New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1904-05-21
CONSTIPATION

know something or botany, plant
growth and forestry Such sur
roundings can be employed to the
highest advantage III caltlVatIng
in children observation and ilnpaft-
ing elementary ideas Of natural
science. 1t is really most snrpr;s-
ing to many Of us what informas
ton can be gathered from some Of
our children attending the rural
schools in the study of agriculture.
| think the study Of agriculture
can be taken np IN the Third Grade,
0fcOurse this willdepend tOacertain
extent on the intelligence and eX-
perience Of the children attending
our schools. Some Of US may
say, and truthfnlIy, that the ma
terial We are handlingatpresent, are
not mp to the standard required 70
take mp this study intelligently and
understandingly at such an early
stage, but of course | make allow
ances for this. Then let rs teach
them the simple lessons and the
rudiments Of agriculture. Children
should know and be made familiar
with the following subjects
CD Why ground is plowed; CD
how deep to plow; CD when shonld
blowing be done; (4) has the kind
of crop to be raised anything TO do
with the depth of plowing; go
stock raising; (G) the selection,
breeding, feeding and general
management of domestic animals,
each species and race being treated
of separately; CD animal nutrl-
ton; (S) the education, shoelng,
driving and care Of the horse; CD
drains--their meterial and con-
strutions, and the effect Of drain
age on the health, soil, climate and
plants; (10) solls-their clasS'fi-
cation, character, mechanical dlVl-
sion and preparation for the cereals
and grasses; Gl) the preparation
and selection of seed O2) sowing,
planting, cultivating and harvest
ing; Q3) the nutrition of plants +;
90 insect enemies; 15) the cul-
ture Of roots aud their value as
food for man and beastj (1G) forage
plants-thelr culture, use and
value; Q0 weeds-their habit of
growth, time of seeding and mode
of eradication 18) the effects of
air, water, heat and light, on the
fertility of the soil and the growth
of plants; 90 the care, cultivation
and use of natural and artificial
forests; (20) fields-their number
shape and size; CD fences-theil
material, construction and dnra.
bility; (22) farm yards and bnild-
ings; (23) water privileges GA
farm accounts; (25) manufacture
preservation and application OF
farm fertilizers; (26) the rotation
of crops 90 farm machinery
and tools; (28) rural law
| will cite an illustration to show
and prove the ignorance, whicl
prevails among the children Of the
present generation and which alSC
predomlnates to Il great eXteu
among many Of the farmers, wht
have grown gray in the tillage o.
the soil, a Northern educator
SAYS, that Il boy in the Soutf
was asked the following question
"Do they teach you anything "a
school about farming? ''l can teael
EN- all about that myself, " he re
piled; ~ can hoe cotton and droI
corn" And that is the conception
of the average man abont the mat
ter. When he has reached th,
"drop corn" stage he knows cal
about it. -" There is nothing NOR
for him to learn And so we 10:
along with a "dropping corn civil
cation and at hoeiug corr" pace
We should teach them subjects
that will have something to do wit
the actualities of home life. Ant
it is for rs in the country school
to do something to meet an'
remedy these conditions. Every
thing a country child needs shonl
be taught in the rural school, III
ordinary branches of an education
including a knowledge Of agricul
ture, leaving off much of the class
ical and higher mathematical stud
in favor of subjects more strietl
of service The purpose is I
make farmers, not scholars. Th
sciences are to be stressed, es
pecially botany, chemistry, geolog
and zoology and all natural studies