The evening times., 1899-10-31
SCHOOLS OF FARMING.
Practical Instruction for Children in
Porto Rico.

Practical Instruction for Children in
Porto Rico.
No definite plans have yet been formu-
lated regarding the introduction in Porto
Rico of what is, for the want of a better
| name, termed the system Of agricultural
kindergartens. The project is now under
consideration by members Of the Daugh-
tiers of the American Revolution and OFF,
| GERS of the Bureau of Education, and
those interested in the matter have re-
ceived encouragement Of a nature which
justifies them in hoping sufficient interest
in their objects may be aroused to assure
the success of the undertaking.
In Sweden school gardens to the number
of over 1000 existed in 1881. Austria, In
1863, prescribed by law that instruction in
agriculture should be given in all normal
schools and that school gardens be estab-
lished in all villages. Germany, Russia,
and all progressive countries are giving
their attention to this subject In the
school gardens in Russia the children are
| taught to plant fruit trees, to tend the veg
etables and the plants. and are instructed
daily as to the habits and characteristics
of the plants under their immediate obser-
walton. Prizes are given for the best speci-
mems, and their interest In the matEr Is
carefully fostered.
This course having been pursued for
twenty years or more, has resulted IN
leavening the peasantry with spirit OF
knowledge OF the earth and its products.
The ignorant serf is slowly giving place to
the intelligent and trained small farmer.
and each generation promises to be better
informed than the last. AS result Rus
sia has forged to the front in agriculture.
is producing more grain than ever and In
9TH 10 a
position which threatens the supremacy OF
the United States. The Russian schools
add the cultivation of the bee and the
silkworm to their garden schools. and Of
ten have small dairy, where the children
are taught butter and cheese making.
Around Philadelphia, New York, Balti-
more or. in fact any large Eastern city,
may be seen hundreds of small farms rent
ed or owned by truck farmers. who were
educated in Europe. While the American
farmer devotes himself to wheat and corn.
these men, with better idea of the proper
use of a small farm, raise, sometimes, as
many as three crops a year on the same
land, and are continually sowing and reap
ing one crop or another. With their vege-
tables and small fruits they often clear
more from ten acres than the farmer OF
the old school.
In the case Of the Porto Ricans 1t is
pointed out tnat WITH lt5 STtdt hatuio ioA iSA
tility the island can easily become one OF
the garden spots of the United States. but
that to take the present generation in hand
and teach them agricultural methods, no
matter how improved, is an impossibility.
Spain has been raising olives for centuries,
but it Is to California. and to Spain, the
American people must look for an improve
ment in olive-raising methods. So in Porto
Rico, it is the rising generation that must
be depended upon for an Improvement OF
the agricultural conditions OF the island.
1t is ccntended that schools whose OBJ
ject is to teach the children to take ad-
vantage Of the soil and climate OF their
island to produce the fruits, vegetables.
and other products to which their land
is adapted Is a much more charitable and
beneficial scheme than to encourage them
to look to the United States for aid when
ever a calamity like the late hurricane
overtakes them.
This view Of the matter will be presented
to Governor General Davis, whose active
sympathies. it is hoped. may be enlisted.
The Daughters of the American Revolution,
to whose patriotic impulses the plan may
appeal, will then be asked to take charge
Of the work as they did Of the sending OF
nurses and the supplying Of clothing to
the soldiers during the war with Spain.