The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-07-01


nection with the University Of Penn
sylyania
Another means for this class Of edu-
cation Is the travelling school, which
has been successfully run in England.
but which has not yet been put in oper-
alton in this country.
He was not advocate Of teaching agri-
culture in the common schools. but he
thought the teaching of nature should
be introduced IN the rural schools The
subjects selected would naturally be re-
lated to agriculture, and such instruc-
uons would have an important bearing
on the education OF the children to fr
them for farm life This movement
had been begun in New York State and
had spread 70 Maryland and other
States. and was meeting with success
There is a prejudice against nature
study in the rural schools, it being
sometimes spoken of as a useless new
tangled thing This prejudice it was
necessary 10 overcome.
Great Britain, he said. has been back
ward in organizing systematic agri.
cultural study. She is beginning to see
the mistake made in not doing this as
she is in regard to her lack Of technical
education.
He said the farmers Institutes are
studying courses of studies given in
the rural schools with view 20 i'm
proving them He did not think agri-
cultural instruction in this country
would ever 20 back 70 the old method
of having the boys work on the farm
in connection with the school, as Is
d me in Belgium He thought the model
fam would be used in connection with
agricultural instruction as the labora
tory is used. but the boys would not be
required 10 spend their time doing the
manual work on the farm
Experiments along agricultural lines
began with the establishment Of agri-
cultural colleges. but they were not
carried on by the system in use IN ex-
pertinent stations until twenty-five
years ago During the past ten years
a little more than $40 600 600 has been
spent on the agricultural experiment
stations Of the country, Of which
b OOO. 900 was from the federal gov
ernment and 50, 600. 900 was from the
States This might seem like large
sum. bat during the same period agrl'
cultural products had been raised in
this country Of the value Of $50, OOO,'
OOO 600. 80 that but 81 had been spent
for each 81 900 Of agricultural product.
Last year these bulletins had gone to
SOD. 600 farms.
A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM
As it exists today the American sys.
tenn Of agricultural stations is the
most comprehensive system for advan-
cling agriculture that has ever been
known. These stations, especially
those east Of the Mississippi river, had
done much to prevent the sale OF
fraudulent commercial fertilizers.
They had also done much to expose
fraudulent claims for prepared fertili'
zer. They had done much to remove
obstacles to agricultural industries.
They had made it possible for the
farmer to get rid of the injurious in
sects. The Department Of Agriculture
had also done much along these same
lines
In various other ways the stations
had helped the farmer and had aided
in the development Of industries for
him. In Louisiana they had helped
to improve the character Of the sugar
cane raised there. The quality OF the
Connecticut wrapping tobacco had been
improved and made to command
higher price than it formerly brought
They had by experience shown the ad-
vantage of certain forage plants, and
the Mississippi station had been es.
pecially helpful to that state by the
experiments that had been carried on.
SOME FARMERS DISAPPOINTED.
There had been some disappointment
on the part Of some farmers, because
experimental stations did not go more
extensively in farming and show the
practical benefit Of good farming. The
fact was, the law authorizing these sta
tions provided especially for scientific
work and not for model farms. They
were for the purpose Of developing the
scientific part of farming. and in order
to do that il was necessary that those
in charge Of these stations should de-
vote their time to such work There
was also q difficulty from the fact that
there has been some political interfer-
ence with these stations and that was
not conducive to securing good results.
There had also been trouble from the
changing Of methods too frequently and
from the lack of efficient men to carry
on the work Every year these stations
are able to improve the character of the
men who run them, and the work is
being more and more generally divided
up among experts.
The general work for the improve
ment of agriculture as carried on by the
stations had given this country large
body of trained men for work In the
future. They also had given the country
a purely American literature on sgri.
cultural subjects, which did not exist
few years ago, when it was necessary
to 90 to England for such literature.
Fifty books had been published by men
connected with the stations. The lit