The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-03-22

| eluulng the hIu0l Ol lntlI Olsthh'5i nhu
the manufacture OF cheese, and butter
the Judging OF live stock for feeding and
breeding purposes, aud so on through a
long list of us, iul things for the farmer
20 know, which have been reduced To "A
science by the agricultural colleges and
the experiment stations connected with
them.
These colleges are also tanning
short winter courses, very practical ia
nature for busy farmers aud farmers
sons who cannot leave home during the
summer, Also courses for teRchers TO
prepare them To give elementary inrtruc
lion ia agrieuturein In the common schools.
Many of the colleges, as before stated
are also taking part IN Farmer- lnsti
tute work. Some are conducting read
ing COURSES for farmers and correspOn-
dence cuurses in agriculture. lew
also have organized among the students
who have gone out into practical work.
experimental unions through which new
varieties Of crop and new methods 10
farm management are tested IN different
parts Of the State. Many OF these col
Ieges are also publishing nature study
UnittAinN Ab ktA Auf Niiilbifu ih4 W AphA
the State interested in the things around
them-the common Il wers, cultivated
plants, insects aud other nature material
In this connection some Ot the colleges
are encouraging the establishment Oi
gardens IN connection with the schools
both in the city and 10 the country.
There are also agricultural high chools
or secondary schools in a numbrr of 10
calities. Alabama has organiz d one
such school in each Congressional dis
trict alifornia has recently Olen'd u
State agricultural high school, aud Wis
cohsiu has two county agricultural high
schools. There ARE also "a number oi
private schools of this class in Pennsyl
yania, Indiana. Massachusetts, New
Jersey, etc.
Furthermore. good beginning has
been made in the development Of ielement-
AIRY instruction in agriculture in the com
mon schools. Al klyria, Ohio, AN az
ricultural college graduate il teaching
agriculture and chemistry in the high
school 10 Wisconsin, public school
teachers are required TO pass examina'
tions in agriculture. In Illinois and
Missouri elementary agriculture bas been
included in the prescribed courses ol
study for common schools la Alabama,
| Florida. (ieOrgia, North CurOllna, and
probably one or two other Southern
states. recent legislative enactments
make elementary agriculture one II the
required subjects in the rural schools.
The purpose of this teaching ia not TO
make farmers. but TO give the children
who intend to follow the plow chance
to get out Of the iurrOw occasionally
The schools cannot hope to teach the
art OF farming They cannot teach
blowing. milking, feeding, and such prae-
tical subjects Such things are learned
! on the iarm, but the schools can teach
some Of the simple elements OF agriculture,
such a. the importance Of cleanliness in
handling milk, the reasons fjr spraying
| fruit trees, the Importance OF divereilied
farming, etc, and better than oil this
they can teach the pupils where TO gain
the latest and most reliable Information
through bulletins and other scientific
publications. OF what inestimable value
! it would be to the farmers Of this cOun-
| try II all of them knew just where To get
information on any particular subject
troubling them.
Many people will say that it is impos-
sible 10 teach agriculture In the public
schools, but the same thing was said not
many years ago OF agriculture ia The col
leRes. Now, however, nearly everybody
admits that such teachings in the col
leges il success, and there is a better
chance for the successful teaching If az
ricuIture in the common schOOs today
than there was ia the colleges 20 years
ago. For one thing there are better ele
mentary textbooks, a list OF which Mr.
Crosby exhibited. There are better
teachers, although the lack uf good
teachers is a serious drawback at the
present time. But il the teachers arc con
vinced that preparation in agriculture ID
necessary TO keep them in the front rank
they will prepare themselves. - stated
a little while ago, colleges are ma Ing
quite an tifort to give the teachers thi'
preparation and large number OF nor
NAL schools are also taking up there mat
ters at the present time.
II the farmers of this country believe ir
their vocation and have sutiicentisith IL
1 I0tlT tOlltRtr W NOEODCi ih AhN VI HAhi
zation OF an active propaganda tUr th'
introduction OF agriculture into the pub
lie schools there is no reason why We may
not hope to see, within very few years
sufficient agricultural instruction III tn
common schools and the rural higl
schools to prepare the gr, az mass OF on
rural population for a better under
standing Of agricultural literature and |
more intelligent practice OF farming
DR.. Crosby exhibited quite number o
lantern alides showing the great schOO
garden work in different parts OF th,
country and indicating that this move
ment is having a rapid and permanen
growth
WHAT HAVE CLUBS AND INSTITUTES DONI
FOR Us?
DIR. Augustus StabIer, who il very
intelligent farmer and gentl man D
wide information generally, is Ion
Brighton, Md. He spoke from ex
perience, taking for his subject, What
Have Clubs and Institutes Done for UsY
and said, in part, as follows:
"After being invited to present this sub
lect made pilgrimage 10 tne nome L
DIR. KIRK, the venerable secretary OF OuI
club. to extract from the complete anC
systematic records in his possession
a few items Of interest
This club has been incontinuous opera
ton since Feb, 1914, and during tnost
go years has not missed q meetings II
has never had any formal rules ofgovern
ment other than those Of good society
Its members have always been leaders 10
the introduction OF new ideas, and tbeil
farms for many years were shiningexam
pies of the power OF mind over matter
Bone dust, Peruvian guanO, lime, cartfu
cultivation, improved rotations and i'm
proved breeds OF animals, and plants
have had their first farm trials among
item. The country in thoee days was
very poor, but the example set by thtf'
II men has had fsr-resching influence
which cannot be measured by dUllar'
and cents.
Here we find the truly scientific spirit
"A