are open to ladies. Besides the
before mentioned, there are courses in household chemistry, sanitary science, Industrial
art, literature, etc. It la said that Furdue
offers more attractions for ladles than any
other college in Indiana. For the past two
years I have been a student of "the school of
agriculture" at Purdue and I Intend to return
and believe the time and money expended
are very reasonable for the opportunities
offered. H. A. M.
Morgan Oo.
ladies, with classes in horticulture, floriculture, dairying, cooking and domestic economy. It seems to me that a young lady is as
safe, in the home like ladies' dormitory at
Purdue, as at her own home.
Many farmers thoughtlessly object to the
Agricultural College at Purdue on account of
the increase of taxation. Allow me to say
that the college and station at Purdue were
established by national appropriations,
through the famous and far reaching Morrell
and Hatch acts. The condition on which
the Statea receive these National appropriations are that the State furnish site and buildings and equipments. AU salaries and other
expenses are paid by the National appropriation, which is perpetual and now amounts to
about $25,000 to Purdue.
Whatever imperfections our agricultural
colleges may now have, one thing is certain,
the work it offers today ls splendid, and the
enthusiasm of its faculty, aided by intelligent
co-operation of farmers will in time build it
up to one of the beet agricultural colleges in
the United States.
To be truly successful on the farm more
scientific methods must be pursued than those
of the average farmers of to-day.   The most
bm—m—.
Our Agricultural Colleges and Experiment
Stations have been so recently established
that they are not well understood by many
whom they are intended to benefit. While
attending the winter course last winter at
Purdue, nothing more impressed me than the
earnest cheerful effort made by the teachers
in their various departments. They were
somewhat hampered (as all new and growing
institutions are) for room and appliances.
Every seat was occupied. The winter course
students about doubled the number of any
previous year. The promise for next winter
is a still larger class. A new building must
be erected, or the class will have to be divided
and the lectures repeated.
I was greatly pleased with the thoroughness
and scope of the work of the "two years" and
"four years" courses. In their study of plans
of buildings and farm plans and conveniences, for instance, their work was most accurate. The plans of buildings were on large
card board and as accurate and complete aB
if made by an architect. The stock judging
was also exceedingly practical.
Among the benefits to a student at Purdue
are a thorough discipline, and habit of accuracy, together with a spirit of research.
Add to these the stirring enthusiastic atmos-
phere'of the institution, and of the class and
the student receives an interest that makes
farming on business methods a luxury and
success. Is not this in part the solution of
the question, "How to keep the children on
the farm?" It is interesting to note ln passing, the mention made ln our excellent correspondence this week, of the fact that the
various courses ln agriculture are open to
No. 181, Aug. 26.—Give experience with
irrigation, for crops, garden or fruit. How
do you manage it, and how does lt pay?
No. 182, Sept. 2—What variety of wheat does
beet with you? Does it pay to sow two or
more kinds mixed? How do you improve
your wbeat? What were the conditions that
made some wheat near you yield 35 or more
bushels per acre?
No. 183, Sept. 9—Name some cheap, good
feeds for horses in winter. Is it economical
or best to feed hay and grain the year round?
Is it not a costly curse to feed a horse ten ears
of corn two or three times every day?
No. 1.34, Sept. 16—Describe a handy way of
keeping cabbage, turnips and other vegetable
for winter use.
No. 185, .Sept. 23—What causes that sour,
pungent smell even in aome houses that
seem well kept? This ls especially notlcable
if closed a few hours.   What ls the remedy?
No. 186, !3ept. 30-(For children under 14)
Write from memory, in your own language,
one or more good stories, you have read or
heard,   (Not over 250 words ln all.)
Premiums of $1, 75 cents and .50 cents will
be given to 1st, 2d and best articles each
week. Let copy be as practicable as possible
and forwarded ten days before publication to
Oarmel. E. H. Collins.
U. S. Weekly Crop Report.
Seasonable weather prevailed during the
week for the advancement of crops ond farm
work. A fine corn crop is almost assured
since the rains, which have continued at intervals during the past two weeks, and which
were, generally, well distributed. A large
number ofj correspondents .estimate that the
crop will be Bafe from frost in the central and
northern portions by September 14, and in
the southern portion by September 22, and
some farmers ln the latter portion have corn
which will not mature before October 15, due
to late planting. Threshing is nearly finished;
there is a good yield of oats, and the wheat
conditions range from poor to good. Tobacco
ln Ohio county is growing rapidly and is now
nearly ready to cut; the plant in the lowlands
of Spencer county waa damaged by rain; cutting has begun in Bandolph county, but the
remaining crop needs rain. The late potato
yield will be large, except where bugs were unusually numerous. Tomatoes are ripening
and the cucumber-pickle crop, now betas
gathered, Is very large. Seed clover promises
a good crop. While many apples have fallen
from the trees from various causes, the prospects are still good; other fruits are generally
plentiful. Buckwheat in Whitley county ls in
fine condition. Turnips were planted in the
central portion during the week. Large quantities of melonB are being shipped from Posey
county. Plowing Is in progress ln aU eec-
tlons. — Richard H. Sullivan, Observer ln
Oharge.