Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-09-06
Commissioner 0llman's Report.
URGES TEACHING OF A6RICULrURE IN
COMMON AND NORMAL SCHOOLS.

agriculture, in his annual report just
issued, makes particularly urgent
recommendation along somewhat radi-
cal lines, in that he would have the pub
lie schools of Maine take up agriculture
in its several branches as part of the
curriculum.
He SAYS that Maine is fast becoming
an agricultural state, and it is eminentlv
proper that the money of the state
should be used in educating the children
along the line which they intend to pur-
sue. The agricultural prosperity Of
our people will be in proportion to the
amount of intelligence and skill which
is put into their work. Many of the
Western states have recognized the i'm
portance of agricultural education for
the husbandmen and are giving much
attention to the teaching of agriculture
in the public schools.
He regards the teaching of agricul-
ture in our schools as necessity for
the best advancement of the state; but
it will never be properly taught In the
public schools until the teachers have
fitted themselves to teach it, and this
preparation should be made in the nor
tldt SCuOOis. NC uuucSltdtiuSig oO-
clares that the normal schools are not
doing their full duty to the state and
especially to the agricultural people of
the state, until there is established in
one of them at least, thorough course
of agricultural instruction which shall
fit teachers to teach any and all branches
of agriculture in our schools.
Mr.. Gilman especially recommends
the study of agriculture in the new nor
NAL school which has just been estab-
1ished at Presque Isle. He says that in
a purely agricultural section it would
seem very fitting that one of the courses
should be course in agriculture. He
trusts that Superintendent Stetson will
give this matter his attention and see to
it that the coming legislature make
special appropriation if necessary for
establishing this course.
GENERAL CONDITIONS.
In speaking of general conditions
throughout the state he says they are
especially prosperous now. The free
rural delivery and the farm telephone
which have reached so many of the
farm homes during the past year have
added much to the desirability of farm
life and the sociability of every COM
munity. Where all the farmers of a
section have combined in establishing
the telephone it has been a meagre ex-
pense and the benefits that are derived
from it socially and financially are be-
yond estimation. One of the especially
attractive features of the telephone sys-
TEN in a farming community is the
sociability that farmers have among
themselves with practically no expense.
Farmers have had serious obstacles to
confront during the past season, and in
some sections the effects of drought,
frost and continued cold have not been
overcome and the income of the farm
has not equalled that of former years,
but we believe that on the whole the
products of the farm have not fallen be-
low the average, and with good prices
which have been maintained the returns
received have beeen quite satisfactory.
While the apple crop throughout the
state hardly reached an average, the
yield in many sections was much greater
than in former years and larger in
come will be derived from the apple
crop of 1908 than was anticipated by
the most sanguine apple producers.
We believe a careful estimate of the
apples exported would not fall short of
one million barrels.
The potato crop of the state was the
largest for years. Potatoes are bringing
a good price and indications warrant us
in making the assertion that the amount
received by the producers this year will
be far above the average. An increased
interest in this crop has been noted
during the past year. Not only has the
crop in Aroostook county been such as
to awaken new interest, but some of
the practical wide-awake farmers in the
central and southern portions of the
state have demonstrated that the soil
in these sections, with the aid of COM
mercial fertilizers and the proper cul-
tivation, can be made to produce pota-
toes equal in quantity and quality to
those produced in the more favored
northern section. The success has
stimulated others to an enlarged pro-
duction and the indications are that the
average of potatoes planted in Maine
in 1904 will exceed that for many years.
Mr.. Gilman reports an increase in the
number and value of all classes of farm
stock. There was an increase of cows
by 10, ISL during the year. He is also
pleased to note an advance movement
along dairy lines.-Tribune Farmer.