The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-12-16

time has come When the pIIhClpieo y !
agriculture can be proftably taught IN
our rural schools; that the teachers polh :
mon and women, now employed in our I
r,,ra1 schools can be fitted for this work; E
that our country boys and girls viii re- 1
caiva such instruction eagerly, Intelll- {
gently. and proitab1y; and that the pest
interests of our people, moral, lntellec-
final phvsical, and material Will be
wonderfully promoted by the ~lnStructlnS |
even Of one generation of youth along
these practical lines.
For fully fifty years there mas peeh d
constant migration to cities ana to"h9
from our country districts. In some re
spects good has been accomplished ny
this migration. 1t has drawn OIL tue
Aoating population much of which was
idle and untintelligent from the country
and given it profitable and constant en-
nlovment in mills and factories. Much
wealth has been created thereby, ana
MANY local markets made for farm pro
aucte Rut the stream Of humanity con-
stantly flowing from country TO city mas
taken with it not only the ldle ana
ignorant, not only those needlng 10 @
guided and stimulated and urged py
MANAGERS and bosses, but also the most
talented. the most ana the
most ambitious OF our rural youth.
There has been a steady decline OF rural
influence, rural power, and rural attrac-
tiveness, until now very few Oh our
nro,ninent, influential, and wealthy men
H1.o mon and get their living from
forms. This is the evil that needs TO be
ramedied. and the remedy lies in our sys-
TEN Of education.
Thank Heaven the undesirable surplus
of popuIation is now pretty we'll drained
off from our rural districts at least IN
the Piedmont country and the held Is
open for excellent educational Work upon
excellent educational material. Inc
problem of education, so far as mateflal
for teaching goes, is really far less com
plicated and difficult III the country
than in the manufacturing ana
cities. Rural Science for Rural Schools
is the keynote to the problem. Let the
country BOYS and girls be shown that
there is a real science underlying agrlcul-
turc. a science worthy Of study by the
greatest intellects and capable of compre-
hension and application by the average
mind a science whose practical appnca-
ton in farm life Will certainly produce
health strength happiness reverence anu
true nobility of soul, as we'll as Wealth'
let them get a peep into the mysteries
and beauties of nature and natures crea-
lures which they have so often been
taught to deSpise or not love to see; let
them learn that the great men OF all
countries and all professions and all
oererations have been born and reared
on farms and that where the great men
are born and reared is the best place to
live: that agriculture is the oldest OF
the arts and the most recent of the
sciences and that perfect agriculture
is the true foundation of trade and in
dustry-the foundation Of the richest OF
States" let them read and study and
learn about nature and nature chllqren,
about country life, and country people,
instead of cities and politics and liter
AIRY professions; and a revolution Will
have begun IN rural life and agriculture
in the Old North State which will &C
complish wonders in one or at most two
generations.
A summer School for Teachers has
just been organized and will be con-
Quoted next June at the a. and NJ. Col
lege in Raleigh for teaching Agriculture
and Nature study to the rural teachers Of
the State. The methods to be employed
Will indicate what is meant by agricul-
tural instruction. These methods are
% By Experiments, CD by Book Study
Let US look briefly at each.
/. Experiments-Take for example TIL
testing of seeds. 4 little study under
proper guidance Will enable even al
ordinary observer to distinguish th'
seeds of weeds from those of clover o.
other plants with which they are Otter
mixed. Then the terminating power O.
seeds can easily be tested by using al
ordinary plate and d little moist pape,
and heat. In this way valuable test
can easily and quickly and cheaply b
applied before planting to all the seed
used on the farm. Easy experiments ca
similarly be made in regard to plant dis
eases, insects, soils, plant varieties
seed-selection, etc, etc. How few farT
boys know that cedar balls contain appi
rust bacteria, How few know anythin
of cross-fertilization, of plant breeding
Of seed-selection, etc, etc. Experiment
once begun will lead to other expert
ments, the mind will be interested, slim
ulated, and put to work upon all tn
problems of the farm; will love to Wor
out natures problems; problems of sol
of plant, of animal, of weather, of cart
and sky and air; will expand into a fu
realization of the glory and grandeur
nature, and natures works.
2 Book Study.-The experience of th
world is in books. No single life ca
live by itself and learn by itself tt
knowledge gained by millions of 9TH
lives. So books tell us what we cou
never learn alone. Some things relatiI
to agriculture must be learned fro
books. 1t would take too long and was
too much labor and wealth to work o
all agricultural problems and truth
each man or himself. But there is n
need of a great deal of education nor
great deal of intellect to understand II
best books on agriculture. have +
Gently read 'Practical Agriculture"
Prof. c. c.. James, a most clear, compr
hensiVe and charming little book.
such a book could be put in the han
of every boy and girl in the world,
would accomplish more good for mankil
than even the great writings of Herbe
Spencer. It's charm is its clearness a
simplicity.
Take for example the Rotation
Crops. The reasons given by Pr,