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Missouri Agricultural Report. 



THE STUDY OF AGRICULTURE. 



R. M. Washburn. 



(R. M. Washburn, Division of Dairy and Animal Husbandry, University of Minnesota.) 



The study of agriculture is coming to be very popular as we 



all know, being taught in the colleges and 

 the universities, in the normal schools, high 

 schools and academies, and even down in 

 the grade and primary schools ; being taught 

 in various institutions and before different 

 sorts of audiences. It is not local. It is 

 not confined to any state or to any section. 

 It is a nation-wide, progressive movement, 

 on the part of the American people, north, 

 south, east and west. 



So popular has this line of work become 

 that it has attracted the attention of large 

 interests. We find, for instance, the bank- 

 ers in conventions are making questions of 

 agriculture a part of their business. I am inclined to think that if 

 they would let the farmer have money at a little lower rate of in- 

 terest and let him attend to his own details it would work out just 

 as well. We find, too, that the railroad magnates are becoming 

 greatly interested in agriculture. We find that the business men's 

 associations and commercial clubs all over the country are now 

 interesting themselves in the matter of agriculture. It is getting 

 to be a fad, a positive fad. 



It is always wise whenever there is a great popular movement 

 that we pause in the midst of it and study carefully whether we 

 are on the right track. If we are, let us forge forward yet more 

 rapidly, but if we are not, let us understand it as soon as possible. 

 Some of us are now thinking that agriculture is being taught 

 for the first time. That is not true. Agriculture was taught — 

 whether studied or not may be another question — a great many 

 years ago. We find, however, that the accurate study of agricul- 

 ture is really modern and is confined to a few countries. 



If we go back into history to find out what people tried to 

 teach or learn, we will find that the first schooling ever given to 

 people was of a very primitive sort, consisting of the father teach- 

 ing the son to make and to use the clubs on game and on the enemy, 

 and the mother drilling the daughter in the simple household arts. 

 It was a very crude and very manual sort of education. When man 



