1911. 
THR RUR.A.L, NEW-YORKER 
896 
GRADUATE AGRICULTURAL REFLECTIONS. 
In looking back over the past few years, since 
being graduated from college, I wonder if I have 
made, or begun to make, any appreciable return to the 
State for its part of the expense in educating me for 
agricultural work. I wonder still more if I am mak¬ 
ing-the best use of that education. If not, is it my 
A PENNSYLVANIA STONE WALL. Fig, 357. 
own lack of ability, or aye there other economic con¬ 
ditions standing in the way? 
While in Cornell, as I recall my classmates in agri¬ 
culture, they were nearly all students of small means. 
Yet we were educated in the use of the latest and 
most improved machinery, the cultivation of large 
fields—in short, the undertaking of a large work, in¬ 
volving a large outlay of capital. Our ideals were 
raised, so that conditions existing on so 
many country farms, which we formerly 
tolerated, perhaps considered good, we 
could now no longer endure. What is 
the desire of most agricultural students 
toward the close of the senior year? If 
human nature does not differ very 
greatly from my own, it is to go back 
to the country, have a better house, bet¬ 
ter conveniences, a lawn with trees and 
shrubs and flowers, with a symmetry 
and a sympathy through it all—I let the 
reader fill in the romance—but she must 
have the best. Likewise a sanitary barn, 
and this should house tested Holstein 
cows developing into a strain that 
should be known beyond the State; the 
fields should yield more and better 
crops. The leisure, too, and its best 
enjoyment, should be well proportioned 
with honest work. 
But where are we now? Scattered 
through all the States, Canada, South 
America, and South Africa; employed by the govern¬ 
ment. corporations and private land holders. Only a 
few do I recall working their own farms. Why do 
we not buy cheap farms, go in debt, begin in a small 
way, and work to independence? Economists tell us 
that the efficient educated man should work the high¬ 
est-priced land, use the highest grade machinery and 
fertilizers. My own reason why I am working for 
another and not for myself is, I believe, honestly this: 
Having no available means, I believe I should be con¬ 
siderably embarrassed in attempting to make a loan 
sufficiently large to carry on farm operations, as they 
should be, in my estimation. As to starting on a small 
farm with little means and little to work with, few 
conveniences and the up-hill always before me, I may 
say that I worked my time at that on my father’s 
farm (faithfully, too,) before entering college. The 
crest of the hill seemed always just as far away. I 
may be wrong; sacrifices and self-denial, with all 
work and no play now, might bring leisure and inde¬ 
pendence later. However, I believe we live largely in 
the present. Therefore, I reason that by working for 
another at a fair salary, I have ready money for 
present needs, I can rent house and conveniences, 
which would involve large outlay of capital on a farm. 
Working hours are not too long, churches, libraries 
and other valuable social features are accessible. Re¬ 
sponsibility is removed. (I do not think this a fea¬ 
ture to be desired if one would advance. In the 
majority of cases one cannot do his best or exert his 
individuality. He is not the moving spirit. Very often 
the educated employee sees opportunity for large im¬ 
provement ; but it is not his to undertake. He can 
but do the best possible in the field assigned him.) 
One may save a small amount each year and expect a 
small raise in salary annually. This does not leave a 
very large margin for the realization of one’s ideals. 
One, too, is giving the best part of his life in the 
services of another. There is no time when one is 
so energetic, confident and capable of doing things as 
in young manhood. If this is true, then, for the sake 
of the man, the State and the country, he should be 
.unfettered and free to do his best at this time. This 
is not the case, if he works his own farm hampered 
for lack of capital, or if he works for another. 
A solution which has often occurred to me has some 
points worth considering, I think, though it may not 
be feasible, and is this: Should the State’s obliga¬ 
tions cease when the student secures his diploma? 
May I draw an illustration? Let us suppose a father 
rears a son on an island. One day the boy becomes 
restless for larger things. The father tells the son 
he will teach him how to row, which he does in a 
boat always fast to the shore. When the son has 
learned the strokes, the father says, “Now, my boy, 
you know how to cross the waters; great things are 
before you.” The father then withdraws to give his 
attention to other growing sons and affairs; but fails 
to unlock the boat from its moorings. The result is 
obvious, plenty of knowledge and ambition but he 
lacks the key to the lock which may be analogous 
to a check on the bank, to the farmer boy. 
We learn of the Canadian Government loaning 
large sums to its farmers for the purpose of drain¬ 
ing their lands. Our States and Government expend 
large sums for bettering agricultural conditions. New 
York State has a large staff of institute workers and 
others for the purpose of interesting and instructing 
rural communities. New York State has many un¬ 
occupied farms, and much cheap agricultural land 
of excellent quality. As to markets, no State has 
better. Agricultural students ought to be and are 
taught to be leaders in their communities, by co¬ 
operation and otherwise, to better agricultural inter¬ 
ests. Now, if the State would place its agricultural 
A FEW MAIN CROPS OF MAINE. Fig. 358. 
graduates on these abandoned farms through the 
different counties, supply them with capital at a 
moderate rate of interest (under recommendation 
from the college of agriculture) what might the re¬ 
sults be? 
1. The best agriculturists the State can produce 
would be kept at home. 
2. Abandoned farms would be, in part at least, set¬ 
tled by the most intelligent and skilled farmers. 
3. Agriculture would be elevated in rural communi¬ 
ties and the actual precept and example ought to be fat- 
more valuable than Winter institutes. 
4. The student would be free to do his best, which 
means best for the community, best for the State, and 
best for the country. 
5. The educated agriculturist should be the maxi¬ 
mum economic producer. The sooner conditions are 
made possible for him to obtain a maximum produc¬ 
tion, the sooner and the greater will the State be re¬ 
paid for its outlay in education. 
There may be other reasons in favor of this plan. 
There may be reasons opposing it. The State surely 
should be a loser, only in rare cases (else there is 
fault in our agricultural colleges). The student would 
be a great gainer, and agriculture would receive a 
great boon. college graduate. 
BETTER MILK - BETTER MONEY. 
I have just been reading Bulletin 337, sent out by 
the Geneva, N. Y., Experiment Station, telling how 
a small city improved its milk supply. These bulletins 
are free to every dairyman in New York State, and 
every milk producer in the State should read this 
particular one. It does seem strange that among a 
body of producers large enough to produce milk and 
deliver 50,000 cans of milk and cream at receiving 
stations daily for the New York market alone, an or¬ 
ganization large enough to become effective, and 
strong enough to control the business, does not exist. 
Years keep passing by, and there is no voice raised 
except in protest by the farmer; therefore, when a 
guide post does appear we all of us should sit up 
and take notice. Boards of health throughout the 
country have inaugurated systems of inspection and 
improvements in the method of producing and hand¬ 
ling milk. The cost of these improvements falls on 
the farmer. It is demonstrated in this bulletin that 
he cannot stand the expense at the price he receives 
for his product, and that in the small city of Geneva, 
where the experiment was conducted, marked im¬ 
provement was made only after the price was raised. 
They estimate the cost of producing sanitary milk at 
one cent per quart above the price formerly paid, and 
further say that under the present system of indem¬ 
nity of reacting cows, tuberculin-tested milk will cost 
one-half cent extra, and without State aid one cent 
extra per quart. 
It is just as well for the farmer to acquaint him¬ 
self with these facts before contracting day appears. 
Under the head of needed improvements he has done 
much without compensation, but these things are 
mere trifles to what the future will bring forth. You 
and I know we can go in our stables, milk a cow, 
strain the milk, and cool it; then if placed on ice in a 
covered vessel it will keep sweet and wholesome for 
days. Now, if there is mortality resulting from this 
milk the germ is injected into it after it leaves the 
farmer’s hands. The producer needs an organization 
to sustain this fact and fight for his rights. Large 
milk companies, notably the Bordens, have invited 
members of woman’s clubs and parties of doctors to 
become their guests and inspect their various receiv¬ 
ing stations, and a few farms. This is done purely 
as an advertisement, and the public will stand the ex¬ 
pense in the end. The farmer has stood it this year 
by receiving \l l /z cents a hundred pounds 
under New York price. The dairymen 
should impress themselves with the fact 
that there can be no legal redress for 
losses caused by orders of inspectors sent 
out by the boards of health; their power 
is absolute. The public is also unwilling 
to pay the extra price for milk of higher 
quality, although they applaud loudly 
the efforts of reformers. 
How best to secure the added com¬ 
pensation necessary for the production 
of sanitary milk, which practically 
means certified milk, is a question of 
interest to us all. It cannot be done by 
f talk or discussion, neither can it be se¬ 
cured by reviling the middleman; in 
fact I know of a farmers’ weekly which 
has done nothing for years except find 
fault with the milk situation; no effort 
at organization or a remedy for the evils 
they denounce has ever been set forth 
by them. 
The section of producers in our immediate area who 
read this article cannot alone bring about any lasting 
reform. A concentrated movement among four-fifths 
of the producers with an agreement to contract for 
and supply 90 per cent of last year’s output by each 
producer, with an organization to control the supply 
in the future, would look like a real beginning. 
Since writing this article two months ago I have 
COULD NOT KEEP THIS TREE DOWN! Fig. 35'J. 
decided not to accept further Bordens prices along 
with Bordens suggestions, and will either sell to a 
local creamery or manufacture on the farm. 
Orange Co., N. Y. c. e. h. 
