PRESENT METHODS OF TEACHING SOILS. 227 



PRESENT METHODS OF TEACHING SOILS. 



PROF. J. A. JEPFERY^ AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 



The present methods of soil study are somewhat evolutionary. There 

 are few institutions that are offering more than a very simple course in 

 soil work. In most of our colleges the work is given by men Avhose train- 

 ing has been along other lines, but who occupy the position of agricul- 

 turist, who feel the importance of a larger knowledge of the nature and 

 principles of soils, and who with the time and facilities at hand are doing 

 what they can in this direction. 



The University of Wisconsin was the pioneer in the development of a 

 strictly soil course. Ohio followed with a less extensive course and Illi- 

 nois is building up such a course. M. A. C. is doing a similar work and 

 South Dakota is doing a very creditable line of work, while the letters 

 of inquiry that come to us from east and west for information as to 

 methods, show how rapidly the interest is growing — Connecticut, Iowa 

 and Oregon within the past few months. Wisconsin is doubtless best 

 equipped for the work. Illinois, Ohio and Indiana have splendid facili- 

 ties in the way of quarters and are rapidly building up their other equip- 

 ment. Iowa has a magnificent building in sight and North Dakota is 

 transforming a part of its boys' dormitory into a soils laboratory. 



Where room and equipment are ])rovided, a serious difficulty is encoun- 

 tered in securing trained men to take up the work of instruction and 

 direction. In some cases men are put in charge who have to build up 

 their departments and themselves at the same time. In other cases 

 funds for the development of such a course come slowly. 



Scarcely any two institutions offer like courses or follow the same 

 methods of instruction, and yet, all pattern to a greater or less extent 

 after the methods developed by King of Wisconsin and in addition give 

 some attention to methods of soil investigation practiced at Washington 

 and by Hilgard of California. 



The time of taking up the work in soils and the time given to the work, 

 are not the same in all institutions. At Wisconsin no work in agricul- 

 ture is given prior to the junior year. At that time if the student elects 

 soils as his major, that work is followed by him during the junior and 

 senior years. If soils is made a minor, the time devoted to soils is much 

 less depending upon the other elections made. At Ohio one term is given 

 in the junior year, while agronomy, v^hich includes one term of soils, 

 may be elected for the senior year. At Illinois soils is a required study 

 during the first semester of the junior year, while electives are offered 

 during the senior year. It will be observed that in the three cases just 

 named, no work in soils is done prior to the junior year and is thus taken 

 after two years of university training. 



It is the plan at M. A. C. to give some work relating to agriculture in 

 every term of the freshmen and sophomore years, with the privilege of 

 electing agricultural work during a part at least of the junior and senior 

 years. The object of this arrangement is that many of the students 



