Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1906-08-24

The teaching of agriculture in the
rural schools would have it's highest
v tlue in it's effect on the farmer; for
while it is important TO improve the
farm, it is more important to improve
the farmer. Farmers are mole than
farms-sOuls than soils. A fuller
knowledge of agriculture would great
Iy change the farmer. 1t would broad
Ell his mind and deepen his way of
thinking. His vocation would appear
| o him in new aspect. Instead of
! walking blindiy among the great forces
| of nature, as ne now too often does
| instead of looking upon nature as a
great puzzle. that only perplexes. or
bewilders, or discourages him-he
hat would clarity his thinking and en-
courage and guide him to more sue
cessful doing.
soil Tell them the wonderful story of
It's origin, or, better still, let them tell
you what they have seen in the field
and by the brook, and then give them
the charming explanation. Tell them
why men plow and what are the rea.
sons for cultlvating the soil, and what
hCOhOdb VI dulOu oil DCACACl0l
and what are injurious. Tell them
may affect its fertility; and tell them
what elements have been taken from
the soil when it is worn out, and how
velous story of the most important dis |
cOvery of modern times, a discovery |
which places in the hand of every |
NJ. LfoI tel
control, of drawing from the atmOs
phere the free nitrogen of the air, and
Of fixing it in any field be may wish to
enrich. 1t is a story of minute organ
ismS which are in the soil-Or if they
locate themselves upon
these plants power to store up in their
roots, to be left in the soil, It's most
constituent of plant food
nitrogen.
Tell them what the tassel and the silk
Df the corn are, and why one is at the
top of the stalk and the other much
below it. Tell them why the blossoms
)f corn, oats, rice and wheat are color
ess and odorless, and why the blossoms
Of cotton and the clovers are so beau-
LifulIy cOlOred, and why they have such
sxq quisite perfume. Tell them what
the bees and bumblebees are doing,
and of what superlative Importance
Ihey are to the existence of many
plants, and how they are lndustriOusly
serving man, a little by the honey they
make, but vastly more in other ways;
for they not only increase bis apple,
peach and pear crop. but they also aid
IN adding fertility to the soil.
In the school garden-fOr there should
be a garden near every schoOl-teach
many of those devices by which fruits
are propagated, and by which a new
and desirable variety is multiplied and
distributed. Very few of our most
fruits are prOpagated by seeds;
in fact some are without fertile seeds.
There was never but one Brother JOna-
than apple tree or Sudduth pear tree
growing OIL it's own roots. Explain to
5he children why the scotsman sells
no strawberry seeds. Let the larger .
pupils understand plant breeding, as
Of corn, i'll their garden, and tell them h
about the efforts being made to pro-
luce better-better from a dietary
point of view-varieties of cereals, and
also more hardy and more fruitful.
The possibilities in plant-breediDg are
Just dawning upon the farmer, and
are as fascinating to him as are Mar
conf s d scOveries to the telegrapher.
Yet there is nothing here that bright
pupil might not appreheld. Nothing
at any r-te so difficult as the inverted
iiv1sOr in arithmetic or the passi Je
voice in grammar.
Let the children observe that all
Young animals upon the farm are at
first without fear, and that the emo
Jlon OF fear comes only to preserve
from hahn, and that if the young
things meet no harm, and early re-
ceive kind usage, they will always be
fear. The application of this
TO the rearing of animals upon the
farm will soon make ''happy family"
of all