special advantage in fattening stock; and an increase in the percentage of carbohydrates would render it more valuable to the manufacturers of starch, glucose, syrup and other articles. By the application of similar principles the gluten content of wheat has been increased, enhancing its value for the manufacture of flour. Strict selection of seed, which is coming to be more or less generally practiced, according to well-known principles, is having a most telling effect upon subsequent productions. In Minnesota, particularly, where the work has been carried on systematically and continuously for a series of years, the staple crops, such as wheat, corn and flax, have been so improved by selection and breeding that they yield much larger crops per acre than formerly. The study of entomology is also contributing its quota of usefulness to the country’s agriculture by revealing the habits of various insects, distinguishing the useful from the harmful, and promoting the increase of those desirable and retarding that of others.
Farming in the United States is being reduced to such a science that the likelihood of crop failure is gradually becoming less. Haphazard methods are replaced by scientific practices that accurately lead to probable results foreknown. It is no longer the drudgery it once was, and the environments of the farmer of to-day are vastly changed for the better from those of the preceding generation. In this time trolley cars, telephone lines, rural free mail delivery and improved roads have modified and benefitted his industrial and social conditions. An enlarged prosperity provides for the modern conveniences in his home, and the situation of the more progressive present-day farmer is one of increased comfort and ease.
Agricultural Experiment Stations in America have been modeled after those of Europe. Their aim is to advance agriculture as a science with special reference to local needs. The federal Department of Agriculture, founded by President Cleveland in 1889, includes an Office of Experiment Stations, which controls the funds that are expended on these stations in the United States, and administers the stations in Alaska, Hawaii and Porto Rico. This department issues a monthly journal called the Experiment Station Record. To such states and territories as support an agricultural college, the federal government makes annual grants in aid; many of the states also make special grants. The federal office co-operates with the Experiment Stations to make such investigations as Congress may from time to time desire. Joint researches have even been made in co-operation with foreign agricultural stations.
Agricultural Schools and Colleges. As so large a part of our population is engaged in agriculture people have gradually come to see that a study of its underlying principles is just as important and necessary as the study of the older branches of science and philosophy. It was not till 1862, however, that the means for placing the desired instruction within reach of the agricultural community at large was realized through the establishment of state agricultural schools. In that year by act of Congress 30,000 acres of land for each congressman were set aside to ensure the permanent endowment of at least one college in each state and territory for the teaching of agriculture and mechanical arts. In 1890 a further grant was made to each state of the maximum annual value of $25,000.
The majority of the state agricultural colleges are connected with a university. The others, with the exception of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, are departments of technical schools.
Conditions of admission vary considerably in different parts of the country. In parts of the south and west pupils from the eighth and ninth grades of the public schools are usually admitted, while some of the universities have a standard of admission about as high as that for students entering upon literary courses.
As to courses of study, in general the agricultural schools connected with universities do more work along the line of scientific research, while in the schools not connected with universities more attention is given to the directly practical work. The universities wish to put the four years’ course in agriculture on a par with those in literature and philosophy. The aim is not to produce all-round agricultural experts, but to give students a general working knowledge of the things of fundamental importance to intelligent farmers, with opportunity of becoming a specialist in some one particular line. The courses usually include care of orchards, grafting, pruning, dairying, feeding and judging of stock, properties of soils, etc.
Some colleges have winter courses, lasting three months, especially adjusted to the needs of those students who cannot afford to be away from their home farms during the rest of the year. Such courses have proved so helpful that many students have returned for several successive winters.
Tuition in agricultural colleges is free, but a small fee is usually charged to cover cost of materials used in experiments. In some states allowance is made for work done by pupils towards the payment of their personal expenses of board and lodging, and in some places free lodging is provided by the institution.
The Agricultural Department of Cornell University has given courses by correspondence which have proved to be highly successful. Too much encouragement and
