HARVARD AND AGRICULTURAL TRAINING.

The day of free and abundant farm land in the United States is past. All of the best land is occupied, and the farmer can no longer extract the largest crops, regardless of future fertility, and then move on to another tract of virgin soil. The land must be farmed carefully and scientifically; it must yield more per acre.

Scientific farming may perform a great economic service to the community. Although the point of diminishing returns has doubtless been reached under the old conditions, improvements in methods and especially the large scale application of rotation of crops in regions such as the South where this has been little tried may do much to restore temporarily a stage of increasing returns; and thus cheaper food may be provided for the population. This is a larger aspect of modern agriculture which contains promise, and is another argument for the expert in agriculture.

The objection of many that the young man with a college education will find farm life unattractive is not intrinsically sound. Naturally, higher education should develop an appreciation of the conveniences of civilization, aesthetic qualities, and a desire for a healthy social life. But if these things are not found in the country it is due more often to a lack of initiative and leadership than to an inherent defect in farm life. By the leadership of one man in a community, a cooperative effort to secure better educational conditions, and a stimulation of organized recreation and social life, would be carried on, that would greatly increase the attractiveness of country life.

There would be, therefore, much good in the addition of extra courses in the University, as Professor Carver suggests in the more scientific farm problems. Harvard's ideal is rounded cultural education, and should not include a purely agricultural college. But there is no reason why the University cannot combine with its other specialties some thorough training in this field, with the view to sending men into rural life who will improve it socially, intellectually, and economically.