120 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



class who have elected agriculture shows a marked increase, often far 

 in advance of previous years. The University of Illinois, for example, 

 reports L30 agricultural students in its entering class, as compared 

 with L38 in the whole college of agriculture two years ago; Lowa Agri- 

 cultural College entered L55, as compared with L28 last year; Massa- 

 chusetts. 78; Michigan, 42 in tin 1 freshman and 66 in the subfreshman 

 classes; Missouri. 60, as compared with 44 last year; Ohio, 45; and 

 Texas, (ill. as compared with 18 last year. The above figures apply to 

 students in the entering classes who have elected the four-year courses 

 in agriculture and horticulture. 



Other colleges report a marked increase in the total number of 

 agricultural students. At Cornell University the number has increased 

 about 30 per cent, making the total 175; at the Alabama College the 

 fotal is about 135. as compared with 125 last year; at Clemson College, 

 South Carolina, 137 — a considerable increase: and at the University of 

 Wisconsin there are 88 students in the long course, against 60 last 

 year. 



While these numbers are not large relatively, they indicate a marked 

 change over conditions a few years ago; and it should be noted that in 

 the majority of cases the registration has increased in spite of more 

 and more rigid requirements for admission, which are now as strict as 

 for any other course in the institutions mentioned. The differentia- 

 tion of the agricultural course is now so much more complete than 

 formerly that in most instances the men who elect agriculture do so 

 because they arc seeking an agricultural education, and not because 

 they are forced to take this course in order to get a training in general 

 science, as was frequently the case a few years ago. or because it fur- 

 nishes an easier road to a degree. This adds force to the figures pre- 

 sented above, and indicates that the placing of the agricultural course 

 on a level with other college courses in point of entrance requirements 

 and grade of work is meeting with very encouraging results. 



The two-year courses and the short winter courses are serving a 

 most admirable purpose, and are increasing the army of trained agri- 

 culturists, who put the teachings of the agricultural colleges and the 

 experiment stations, and other agencies for agricultural advancement 

 into practical application. But the regular college course must be 

 looked to to furnish the leaders in the higher agricultural work, and 

 to man the colleges, stations, and other agricultural institutions. That 

 there is still abundant encouragement to pursue this course, and to 

 follow it by post-graduate work in special lines, is evidenced by the 

 difficulty in meeting the demand for properly equipped men in various 

 lines of administrative, educational, and experimental work. 



