Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-02-03
the accumulations and putting them
upon their fields.

upon their fields.
/ Now the average farmer under
stSnds that he must not rob the soil
ofits fertility without restoring
the elements necessary for plant
! growth. While he understands
this and much more that is modern
and up to date" do we not more
than ever before feel the need of
more agricultural education?
Are we as farmers profiting as we
should from the wonderful work
done for us in the way of scientific
research and practical demonstra-
ton by our Department of Agricul-
ture, Agricultural College and Ex-
pertinent Station? Some of YOU
have already given your sons the
benefits Of course at our Agri-
cultural College, and others are
looking forward to sending yours.
1t is hopeful Sign of the times"
and we are glad.
Farmers are not as class ignor-
ant men. Most of them are great
readers. In many farm homes are
good libraries. but how many books
on agricultural topics do these Ii
braries, contain? In almost every
farm home are more papers and
magazines than any family can read.
But how many. of them deal directly
with the problems, often in unknown
quantities, that confront the farmer
every day? How would it be to re-
duce the numbers and increase the
care in selection? Enough might
be saved in this way in one year per
haps to buy at least one good book
on some agricultural topic.
Some of our young progressive
farmers have confessed that they do
rot do as well they know. Then
what they need is inspiration. We
already have the farmers institute.
Let us hope that we may soon have
the reading circle, and travelling
library, or better still a permanent
library of standard agricultural
books. Let some, if not the greater
part Of these books be chosen with
the special object Of interesting the
and young people in agri-
culture, and creating in them love !
for farm life. Always believing the
truth of Dryden's lines
What the child admired;
The youth attempted, and the
man acquired" ;"
In almost every paper we read
that Notwithstanding the army of
idle men in the cities, capable farm
help is as scarce and high priced as
ever. We are glad to say that there
are still honest, capable, conscien-
cious boys who are willing to work
IN our farms But is ;t;fair for one
Of these to work for the salna. wages
as one who is worth only ene-half5as
much?
1t would seem that on our farms
little or no discrimination is made |
between skilled and unskilled labor.
wish we had school and farm in
every county where our boys who
intend to do any kind of work on a |
farm would be obliged to attend from
one to three years. Where he could |
receive practical instruction in mat
ters pertaining to agriculture, and
learn to do by doing" Where he
could study cause and effect in farm
ing. Where he could be taught
that only careful, thoughtful tillage
paid, and acquire some skill in the
use of machinery. Where he could
be taught to tell a well-bred animal
from scrub, and how much more
profitable the one than the other,
and that it takes both care and feed
to develop an animal, Where he
could be taught personal RESPONSE
bility, and its value in developing
character. Where he could be
taught wholesome respect for pro-
perty, not only his own but the other
fellows.
And then why not fill vacancies
on our farms from these school
farms, if not by examinations, at
least from recommends from in
structors and by promotions?