The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-11-06
October meeting of the

ME OCTOBER meeting OF the
Cecil Farmers Club was
i held at the home of Jos. t.
Grove, near Zion, on the 2Sth ult.
The following members were pres
ent: Prest., Alfred Kirk; cor. sec.,
M. G. Reeder; rec. Sec, Cecil E.
Ewing; treas, J. FL. Maxwell; Jos.
S. Scarborough, r. T. Cameron,
Elwood Balderston, j. p. Wilson,
A. B. McVey, Jos. II. Grove.
Visitors-E. Wilmer McVey, VIM.
Murray, Geo. McVey. Ross Biles,
Taylor Reynolds, Chas. McVey,
VIM. M. Grove, Rev. Wilson Beale,
DR.. G. +. Miller.
The minutes of the previous
meeting were read and approved.
On the call for experiments Mr..
Reeder stated he was unfortunate
enough to have a large portion of
his potatoes rot and had tried put
ting part of the crop in the corn
crib and part in the cellar. Half of
those placed in the cellar had rotted
while those in the crib had kept
very we'll. The potatoes were the
Early Ohio variety. Mr.. Reeder
further stated he had just finished
picking his apples and that very
few had fallen from the trees.
Those selected FIR the st. Louis
Exposition had been packed, each
apple having been wrapped sep
arately, and shipped to Washing
ton where they will be kept in cold
storage until next June.
Jos. S. Scarborough stated he
had only received IA bushels from
two acres of Japanse buckwheat
which he sowed in June.
Elwood Balderston said he had
sown package of vccht seed about
month ago and it was row grow
ing nicely and resembled alfalfa.
Mr.. Kirk reported a neighbor
having sown beans to kill garlic.
The question was asked, what is
the best way to get rid Of piantain?
One reply was to put the ground in
corn twice, and others thought the
best way was to crowd it out with
clover.
The host when called upon for
an essay responded with the
following:
Aor;culfure in Our puhIic Schoois
There are several things that should be done to
make start to bring agriculture to the forefront
in our public schools That Il law should be en-.
acted requiring all teachers to submit to simple
examination in the elements of agricultural
science, and those who fail in this examination
should not be licensed to teach that state normal
and county high schools should offer course in
agricultural science that will fit teachers to pass
this examination; that the teachers institute
should devote one hour each day to teaching
agriculture; that the summer schools in the nor
NAL and state universities should give special
prominence to agricultural science, and to make
summer schools effective two things are neces-
sary: To secure competent instructors and to
enact legislation that will bring teachers to under
stand that if they are to continue to teach they
must prepare to teach agriculture that the teach
mental reading, such the study of farm crops
the study of farm animals and of horticulture.
For the school library the owing books might
be recommended The Principles of Agriculture,
by Bailey; The Soil, by King; The Fertility of the
Land by Roberts; The Principles of Fruit Grow
ing, by Bailey; Glover Farming, by Wallace; Feeds
and Feeding, by Henry; Uncle Henry's Letters to
the Farm Boy by Wallace. And would further
recommend that every public school be placed on
the mailing list of the experimental station.
There should be excursions to the agricultural
college. The agricultural college of which Mr..
Sylvester is at the head in this State should be
encouraged and sustained. At present we have
good schools and competent teachers prepared to
teach all they are required, but the tendency OF
all the training a child receives now tends to fit
him for other positions than agriculture. Why
not give the child an opportunity to know some
thing about the science of agriculture, and then
perhaps our young men will not think the life OF
the agr,culturist all drudgery. The study of ag-
rculture should receive the attention of every
man who has child to educate, whether he in
tends him to be farmer or not. | believe in
teaching agriculture, not so much because man
wants to be farmer, but because it is one of the
best means by which the attention of the child
can be attracted and his mind awakened, which
after all is the main thing in all education.
The president called for com.
ments and the following are some
of the responses:
Mr.. Scarborough have listen.
ed to the essay with much interest
but am not prepared to make any
extended comments as the idea is
new to me and comes somewhat as
surprise. 1t seems to be a good
idea and the pupils would at least
enjoy the annual excursion to the
Experiment station. But suppose
everybody would study agriculture,
then during the next generation
there might be an overproduction |!
Mr.. Reeder-The essay fits my
views exactly. / have always
thought agriculture should be in
troduced in the schools.
Mr.. McVey-I don't think there
would be much danger of over
production and agree with the
essayist. The farmers are taxed
and should stand on an equal foot.
ing and have their vocation EN-
bodied in the curriculum.
Mr.. Wilson, think we already
have too much in our public schools
and they offer opportunities far in
advance of the appreciation felt for