Mondovi High School - Mirror Yearbook (Mondovi, WI)

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m H-E-W IIRRDR turning back to the soil to enrich it for other plants. Any fanner who raises live stock can atrord to purchase such concentrated feeds as wheat bran, oil meal, and seed meals. They are well worth their cost because of their feeding value in producing bone, flesh, and milk. I’he following figures give the manurial values of a ton of certain feeds. 1 hat is, the value of the residue after being fed to farm animals: Clover Hay ....................................$7.29 Wheat Bran ...................................10.1C Meal .......................................... 16.77 These figures show in a very convincing way the enormous advantage of live stock over grain fanning. ( George Cully, a noted English stock farmer once made this statement: “There is such a relation existing between the breeding of live stock and farming, that one cannot exist without the other.” lfobert Colling, another English expert is the author of the following favorite quotation: “An husbandman'can- not thrive without cattle and not with cattle without corn, for without the both he will become a buyer, a borrower, and a beggar.” In order to raise live stock successfully, one must have a liking for the business. Among the reasons why men fail in live steck farming is usually to be found this one: that they do not like the business. Animals are not machines, as is so often stated by men who know very little about them. There is a personal element that enters into the raising of live stock that does not appear in connection with the running of inanimate machines. An old and very successful stock man of this state says, “The most important quality of the breeder of live stock is this: Does he like bis animals? Second, but hardly less important, do the animals like him?” He must like to see them eat and drink. Xo stingy man will make a successful feeder of the stock. Mr. Scribner of the Wisconsin Jersey Breeders’ Association gave this illustration in Mondovi recently. “It is useless to expect an engine to do any work when it is only supplied with enough f :el to make its own wheels turn. No kind of work-chemical or mechanical, can be done without an expenditure of energy. If a man is unwilling to furnish energy in the way of good wholesome food, and plenty of it, then he can hardly expect his animals to accomplish very much.” It is said that the tenants of England are held accountable for the fertility of the soil which they till. A strict account is kept of the plant food which they add to or take from the land and at the end of their tenancy they arc required to make good in cash anv deficiency which they may have lieen responsible for. On the other hand they are paid for any excess of added fertility. Such careful cultivation has resulted in increased production of the soil. This is one reason why little England is able to feed its many millions. The importance of live stock farming however extends further than merely the improvement of the soil. Its most important results are to bo found in the comforts that arise out of material prosperity, such as better homes, shorter hours given to hard work rather than culture and refinement. It will mean more money to be spent for educational purposes. This will result in twttcr boys and girls, better men and women, and a more cultivated and permanent national life.—B. N. ’If!.

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EXTENDING THE HIGH SCHOOL TO THE COUNTRY. Every community has its own peculiar problems to solve. Some of these ire questions of temporary importance, others are permanent problems requiring persistent and vigorous efforts for their final solution. For an educational institution to attempt the solution of these questions should not seem remarkable. However according to educational writers it seems that the High School ha- not very generally undertaken to work out very many of the problems that are certain to be found in every community. This state of affairs is very much to be regretted. High School pupils are mature enough to cgin to think seriously upon vital questions, such as concern their every day life and the conveniences and comforts of the home life.. The High School pupil is certainly not too young to think seriously upon the selection of a vocation that will be pleasant and furnish a comfortable borne. High School pupils should be taught to cultivate public spirit. They should Ik? impressed with the idea of co-operation and concentration of scattered interests. The High School is a community institution. Its various departments should educate more than persons who merely come within its walls. It should be aggressive in the matter of extending its influence further than its own doors. The true function of the Department of Agriculture of Mondovi High School is to be of real service to the patrons and the supporters of the school. The purpose of this article is to show one way which this department is attempting to be of some service to the Mondovi community. • Just now it is carrying on a campaign against contageous diseases of live stock. Until recently Mondovi has been more than ordinarily free from any serious epidemics to live stock. During the past summer, however, the much dreaded and destructive disease, hog cholera has made its appearance in this neighborhood. The High School has inaugurated a campaign against this disease. With the assistance of Mr. James Dillon, president of the school board; Dr. A. L. Fannce V. S., the United States Bureau of Animal Industry was brought to Mondovi. Dr. Faunce gave an illustrated lecture on the cause, symptoms, and the control of this disease. A few days later a meeting was held for the purpose of organizing an Anti-Hog Cholera Club. Mr. James Dillon was elected President, Harland Seyforth, Vice President and J. M. Coyner was elected secretary of this organization. The secretary is making good use of the new stereoptiean lantern which the school board have been good enough to purchase. TTe has made a number of slides to be used in this work, others have been borrowed from the department of veterinary science of the University of Wisconsin. These slides illustrate the nature of the disease and show very convincingly what can be and is being done in other places to stamp out the disease. These meetings have been very successful from several different standpoints. In the matter of this particular disease they are informing the people as to how dangerous it is, and how to deal with it. Thus far, five country meetings have been held in five different district school houses. Local organizations were established in the districts for the purpose of combating the disease. A committee of farmers was appointed to be on the look-out for this disease. They will co-operate with the town board of health.