The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-02-16

~ per cent OF the cash value OF the
lands; so that, in truth, the farming
class, though numbering one half
the population, owned but little over
one-iifth Of the entire property of the
United States. Something is wrong
Agriculture lays the golden egg for
the great family of the industries
and professions; if we kill tiff we
even let it sicken for want of proper,
of intelligent treatment, all will be
the losers.
Another suggestion: what is the
consensus of the educated world on
this question of teaching agricul-
ture. Pick up the June number of
Blackwood and read Col. p. Times, of
Learney, on the subject of Technical
Instruction in Agriculture. You
will find from his statement that the
teachings of elementary agriculture
in primary schools is already pro-
yided for by law in Scotland, the
home of thrift, the birthplace Of
economies. Let me quote from
President Adams of Cornell Univer-
sity to show in what estimation Ger
many, the foremost empire OF the
world, holds agricultural education:
prussia alone has four higher
agricultural colleges, with some
eighty professorships; she has more
than forty lesser schools, all having
model farms; she has five special
schools for the cultivation Of mead
owns and the scientific study of
methods of irrigation; she has one
special school for the teaching Of
those who desire to reclaim swamp
lands; she has two special schools
for the teaching of those who intend
to grow industrial nurseries; she has
school for teaching horse shoeing,
one for teaching raising, one for
the raising of bees, and one for
teaching the cultivation of fish,
Besides all these she has has twenty
special schools for the education of
gardeners, and fifteen schools for the
training of those who are to cultivate
the grape.
"The example of Prussia has been
initiated by the other German States.
The little kingdom of Bavaria,
scarcely larger than Massachusetts,
has twenty-six agricultural colleges,
besides more than two hundred ag-
ricultural associations"
1t is true, in fact, that the intelli-
gent owners all over the world are
clamoring for instruction in agricul
ture. At the recent meeting in Me
ridian of the Farmers and Labors'
Union of America, (this is the new
name for the consolidated Agricul-
tural Wheel and Alliance), report
was adopted by representatives from
eleven States memoIializing the Leg
islature of the several States to pass
acts incorporating the teaching of
agriculture in the curricula of the
free schools in the States represented
in that meeting. The Legislature
of Tennessee few years ago passed
an act constituting a commission
"to procure, to use the words of the
law, 1.-The preparation of, or the des
ignation of, work on the Elemen
tary Principles of Agriculture, which
shall be taught in the public schools
of the State" The farmers of our
own State recognize the fact that the
depression in agriculture is largely
attributed to the lack of information;
for in the enunciation of the objects
for which the Alliance was formed
they expressly state: ave propose
to make the study of practical agri
culture in all its branches a part Of
our mission, that it's standard may
be raised, its. products increased, and
its followers made more prosperous
and contented."
So much for the necessity of teach
ing agriculture But | cannot leave
this part of my subject without in
shutting one more comparison. The
entire amount of wealth belonging to
the farming classes in 1860 subtract
ed from the value of their holdings
in 1880 shows an increase of $4,900,-
100000 during the two decades. For
the other industries and for the pro-
fessions the increase during the same
period amounted to 1913, 500, 900, 900,
showing that the farming classes ac-
quired little more than one-sixth
Of the accumulations of twenty years,
although they constituted about one
half the population. Now, l am not
prepared to contend that the teach
ing of agriculture in our common
schools will cure this inequality in
the distribution of wealth; but every
one will agree that better knowl-
edge of the forces in the air, in the
soil, in the sunshine, in the rain, in
the frost, will aid in economic pro-
duction; for to utilize these forces in
the most economical way is the
whole art of agriculture. Waste is
born of ignorance; economy is the
child of wisdom.
But what of the practicability of
teaching this art in our elementary
schools? I confess that | am tempt
ed to leave this part of my subject
to the Honorable Supt. of Education,
whose business it is to find the ways
and means of doing whatever ought
to be done in our free schools. be-
lieve that it can be done proftably
to the State, and my belief is based
upon my observation of the teaching
done in the Preparatory Department
of the A. and NJ. College. Four
weeks ago, two commissioners from
South Carolina visited our institu-
ton to investigate its workings. A
class of eight or more preparatory
students was taken to the College
Chapel and questioned by tutor on
Gulley's First Lessons in Agriculture
in order to show these commissioners
the character of the text book work
done in this class. The students
were from fourteen years of age up
wards, and the intelligence of their
answers when cross-questioned by
the commissioners elected the COM
mendation of every one present, and
convinced me that they had thor
oughly mastered the little book,
and had received much flood for
thought" from it's one hundred and
eight pages. Since / was notified
that | was expected to present pa
per on this subject, l have examined
the records of recitations and have
questioned the instructors, and l