63 



in too many rasos moro niakoshifts. In sonio of tho oollogos tlieso suhjpots are 

 taught l>.v the (l('i>artnuMit of civil cn^iiniHTin;:. in otluTs by llu' (h'i>artni(>nt of 

 uuH-lianic-al oiiKinwi'iiiH. i>i"l '" otliers the woric is a part o( the ilepartment of 

 af,'rononiy. In one collefie it is tan^ht by the (lei)artinent of mathematics, in 

 anotlier irrij^ation is tanj;ht l>y the department o£ liorticnhiie. in another farm 

 machinery is tanirht hy tlie department of animal Imsiianthy. All will a.ujree 

 that animal hnshandry tani.'ht l>y the department of horticnltnre wonld 1)0 a 

 somewhat anomalous ;irran;,'ement. It mi.irht he Justified on the .t,'round that 

 pi,:,'s will I'at the fruit which falls from tlu' trei^s. and hence there is a relation 

 between the two subjects, but the teachiufr of animal husitandry by the professor 

 of horticulture is no more ineffective than the attempt to develop an effective 

 course in rural enjrineerini,' by makin;,' it a part of horticulture or maUinj; it a 

 l»art of animal husbandry. 



Furtliermore, there is a lack ^>{ recojrnition for those in charge. No one can 

 fail to be impressed by the fact that, so far as the makers of courses of instruc- 

 tion are concerned, this work does not stand on an e(|uality with the older estab- 

 lished branches. Except for the collejres jjiivini,' a course in iirifration engineer- 

 inj:. no institution gives the man in charge of this work eipial rank with the 

 man in charg*' of other departments — such as agronomy, animal husbandry, 

 horticulture, dairying, etc. Omitting those colleges teaching irrigation en- 

 gineering, in only one college — Wisconsin — arc courses in rural engineering 

 recognized as a distinct department and accorded rank equal to other depart- 

 ments. In this respect the colleges of this country present a striking contrast 

 to the recogiHtion given this subject in the leading agricultm-al colleges of 

 lOurope. In Sweden. Demnark. Belgium. France. Netherlands, and (lermany 

 lural engineering is an independent departmt'ut. with thorough courses of in- 

 struction and facilities t'ov experimental work far in advance of anything yet 

 conti'inplated in this country. 



Your committee insists that the conception of this work given in the report 

 of the connnittee on methods of teaching agriculture was a correct one and 

 that the true value of this traiinng, both to the student and to the development 

 • )f the agricultural resources of this country, will not be achieved until courses 

 in rural engineering are made as defhnte and independent as courses in animal 

 husbandry, agronomy, and horticultin-e are now. 



It is not believed that every institution should establish courses in rural 

 engineering. Only those which have the eciuipment, or where the conditions of 

 agriculture give opportunities for the following of this traiinng, should under- 

 take this. In States like California, where the investment in |)um[)s for raising 

 water in irrigation runs into millions of dollars, where the high j>rice and 

 scarcity of farm labor makes the use of costl.v and complex machinery impera- 

 tive, and where irrigation and drainage are a prereiiuisite to the use of the 

 greater part of the agricultural land, complete courses in this subject should be 

 given, because a knowledge of them lies at the very foundation of successful 

 agriculture, and young men equipped for this work have exceptional opportuni- 

 ties. Other institutions like Purdue, Illinois, Cornell, and tnany others which 

 need not be enumerated, will, it is believed, find it in the line of progress to 

 institute these courses. 



Another fact brouglit out by the replies to these inquiries was that all that is 

 needed in many institutions to provide for complete courses of instruction is a 

 better correlation between existing departments, in order that each may give 

 effectively its part of the training. It is believed tliat the establishment of 

 courses in rural engineering will be an evolutionary process which will bring 

 about a more comi)lete fulfillment of the purpose of the Morrill Act. These col- 

 leges were established for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts. The 

 mechanic arts part has been developed into engineering colleges very similar 

 in character to the best teclmical institutions of the ctmntry. but the agri- 

 cultural courses and the mechanic arts courses are entirely separate from each 

 other. Your committee believes tliat in the establishment of courses in rural 

 engineering tliey can be made to greatly strengthen and help each other. 



One thing which is douljtless in part, responsible for this is the lack of text- 

 books, and these will not be provided uirtil there has been a greater body of 

 information brought together and systematized than is in our possession to-day. 

 This means tliat there is need at present for experimental work. This is being 

 recognized and provided for both by a number of colleges and by the Office of 

 Experiment Stations of the Department of Agriculture. The work of the Office 

 of J]xperiment Stations in tests of different types of pumping machinery and the 

 conditions which affect its efficiency in the field will be of great service to the 



