568 IOWA DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



WHAT IS UP-TO-DATE FARMING? 

 U. J. HoiDSon, DeWit. BeJore Clinton County Farmers' Institute. 



EDUCATIONAL FARMING. 



There is no longer any failure to realize that farming, at least in cer- 

 tain branches, must become a scientific profession, instead of being con- 

 ducted in a hit-or-miss style as in years gone by; that there must be 

 opened to farmers the chance for scientific training. This education of 

 the farmer, "self-education by preference," but also an education from the 

 outside as with all other men, is peculiarly necessary here in this country 

 where the old conditions, even in the newest states, have now nearly van- 

 ished; where there must be a substitution of a more intensive system 

 of cultivation from the old wasteful farm management, and where there 

 must be a better business organization among the farmers themselves. 



Great progress has already been made among the farmers by the crea- 

 tion of farmers' institutes, of dairy associations, of breeders' associations, 

 horticultural associations, and the like. I know of nothing which should 

 attract the attention of a young man or woman, interested in farming, 

 so much as the contest at the county institutes. It means two weeks' 

 short-course scholarships at our great agricultural college at Ames if 

 you win one of the premiums. But, if you do not win a premium, you 

 have not "lost out," for you get two days' instruction from one of the 

 best corn judges in the state, And I think no time or money could be 

 better spent than that. The prejudice against up-to-date farming or 

 "book farming," as some call it, that was so prevalent a quarter century 

 ago, has pretty generally disappeared. There may be a few back woods 

 sections in which the inhabitants are half a century or more behind the 

 times, where people may still be met with who are inclined to talk rapidly 

 against what they regard as nonsense of up-to-date farming. But if we 

 compare the sorry looking crops of many of these farmers with the fields 

 of the men who are practicing scientific farming, we will generally find 

 their old methods are not showing results that prove the wisdom of their 

 criticisms of up-to-date farming. 



Good seed is necessary for a good crop, but large yields do not always 

 follow the planting of good seed, but in nearly all cases where a man has 

 thoroughly prepared his seed-bed and planted good seed and gives it 

 thorough cultivation, he has no cause for complaint at harvest time. 

 During the last two years the results of scientific methods of feeding 

 cattle have been shown by actual test and competition for years at the 

 great international live stock exposition and other live stock shows. 



The science of draining low lands and of the fertilization of other 

 lands v/ith the elements of the soil most lacking for crop products, have 

 all been demonstrated to the satisfaction of the men who have made and 

 observed the tests. 



