31 4 CAMPBELL'S SOIL CULTURE MANUAL 



the farm residents to feel that in some other field of activity 

 the chance of success is better than in their own. That is 

 why the farmers are so often approached with suggestions 

 of learning, through correspondence courses, something 

 that will fit them for other work. 



As a matter of fact, the farmer can gain most from a 

 correspondence course with direct relation to his own work. 

 The time has passed for sneering at the so-called book- 

 farmer. The college bred farm superintendent is a reality 

 and a success. Men who are making a study of farming 

 with special reference to well established principles are 

 taking the lead. The average farmer does his work well, 

 and he succeeds fairly well, but as a matter of fact, he might 

 do a little better by knowing some things. He gains a great 

 deal by the study of farm papers and magazines, but he 

 too often treats their advice lightly. 



What is needed for the farmer in these days is some 

 method by which there can be brought right home to him 

 all the science and all the achievement of the colleges, the 

 results of special study and investigation, the lessons of 

 innumerable experiments, and to do this in a way that will 

 appeal to him as something practicable. He should be able 

 to gain knowledge of a kind that is useful. No theory 

 should be presented to him without a purpose. Nothing 

 should be given him that has not a practical side. It is 

 well he should understand the science of the soil physics 

 and seed germination and plant development and all that 

 but he should understand all this with special reference 

 to making his own crops bigger and better. The philosophy 

 of farming is all very well, but the essential thing is to 

 accomplish great results. Now it is entirely possible that 

 through the correspondence course of study method the 

 farirer may be given the essentials of his science in such a 



