The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-07-11
NEW srrprEs IN COMMON SCHOOLS.

NJ W IN OOuNlON StINOOAff7s
The bill providing for teaching the
elementary principles of agriculture
and the underlying principle of civil
government in the public schools met
with the hearty approval of the
House, and doubtless will be passed by
the Senate II, on investiga ton, it is
found it is constitutional. We can un-
derstand why the bill, which does not
apply to the schools of cities, is popu-
lar with members from the rural dis
tricts.
They are looking out for the inter
ests Of their constituents. They real
.ize that the day is fast approaching
when farming will be carried on more
scientifically than it is now, and that
those who know the most about the
best methods of dealing with soils
that is the kind OF fertilizers best
adapted to the different soils-and I'M
derstand seed selection and a thousand
other matters that are essential now
adays to successful farming, are the
ones who will make the greatest pro-
SiNSe III AlAN IA ENNAOAl VI plOSitIllys
For instance, the development of
the fruit industry in this state has
been very great within the last ten
years, and yet there is good reason to
think this industry is yet in its in
fancy. 1t is worthy of notice that those
who are the most successful in fruit
growing are those who make a study
of it, They know when the trees should
be planted, how they should be cared
for and the treatment necessary to
keep the fruit free from insects.
Those who have had their peach trees
properly sprayed this year have the
very finest kind of peaches, while those
who were neglectful in the matter of
spraying, trusting to chance that their
trees would escape the insects. have
fruit that is wormy and commands but
a small price in the markets.
We mention this one thing, but the
remarks applicable TO peaches are appli-
cable to everything that is grown on a
fruit, grain or cotton farm. A day or
two ago we called attention to a report
culture at Washington, in which it
was pointed out that the yield of cot
ton could be almost doubled by a
proper selection of seed.
OF course the amount of instruction
that it would be possible to impart at
the public schools would be very small,
but the facts presented would awaken
in the minds of the youth a desire for
additional knowledge in respect 70 ag-
riculture, and would Impress upon them
the fact that such knowledge was to
be had. The common schools would
point out the way to information to
the sons of farmers who intended
to follow the occupation of farming,
and thus would be awakened a desire
for such information.
There is no more interesting study
than agriculture. The publications that
are now being distributed by the De-
partment of Agriculture at Washington
are as entertaining as anything that is
appearing in print, and at the same
time they are instructive in the high
est degree. 1t seems to us that the gov
eminent could not do a wiser thing
than to mail to every farmer in the en-
tire country each of its reports and
other documents as they are publish
ed. 1t might be somewhat difficult to
get the names of all of the farmers,
but that difficulty could be overcome.
If this course we're pursued there
would be great increase in interest
in farming, and we venture to say an
increase in the productiveness of farms
because of the utilization of ideas
found in these publications.