The Salt Lake tribune. [volume], December 29, 1907, Page 61, Image 61

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I I THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, SUNDAY MORNING-, DECEMBER 29, 1907. ' 61
I WORK OF THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE OF UTAH g
f Bv C. LARSEN 1
E Agricultural colleges wore founded to
rl train tho groat mass of the American
'A peoplo in all of thoao useful arts and
'MlZmi pvnrr-m which can be utilized in
t bread-winning and home-making. TJni-
i versities where men can bo prepared
Y for any one of tho old learned profes-
r sions the law, medicine, tho ministry
; or tho scholar's lifo, date back al-
. most as far as tho country itself,
but their appeal was clearly limited in
extent. Until the advent of the trado
f schools and agricultural colleges there
was no possibility of getting instruc
tion and training in tho arts and pro
' fessions linos of work with which the
majority of the people must always
be occupied nor in tho careful plan-
l ning and carrying out of household
s management a most important phaso
of national life. Most of such skilled
labor was delegated to foreigners, if
j it must bo accurately done, or left to
f slip-shod, haphazard niethodB, as il-
f lustrated by the habits of tho average
American farmer before scientific agri
culture began to revolutionize tho
1 entire .field of that profession. That
the people havo appreciated these prac
. tical schools is amply -demonstrated,
h not only by the rapid distribution and
ffanta of these institutions as a
system, but also by tho steady incroaso
in attendance and importance within
a5 ,;a0 cacu individual collogo.
And tho agricultural colleges havo
come up to tho expectations and hopes
of their founders and patrons. What
have- they not undertaken nnd carried
out, in the way of solving questions of
national interest? Each yenr a' largo'
army of students, chiefly young men
and women, but numbering also many
an older person, leave theso institutions
infinitely better prepared for tho con
flict of lifo than if they had not at
tended such schools. The effects of
this leaven are conspicuous.
Oaring for tho Home.
The number of American housewives
and mothers who now occupy them
selves with housohold management, in
stead of relegating it to servants, and
find tho work interesting, and even
fascinating, has incroased wonderfully.
Among the laboring classes,, wh'o could
not employ servants, a happier day has
dawned in the reduction of house
keeping to something like an exact
science.
The influenco of better regulated and
Horticultural Progress in 1907
By BOBEBT S. NORTHROP, Utah Agricultural College.
V Tho year 1907 has probably been the
most successful over enjoyed by Utah
: horticulturists. This has been caused
partly by tho fact that in nearly all
Eastern Stages tho fruit crop was much
i less than normal whilo in most sections
of Utah the crop was very good and in
v consequenco of the shortage elsewhere
the prices received by Utah growers
F wore much higher than in the past. Tho
tfact that success has been achieved in
a financial way is not, however, tho onb'
indication of progress in this lino of
iftM work, for it is well known that for scv
p eral years some localities, such as Hood
Itiver, Or,, and Grand Junction, polo.,
if have been making money on fruit re
ft gardless of the crop conditions in the
F East, and it is only by getting Utah 's
l horticulture on Hie samo basis that
jfc progress can really bo made. It can
Ik" safelv be said in regard to this mai
ls? ter that more progress in fruit raising
K and marketing has been made during
IE the pnst season than ever before in (ho
1M' history of the State. This is because
I It 'e Sado of fruit has been improved
h ky best methods of culture and caro,
K and the methods of packing have been
Ik brought up to the standard used in
IK . other successful fruit-growing regions.
IW Raising Standard of Fruit.
Vm Prominent among tho causes which
M have been of influenco in raising, the
VK- standard of quality in Utah fruit Is
. education. For several j'cars through-
IW. out the entire United States tho stiidy
l of various lines of horticulture has
Ix been largely on the increase. This has
fullv held its own in the West, whero
SlS a large number of ambitious young men,
lm realizing the possibilities of high profits
ariSI- from specialized lines of work, have
in;e beon diligent in their desire to know
rlffl ! their subject well enough to secure tho
',.tin '. maximum profit from their land. Tho
&l . schools generally throughout the coun-
Pj) aro instituting courses "of horticul-
111 wi f liro an general agriculture, farmers'
3kJ 1 Institutes arc sought after by communi
tics, while various State officials are
uj-r ; appointed in most States to carry tho
inc? I work on more completely. The State
s of Utah is well equipped alontr these
j4 i ' lines, for in nearly all of the leading
J ' schools instruction can bo received in
i regular courses, while for those who
buBS; " caunnt attend regularly special short
jaJi courses aro arranged to cover a period
rjt Isi? t, of a few weeks. It is to these that
Ae'tt , the practical farmer goes, being unable
byij3 leave tho work for a longer period.
zl c oioso 10 sue x armors.
cijfi Th Agricultural college of Utah is
Ltf -W doing very much in this work, for, be-
f thai m ing at tho head of agricultural cduca-
riectif i tion in tho State and connected with
f ft tn0 pxPe"n,ent stations, it comes closo-
v l E lv into contact with the farmers and
itttft their needs. , It offers, among other
Sbcourses, one in horticulture and ento-
ijjJL' mology, leading to tho degree of bacho-
rsMPSt lor BCiCnao' an(i also short courses
n"1 which tho practicnl work of tho hor-
jisc0 ticulturist is given most attention, as
otitR' mentioned above.
repH Tho State jBoard of Jlorticulturo is
5ual?iW a'50 ver activo in educating the pco
lle as to their opportunities. They am
atiloa giving particular attention to tho ques-
jnloajj A' 'on. f nursery stock inspection, thus
Yo5 saying the people a great many disap-
y pointments yearly; these being suro to
fors ffi follow the planting of inferior material.
They are endeavoring to work with
xjjp . tho nursery men to prevent poor trees
. - v heing sent out, and as supervisors of
liofl ' ;3 thn. county fruit tree inspectors arc
aowW.rtifi" "hie to eomo in touch with the poople,
lons;9nr thus aiding them in a great many
5UlP'y i wavH.
0 IS Perhaps tho most potent factor in
stimulating and furthering this work is
jl vT the success which has becu madobv
' os i 801ne .ot the loaders in it. When one
- inan 'n- n '0C!l''ty has produced a crop
' o ;! fruit netting him anywhere from
f or n,oro I)cr acro there
1 'X have been a number of other men ready
; , a ' to follow his example. It is only ro-
ir0, S cntly, howover, that there have "been.
'M lloi' X S1''1" could realize such profits
1 o5W Crom tllcir work- Only a few years
5a' thero "lvoro 710 r,ncrs of the
in! lrd "tale v:ho were growing apples free
-i a om 1Torm'; "(i peaches from trees
)ohSW aT )roPerl.y handled could not bo found.
381 11 jl if !fc coos without argum(?nt that if fruit
OG fi. 18 to be of high quality it must bo
34 m H L'"c1 for' fltI(1 B'inco nouo of 'lt wtlB
5- . 3 m- Rn'cn tho Proper attention there was
l""M M- ".no M',llch couIl bo sold at tho fancy
90 '6f ' I)ricC5 uow beiK attained.
sOO .foMHT Apple Orchards Started.
'21 28fc- oln.thc neighborhood of ten years
-s Sf UilW , howcver, there wero some men who
io? it- rc, rciilizing a profit from their or
)00 lJ tr c."ard nd in consequence of their suc
301 so Ir ?rEB a iR0 numcr of others planted
905 9 HIS "ces. and, being sanguine of success,
92 'JPilt- i. ,r tht,m studied the markets.
SSilS0?!' uril how lo Pru"e find sprny and
sol ? 'M w!", thc also bcPa reaping the re-
1903 ?c il KivBS afB inore ICQ Planted, more
'90S - mt-j S.eAU0 fl"eatioii and realized the
iloi lj l& ' POMJbilitioB of the field until today
900 :5 Jlfv'f" lluvo an evor-increaairig number
tSSB ( 7l i joung orchards coming into bcar-
"l 'i V 3 and. wc can count on each year
!SSo 9 ' itCln,K 11,01,1 Produce more fruit, while
lonT-" t Mi0, increased number of
9P' -is X fiaPf K.i,,lantca- Tllis is Particularly
1900 l VP of the northern part of tho State,
1904 f J ere tho past two or three yen in Jiavc
19J $ S 1 iiierni'lV110 a,large number of "'large nom-
l$ :! I 1 t 1,0 U,,at B(?ar h'er vallev lead
1650 S g ft. t" "'6 number of acres recently planted
iW 11 lfl i; fV i':?ln,nCfcial anple orchards, while
ls? .8 1 H p.? VaJk;v fo,lows eloaoly behind.
2 W it il ik b.? tt'aned, however, that
lScnT J, f' St-ilo , nly- 11,0 , northern part, of the
IS J? "l . ine fV,atii8 wo11 adapted to fruit rais
Si t'J. m ft mP,l,15rc, ls " evident ronsoi:
;!!90iiJWL. 1,1051 of Lhe remaining valleys it
a .'""jiBfcMMfcifc . . , . .
tho regipn of tho Great Salt Lako, as
well as many other soctious in the east
ern and southern parts o the State,
cannot produco an excellent quality of
fruit, but the fact referred to above
that in theso regions it has been proved
that fruit-growing is a paying invest
ment, probably accounts for the large
planting olM.hcm.
Results Obtained.
In this connection it is well to cite
some of the results obtained in Bear
River valley this year. As mentioned
before the season has been a failure of
greater or Jess extent iu the apple crop
in almost, all sections of tho United
Stales. This applied to somo sections
of Utah also, but was not noticeable
where the tempering iufluenco of largo
bodies of water could be felt. In this
region thero wero but very few well
cared for orchards which did not pro
duco nearly all full crops, and with
good prices prevailing returns wero re
alized which are almost incredible. It
is stated on good authority that some
growers iu Bear River vallev took off
from $1200 to $1800 worth of fruit per
acre. That such results will not fail
to be of valuo to land owners and the
Stnte in general cannot bo doubtod,
for it will be the same in fruit-growing
sections here as it has been else
where. Utah Fruits.
Tho great increase in tho planting
of orchard fruits in Utah during the
last ten years, and in which each year
sees a more marked advancement, will,
it is safe lo assume, cause the same
riso ill prices of land nnd selling value
of the product in a few years, but for
this to occur surely requires a con
tinual advancement of methods in
order that the quality of tho product
mny be such that it will favorably ad
vertise the region from which it comes.
Our fruit must go outo tho market
under uniform conditions, nnd as far
as possible under uniform lables, which
will become known, and thus bo an in
dication that the packages bearing
them contain a certain definite product.
It is possible that the organization of
fruit growers' associations is the best
method today by which this uniformit
and advertising can be secured. Un
til quite recently nothing had bfon
accomplished to this end in Utah, but
the last few years, and particularly tho
last season, the horticulturists of sev
eral localities havo begun to realizo
the benefits that are attained from
theso organizations, a3 evidenced in tho
localities whero they do exist, and it
is safe to( predict that another year
or two, with the consequent increase
of production which tho recent largo
planting insures, will seo tho develop
ment of several strong organizations
around those which now exist as a
nucleus. With the improved methods
of handling fruit which these organiza
tions evoke come corresponding in
creases in the prices received for the
product. These points, togethor with
tho greater intorest shown iu fruit cul
ture by many professional men, who
desire to invest in profitable enter
prises, shows well the trend of opinion
as regards the future of the industry,
and justifies the assumption that the
culture of fruits iu Utah is just in its
infancy, compared to what may be ox
nuctcd after tho next few years.
Wido Awako Orcltarclists.
There aro excellent means of deter
mining the possibilities of; the next few
years production of fruit. Wo know
that the results of the present have
beon attained largely in the face of
great disadvantages. The reputation
the State held up to the last, few years
was that all the apples were wormy
and not graded nor packed as they
should be. and tho peaches . wero held
but little higher in esteem. Now, how
over, throughout the West Utah is
known to have some wido awnko
oicharuihts, who can produco apples
free from worms and who enn and will
grade and park thoir fruit in tho latest
and most approved manner. Thus, with
quite a large and ever growing number
of men wlo aro putting out tho very
best quality, wc can bo assured that
as the orchards grow older the yield
will increase for quite a number of
years, and as it iucroases in quantity
the knowledge of tho profits to bo
made from first-class fruit will causo
a more widespread knowledge of tho
means of caring for it. "Wo can also
consider tho amount of nursery stock
sold by the various Utah nurseries to
bo a fair index as to the increase
in phinting. since, nouo of tho previous
orchards which have boon profitable in
the past are old enough to bo past
bearing. It is safe to say that all of
our homo nurseries succeeded in dispos
ing of their entire crop of trees before
planting time came last spring, nnd
yet their croD was much larger than
ilioy had ever produced before. This
year, before the winter-is " half gone,
the samo result is mado certain, though
thoir output is even larger than Inst
' vcar. Each year, allows, also, that an
increasing number of trees aro brought
in from outside States.
Cannot Bo Overdone.
Without doubt these t facts will
. canso many to ask if tho industry will
i not be in' danger of being overdone,
i and thus having tho present good mar-
hot and high prices dono away with.
The best reply to this is to stato that
Xcw York city is one of tho best mar
: kcts in tho country for Western apples.
in spite of tho fact that New York
' State normally produces moro than
i 25,000,000 bushels of apples each year,
l Thero must be a cause for this, and it
bettor managed homes on- tho por
manonc3' and stability of this greatest
of human institutions is so far
reaching as to bo incalculable. In ad
dition to swelling tho ranks of tho
trained and qualified housowives, tho
agricultural colleges aro doing a work
at present of even greater importance,,
preparing teachers of domestic scienco
and arts. Tho teaching of theso
vitally essential subjects is spreading
from tho technical to tho genoral high
schools and public schools, and teachers
are at a premium. Tho agricultural
colleges are practically tho only source
of this supply, and their graduates will
for years havo their choice of positions.
Land Grant Colleges.
Tho indirect influenco of the land
gjant colleges and tho experiment sta
tions combined on the national pros
perity is greater than most peoplo
think, and is in its ascendancy.
Scientific methods of stock raising, of
dairying, of grain growing, of horticul
ture, of poultry raising, of irrigating
and draining, of arid farming, al
though by no means generally in voguo,"
vet havo contributed very largoly
lo tho national prosperity of tho
can be found in tho fact that in. a
region of more or less humid summer,
as has New York Stato, thero is a
much less percentage of clear, sunny
days, and it takes just such days to
put quality into the fruit and color
upon its outside. Also, hero wc irri
gate, giving the trco water just wheu
it is ncvcdcd and very noarly in the
right "amount, but thero tho timo tho
fruit is swelling and needs water is
the driest- time of tho year. More
over, the soil here is not leached and
cropped out, but is deep, rich and able
to produco a high quality of fruit, aside
from tho beneficial offects of tho
climate. It is this quality and appear
ance of "Western fruit which helps ih
to bring as much per box iu New York
markets as local apples will procure
por barrel, and as long as the West can
produco a product tho fancy trado of
the East will demand it, oven though
by so doing tho fruit grown there
is" forced into evaporators, canning
factories and vinegar works. The
proof of this 'statement is to be found
in the results of the last two Irriga
tion congresses, held at Boise aud Sac
ramento, Cnl., respectively. At both
of these Utah, as a Stato. competed for
and won sweepstakes cups for highest
quality of fruits.
Meanwhile Utah 's canning factories
aro not idle. Thore is always ac
companying a crop of. fruit a part
which cunnot bo marketed in tho fresh
condition, Vcrv often this is 'the
vcr- best in tho orchard, but has
ripened some in advauce of tho main
part of the crop, and is too soft for
packing. At other times thero aro
quantities which cannot be handled
properly for shipping, and all of this
is finding its way to tho Utah canning
factories. Therc'aro now about twenty
fivo factories for this work in Utah,
and but few of tlieiu arc worked to
tho fullness of their capacity, not be
cause tlyjv do not find a market for
thoir product, but bocauso they do not
get sufficient material to work upon.
Thoy are, howover, securing enough
lo make tho business profitable, lor
thero aro a number of which havo just
centered tho business, and several
more are being promoted. Tn this man
ner a Inrge part of tho surplus will
always be taken care of, and danger
of failure will be greatly reduced.
The majority of fruit growers also
recognize tho advantages to bo gained
by having a first-class storago housp,
aiid in consequence are building to this
end each year. Tho importance of
this cannot be over-estimated, for tho
Westeru applo, duo to its being grown
in a dry climate on soils excellently
adapted, is of a firm, lasting texture,
vet withal of such a nature that it
is juicy and of highest flavor. If put
into storage they keep porfectly, much
longer thnn fruit? raised in most other
places under other conditions. By
thus keeping the grower is enabled to
lake advantage of the very much bettor
prices attained after tho majority of
thn fruit of poorer character has uecn
withdrawn from tho market.
Thus we see that . with the farmers of
the Stato awako to their possibilities
and tho men already interested able to
produce a maximum crop of highest
quality and free from blemishes, stor
ing it properly, and, abovo all,
grading, packing and organizing for
tho purpose of securing a market, thero
is ample evidence of tho fact that a
new ora is dawning for horticulturists
in Utah, and wo can seo in our
prophesies tho time not far distant
when somo sections of the State are
considered important fruit centors,
nlong with Hood River, Grand Junction
and others.
STATE BOARD OF
HORTICULTURE
Tho Board of Horticulture occupies a
co-ordinate position with the Agricul
tural collcgo In the matter of restoring
and protecting tho horticultural Industry
of tho Stato. The college Is spending Us
energy to learn now truths struggling
with tho scientific problem of the State's
agricultural welfare, and with the prac
tical and technical education of the poo
ple. Tho board, In connection with tho
county horticultural Inspectors and depu
ties, ls chargod with tho onforcemont of
the horticultural law n position which Is
largely executive. It has power to bring
In operation tho results of scientific In
vestigations which are going on through
out tho country.
Tho functions nnd duties of tho hoard
Include also the adopting of Mich meas
ures a.a will boat protect and promoto tho
horticultural Interests of tho Stato; tho
holding of horticultural meetings, and
providing competent lecturers for these
meetings; the Issuing of uullullnu for
guidance of fruit growers nnd Inspectors.
Tho board Ii.-ih tho power to enforce quar
antine against any infested fields, or
chards, etc., when tho same may bo llablo
lo spread contagious diseases Injurious
to fruit and fruit crops.
Tho county Inspectors niako monthly
reports to tho secretary of the bonrd. giv
ing Hlatlsilcs showing the goncrnl condi
tions of the horticulture within thoir
county, thuH the uocrctary becomes a stn
tlstlfian and correspondent of tho hor
ticultural Interests, and the ofilcc of tho
board the medium through which tho or
chardings are brought In closer touch with
each other and with tho work that Is go
ing on throughout tho country for tho
betterment of the Industry, as well as
tho eradication of lnsocl pests and dis
eases. ,
Among otlmr things, tho board has
power to conduct Statu horticulture ex
hibitions and In this capacity thoy havo
been of valuablo sorvlco to llio State dur
ing the last two yoars. Tho exhibition
of Utah fruit at the last two sessions of
(ho Nntlonal Irrigation congress hold at
Boise. Ida.. In 1000, and at Sacramento,
Cnl.. In 1907, wore mado undur thoir di
rection. Tho present ofllcors of tho association
aro ns follows: Prosldunt, Thomas .ludd,
St. George, Utah; hoc rotary, .T. Edward
Taylor. Salt L.alt'j; director experiment
station. Logan. Dr. IS. D. nail, also C.
A. lllclconlooper. Vlow, Wobor county,
and J. D. Wadley. Pleasant Grovo,
farming population. The more general
such mqlhods becomo, tho greater will
bo tho income- from theso sources, and
no one agency for tho distribution of
technical information in general farm
ing is so powerful and far-reaching as1
tho schools of agriculture.
Tho apprentico system, never firmly
rooted in tho United States, is now
comparatively antiquated, and all our
expert workmen, our skilled creamery
operators and dairjTneuj, our veteri
narians, our superintendents of largo
farms and country estates, our
poultry experts, our forcBt rangors. our
carpenters, blacksmiths, wheelwrights
and carriage makers, our orchardists
and general fruit growers, our irriga
tion engineers, and last, but not loast,
our government experts in the Depart
ment of Agrlculturo, all must get their
preliminary training in schools. It
is clear that tho Stato agricultural
colleges have a vast field, an illimitable
sphcro of activity. They aro meeting
the situation bravely and energetically,
and tho rosults warrant tho most opti
mistic hopes for the future.
Compared With Others.
Considering its youth aud tho new
ness of tho region, tho Agricultural col
lcgo of Utah, as lo effectiveness and
energetic servico of tho Stato, com
pares very favorably with its sister
schools 3'Jast and West. As in all Wost
ern schools, tho , number of students
who finish a course and get a. degree
or a certificate, compared with tho
number annually cnrollod, is dispropor
tionately Email, But tho service of
this school, or of any school, cannot
bo estimated solely by tho number of
itH graduates. Students who spend ono
or two yoars in careful Btudy are bene
fitcd proportionately, and many a
former Agricultural oollcgp student,
though not ono of tho alumni, has mado
a name for himself.
Tho graduates of tho A. C. U. havo,
without exception, becomo useful men
and women, in many cases leaders in
thoir respective communities. Among
tho ladies tho majority havo becomo,
for a timo, at least, instructors in do
mestic scienco; indeed, almost all tho
teachers ofthis subject in the Stato
havo received their training at tho A.
CJ. U. Tho othors havo speedily bo
como exnerfc home makers.
r
Home an Educational Factor
"Above all and by cvory means wo
provide that our citizens shall have
good souls and sound bodios." Lucian.
Lifo was the original school lifo do
mestic and Eocial. All other schools
merely exorcised functions delegated
by tho family and by society, and it
was not until tho latter had reached'
such a state of complication as lo neces
sitate a division of labor that special
schools were organized. Plato of the
Ilomoric Greek school found his great
est inspiration in tho thought that life
and philosophy, or education, aro iden
tical. Education is a process of adaptation.
Evolution teaches that wc are all in
dividual centers of activity influenced
by our surroundings and reacting upon
them. Our physical, our mental, our
moral lifo is a gradual growth or de
velopment and so long as individual
plasticity and impressionability lasts
a gradual adjustment to environment
goes on.
Tho home is tho most influential of nil
environments and although all educa
tion loads into civilization it must start
from the child. "Tho hand that rocka
the crado rulos tho world." It is iu
tho homo that the child makes his phy
sical adjustment and it is through the
home, tho school and the Stale that
ho comes into tho intellectual and spir
itual possessions of tho raco. Theso
aro the scientific, literary, aesthetic, in
stitutional or social aiid spiritual or
religious inheritances of the child. Tho
truly educated, the truly cultured man
must, possess them all. It is in tho
home that the child receives the in
troduction to his many inheritances.
Do mothers senso thoir responsibility?
llow easily, how naturally, with wfse
direction, the child might como into
possession of his scientific inhoritanco.
It is nature's elements with which ho
comes in immediate senso contact; from
which ho may be mado lo understand !
and draw lessons of tho deepest sig
nificance for his life and for that adap
tation which is his education. Tho lit
tle girl, viewing the spoils of boiled
over jelly she had failed to watch,
turned with dismay to tho instructor
with' tho exclamation, "1 muy forget,
but that novor does." Sho had loarucd
hor lesson. Tho natural processes went
on regardless of attention. Many such
lessons rovcal themselves every day.
You must bo honest. The results aro
immodiato and success or failure with
resulting product depends on your
treatment. There is not a phaso of
homo lifo to which naturo closes hor
great book. How many windows reveal i
tho beauties of tho outsido world? lfow
many homos plan in tho building for tho
window picture? Such pictures as no
artist can paint can bo had for tho
simplo planning. From tho selection j
of tho building silo to the crowning of
home life, naturo is thoro ready to do
hor part. "Do thou but thine."
Wo havo the foeling that lifo reaches
its fulness, its riohuoss, in literature,
music, ;uid the finor arts. Thoy are
largely our moans of knowing tho past.
In them many phases of life aro in
terestingly expressed. Surround tho
child with books, with pictures, and
with musio that ho can understand. Let
him grow into his literary and'aosthetic
inheritances gradually and unconscious
ly. Few homes make provision for this
training of tho child and tho result iB
that ho gets it only in part.
As to Domestic Science.
Boforo the homo can wiold its great
est influenco as an educational factor
housekeeping must bocomo a fine art,
and housekeepers must become profes
sional in that art. Tho college and the
university are tho two means which
mako it possible to give to domestic
scienco tho prestigo it needs and must
have.
Tho work of the domestic science do
partmont of the Utah Agricultural col
lego has three distinct aims.
First, technical training for home uso,
the training of students for prnctical
usefulness in home life, tho training of
houseworkers who can mako tho home
an educational factor
Second, technical training for profes
sional and trado use, tho trainiug o
students in tho various branches of do
mestic scienco, domestic artst fino rats,
togothor with their related sciences.
Third, to show the student possibil
ities of farm homo industries. '
Tho collego course provides for tho
scientific and literary, both in tho English
and foreign languages, social, aesthetic,
economical aud technical training of the
student. Tho technical work naturally
resolves itself into fivo departments:
food, clothing, shelter or home con
struction, housohold management and
I art. Theso again havo their subdivis-
ions.
I Food, clothing and shelter aro studied
j particularly from the standpoint of ef
fecting mnn's physical dovolopmont.
Foods, their function in tho body econ
omy, rclativo valuo in tho diet, selec
tion, preservation, proparation, combin
ation for tho monu service and cost.
Clothing, materials for the artistic
drapery of the human form, necessitates
a knowledge of human anatomy and
textiles, nnd a keen-senso of color har
monies aud good hues. Sholtor, home
construction, tho selection of site, of
building materials for foundation, super
structure and interior finish, planning
of floor spaco to economize energy, ox
pnnditure, plans for fresh air, sunlight,
heat and artificial light. Finally, tho
oquipmont or furnishing of tho house
ready for tho life of which it is an
expression.
Household management must provido
for every phase of life within tho houso
! and has to deal particularly with
man's intellectual and moral develop
i ment. Every organization, to bo most
I successful, must provido for tho work
ing or mechanical side, tho financial
! and sociul. lt must considor division of
labor, the servant question, 'division of
I income, expenditure, cost of living,
! plan of household work and in tho plan
somo time must bo given to recreation,
for pleasure.
Art life is largely an expression
apart. Study conditions whoro tho
home-maker relates all of lifo to all of
art and thoro is apparently in that homo
uo end to the jjoy of lifo or the beaut3'
of its expression.
Irrigation and Drainage Investigations
of the Utah Experiment Station,
by w. w. Mclaughlin.
The work of this department, in co
operation with tho oflicc of the experi
ment stations of the United States De
nnrtmcnt of Agriculture, has primarily,
been conducted along such lines as
would lead to a moro economic uso of
our irrigation waters and tho develop
ment or principles for tho reclamation
of water-logged and alkali lands by
drainage. Secondarily, the department
has extended aid and offered advice to
tho new settler under recent irrigation
enterprises and has assisted in tho de
velopment of drninago projoets.
Present "Water Supply Utilized,
In tho early days of our State ir
rigation water was plentiful, but each
year more and more land is brought
under existing and now canals, until
at present tho availablo water supply
is practically all diverted into the nu
merous canal systems. Tt is apparent,
particularly in tho older irrigated sec
tions, that the water supply, under ex
isting methods of farming, will not ad
mit of redeeming many additional acres
by irrigation. Tho question then natu
rally arises, Aro our present methods
of Irrigation tho most economical? To
answer Litis question, data were re-'
quired of crop production by various
methods of water hnndling, both us to
time of applying and the quantity used.
Experiments Outlined.
Elaborate experiments jworo thoro
foro outlined by tho experiment, sta
tion to form the basis of sciontitic ir
rigation. It was desired to determine,
lirta, the effect of applying different
amounts of water upon tho yield nnd
quality of various crops; second, tho
effect of varying tho time of applying
tho samo quantity of water; third, ef
fect of carrying the quantity of water;
fourth, effect of dillcrcnt methods of
apnlving water, and fifth, the effoct of
cultivation upon tho amount of water
required to produco profitable crops.
Theso experiments wero outlined tor
the Logan station under Cache valley
condition!!. In order to adapt the ro-1
suit of these experiments to different
soil nnd 'climatic conditions, it was con
sidered necossaray to tost them under
the environment of differont parts of
Utah: After summarizing results, the
1
methods found most advantageous at
Logan wero toslod in various counties
for modification or confirmation. By
theso methods, it is hoped in tho on'd
to havo data availablo whoreby tho
best irrigation practice enn bo deter
mined for any locality with roasonablo
accuracy. From theso results wo were
ablo to sny somowhat accurately how
much water was required to grow
profitable crops. It then become neces
sary to ascertain the quantity in order
to dctormino tho probability of extend
ing our irrigated area with tho present
Hupply of water. A syslomntio study
has been" mado during tho past three
years of tho amount of water diverted
by typical canals in various localities,
together with tho area irrigatod.
Irrigation Water Wasted.
As ono conclusion of this work which
is beyond question, it may bo stated
that tho averago Utah farmor uses
from fiO to 200 per cent more water
than is noccssnry for tho samo, and in
many cases better yields. Practically
the only exceptions aro found vhero
tho water can not bo hnd. That tho
farmers might bo convinced of this
fact, demonstration farms havo been
conducted in numerous localities whoro,
almost without exception, it has been
shown that better results and gronter
profit would follow by tho use of only
one-half or three fourths as much
water as practico suggested.
With the systematic work of the sta
tion and the fragmentary work of
others, it is thought that tho close of
this season will find us iu a position
to sny with a considorablo degree of
assniranco what relation exists between
irrigation and crop production.
in view of tho great value of water
to the Utah fanner, it is surprising to
sco tho many canals poorly located,
criminally maintained and unlawfully
equipped. It is also a fact, as shown
by numerous measurements, that our
canals lose great quantities of water
by socpngc. These conditions led the
department into an investigation dur
ing the past year of methods of canal
management and dovices used for les
soning seepage lossos. The results thus
far aro surprising in tho enormity of
Torrag Men Graduates.
Among tho young men a largo num
ber havo ontored tho Government cm
ploy at very remunerative salaries,
somo in the bureau of Boils, others in
tho reclamation servico, still others in
tho bureau of plant industry. Tho
opening for agroeable and profitablo
employment in theso and other depart
ments aro numerous and peculiarly at
tractive to tho young men of the West.
Another branch of Government service
with great possibilities just now be
ingopened is the forestry service, and
tho A. C. U, iB prepared to train men
and boys forthis work as well.
Of more significance for tho develop
ment of Utah's agricultural resources
is the fact that many of tho Agricul
tural college alumni aro cngagca eith
er as instructors in agriculture in the
various schools, or as practical farm
ers, dairymen farm supervisors, fruit
growers or stockraiacrs. The precepts
and tho examples of this over-increasing
body of trained craftsmen will do
much to awaken tho mass of the rural
population to a realization of the valuo
of industrial and agricultural education.
Iho school itself is favorably located sM
and most efficiently equipped with both ; $9
faculty and apparatus for tho thooro- 32
tical and practical teaching of overy- KM
thing pertaining to agriculture, horti- m
culture, forestry, animal husbandry, H
veterinary science, domestic scienco M
and arts, oleiuentary commerce, ele- I HK
mehtary survoying, irrigation, mechan- am
io arts, and such general branches as ! m
shall be included in the liberal and M
practical education of tho industrial M
classes. Tho threo-year courses, load- jl
ing to a certificate, aro of high school j9
grade, and aro designed especially to 3
Fraparo the student to follow success- U
ully some one of tho numerous trades R
and professions. The six-year courses tfl
lead to a degree and prep'aro tho otn- tig
dent for expert work in bis chosen fi
At the Agricultural collego of Utah
thn material and financially profitablo g
side of education is not unduly em- 1C
phnsized. Courses in music, art, liter- j M
aturo, modern languages, general jis- j ffl
tory, etc., run parallel with tho tech- I M
nical subject. English is a required an
subject for four years. The depart- 1. 1
ment of music is especially strong and is l
well patronized by the students. f$9
Agriculture as a Science
By J. E. O. HOGENSEN, AGBONOMIST. g
Agriculture of today is a Bcicnco
which must bo thoroughly understood
by thoso who practice it before they can
expect to make a .success of it; Those
who do not advance with tho times but
keep on "scratching the ground with
a hoc," not caring now or whon, will
bo left far behind not only in knowl
edge and success, but also financially.
Many of tho young people who live in
an agricultural community fail to real
izo in their younger days, at least, tho
advantages to bo gained from a thor
ough study of agriculture. Thoy would
Tather get far away from rural affairs
into tho busy rusllo of our crowded
cities, and leavo the green meadows,
tho waving grain, the singing birds, tho
pleasant shade, tho pure sparkling wator
nnd frosh air far behind. Those God
given privileges are not appreciated be
cause they aro not understood. If all
tho underlying principles and practices
of agriculture, botany and other natural
sciences wero understood, every piece
of work, every step and look, upon the
farm wonld bo of interest, becauso wo
could then seo the workings of that
wonderful natural law which does so
much for us, upon which wo uncon
sciously depend, and which is perfect in
its organization and workings. At tho
Agricultural collego and experiment sta
tion, some of theso principles aro being
worked out and taught, so that they
may be understood. Tho enorgy of the
department of agronomy during tho past
year has been devoted to studying tho
prbolems as outlined below.
Tho soils of Utah as a general rule
are rich and deep and contain an abund
ance of plant food. Tho main efforts
put forth by the farmers of tho State
aro directed' toward tho storing and.
securing of moisture and not toward the
accumulating and storing of plant- foods.
In many places in tho Stato whoro tho
drainago is poor, tho plant foods and
other soluble salts havo accumulated in
such abundance that alkali land is the
result. Whoro rainfall is plentiful and
tho drainago perfect, theso salts are
washed and leached out, but in tho arid
regions these salts aro brought to the
surface by capillarity and remain thoro
in crusts. Thero aro two kinds of al
kali: Tho white and the black. The
whito alkali consists largely of sodium
sulphato. Black alkali consists largely
of sodium carbonate. This latter is tho
most deadh' to plants and may bo rem
edied to a" certain extent by tho addi
tion of land plaster (gypsum). This
changes tho black to tho white alkali,
which is less injurious to plants. Drain;
age is tho only suro remedy for alkali
land. Doep plowing and frequent cul
tivation tend to help alkali land be
cause they lessen the capillary riso of
water and thiiB also tho evaporation of
water from tho surfaco, and also the
concentration of salts thoro. Tho addi
tion of organic matter weakens for a
timo tho alkali solution and checks tho
capillary riso of "water unless thor
oughly cxaporated, so that plants will
grow "there.
Arid Farming.
A groat deal of interest has recently
beon taken in this typo of farming,
and justly, loo, becauso it is ono of tho
most important of coming industries.
There aro somo 20,000,000 acres in the
Slate that can bo reclaimed in no other
way thnn by tho application of scien
tific principle of agriculture. Good
crops cannot be grown on theso lands
by careless methods becauso of the lack
of moisture. Tho great problem of arid
farming is the securing of moisture,
which must first bo gotten, into tho soil
and then kept there until tho plants
need it. The land should be plowed
doepby in tho fall to mako an adoquato
reservoir for tho storing of the winter
moisture Tho land Bhould bo fallowed
during alternato years, so that the mois
ture of two yoars will bo availablo to
loss of irrigation water by poor canal
equipment and maintenance. Tho bot
termont of this phaso of irrigation
alono would add many thousand acres
to tho irrigated area.
The promiscuous settling of nil kinds
and classes of people upon lands be
ing opened under now and undevel
oped irrigation enterprises necessitates,
it wasto and injury are to be reduced
to a minimum, that accurate informa
tion and advice be given tho new set
tlor. In many localities this is abso
lutely necessary for tho future snccess
of tho commuhitj'; especially is this
truo in sections whoro alkali is found.
It iB the function of the experiment
Btation to assist in preventing as well
as curing agricultural evils. For this
reason, the .irrigation department has
given much nid to tho now settler,
Drainage Investigations.
In oldor irrigated sections tho farm
ers' sinful use of irrigation water has
found him out, as evidenced by tho ap
pcaranco of water-logged aud "sour"
lands. There are many instances of a
ono-timo bounteous, fcrlilo soil "going
bad" from excessivo seepage. This is
true not only in Utah, but in prac
tically every irrigated section. The
only satisfactory remedy of theso ovils
is care in irrigation, togethor with
under-drainngc, Drainage for alkali
differs in principle from drainngo for
excessive seepage and both d iff or ma
terially from drainago in humid sec
tions. It is also truo that very little
has been dono to develop tho scienco of
drainago in arid America. This condi
tion led tho Utah experiment station
and tho office of oxporiinont stations
to plan in 1904 a sorios of experiments
to determine how to drain economically
and satisfactorily under our conditions,
Thoso investigations includod methods
the crop. Tho fallow land should "be G
kept cultivated and froe from weeds ;
to prevent the los3 of water from the , fl
surface. Deep-rooted crops should be '
selected, so that they can search far 1
and wide for moisture. Wheat is now n
and perhaps always will bo tho princi- fl
pal arid farm crop. Fall wheat is al- m
ways prcferablo to spring wheat. From (&
two to three pecks per acre, sown with 1
a press .drill; gives belter results than 1
moro thickly sown grain. Broadcasting I
grain is not satisfactory in any way. fl
During, four yeara of trial on the vari- h
ous arid experimental farms in this
Stato, the Turkey Red wheat has given
the best yields of good quality wheat.
It is considered the standard of milling
wheats in tho great Northwest. Tho
Koffoid wheat is also an excellent va
riety and during the years of trial has '
stood all tho tests and yielded good '
crops when most other varieties have
failed. It combines the qualities of
high yield, good quality, stiff straw,
does not shell easily, antf stands drouth
and frost well. Other good varieties
aro Winter Lasalle, Odessa, Gold Coin,
Blue Stem and Ecd Chaff. Tho Durum
whoats tako the load as spring wheats.
They are adapted to grow in a soil rich
in plant food and in a climate that la
hot and dry. Other good spring wheats
aro Sonora and New Zealand.
Good Arid Farm Oropa.
Oats is now considered a good arid
farm crop. Tho only drawback has
been that all the varieties have been
Bpring oats. About threo years ago
Stephen Boswell of Nephi, Utah, im
ported somo seed of a fall variety from
Europe, which has since proven a great 1
success, and is the best we have today. j
It is called the Boswell Winter oats. I
Alfalfa, field corn, brome gTass, po- 'JS
tatoes. etc., also give excellent results ifl
on arid farms. Alfalfa should be sown
with a drill at the rate of about eight j
pounds por acre. A disc run over the BJ
field every spring will bo found bene- jy
Acini. Corn and potatoes should be E
planted in check rows, the cultivation M
should be flat and not ridged, as less w
water will be lost in this way. Brom Am
grass is by far the best grass grown 0n
on arid laud. It is sown broadcast in M
the spring at the rate of from fifteen. eg
to twenty pounds per acre. It may be jS
used either for pasture or for hay. Tho gl
hay is of excellent quality and "is rel- cb
ished by all farm animate. SI
On tho experimental farms at the Sfl
collego, a largo number of experiments . Ml
aro being carried on for the purpose of
demonstrating tho best amount or wator ,
to apply and tho best times of applying
it to different crops. Variety tests with t
corn, potatoes, oat3, barley and sugar
beets nave beon run for a number of
3'oars and much valuable data is being
collected. The growing of sugar beets
is today ono of tho most important in- 4
dustrics in the State and considerable
work is boing dono for the purpose of
increasing tho sugar content of the beet. ,'
Careful solcction is boing done and vari- J
eties nro boing brought out which will
greatly increase the value of tho sugar
boots to tho State. Experiments aro
also boing enrriod on for tho purpose
of testing under what condition of soil
moisture the highest sugar content is j
devoloped. Sugar boot seed is being j
grown and yearly the best beets are
eclcctod, submitted to chemical analysis
and stored to bo used the next season 9
as mother beets. Selection of mothor !K
beets is mado on the basis of sugar con- H
tent, purity and yield, so that only the ;H
best quality of seed will bo produced. fflg
Tho department is always glad to jjl
havo the people of the Stato write for m
information and stands ready to answer U
questions pertaining lo soils of tho Stats jfl
and farm crops best adapted to our con- ,U
ditions, as far(as lies in its powor to mt
do so. 2l
of draining, materials for drains, cost ill
aud returns of drainago. During the iSjJ
past year, wo havo devoted our on- (ft
ergios to planning systems and saper-
vising drainago construction. The
drains used in experimental work havo
beon distributed in various counties of
tho Stato and when finally completed jfl
servo as models for adjacent laud. Tne ,-fH
same is true of drains constructed by urn
individuals undur our supervision. K H
Somo people havi- asked if monoy fH
spent in this experimental work is well IjSj
spent. Let the following facts suffico
for tho present: Thero aro irrigated at Ml
present in Utah approximately 725.000 jjfl
acres, which produce, according to Gov- Tr
ernmcnt statistics, about $15 por acre JMj
or a totnl of $10,S75,000 annually. It jjflj
has been proven to our satisfaction that 3D
by judicious uso of tho present wator Isf
supply the irrigatod area could be in- nU
creased by one-half. Tt is also a fact Mi
that reasonable caro and improvement 11'
of our canals would save sufficient 'JOT
water for several thousand acres. Q'hcso plQS
two factors alone would add moro than 1B5.
one-half to our irrigatod area, but lH
calling tho number of acros 35,000 and j'E
supposing byt irrigation their produc- i&S
tion valuo is' increased from practically Wk
nothing to, say, $10 per acre, there will m
bo added to the State's revenue $3,- K
500,000 annually. The taxes from tho
increaso in valuation alone would pay n
many times over tho money spont dur- .IB
ing the past fivo yearB for this work. vK
Again, it is estimated that moro thus UH
75,000 acres of land, situated in our H
best farming areas, aro unproductive ,MJ
for tho want of drainage. This land K
would net the cost of draining within IB
two yoars and would add moro than SH
$1,000,000 yearly to Utah's production HH
value. 'jSn
Is this reclamation work profitablo? wu
Figuro it for -yourself. flnj
KM