New-York tribune., 1907-08-26
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
F4RHING IN THIS STATE.
Efforts in the Past to Promote n gri-
cultural Interests.
fiitnr of The T-fhrrrle


In 1895 the condition which had been existing for
several years. and has not improved since, was
keenly felt by of the prominent citi
zens of New York who closely associated
with the charitable work of New York City. Rob-
/ ert Fulton Cutting Abram s. Hewitt and William
! E. Dodge. who took active measures to ascertain
the existing conditions In the farming regions of
the state and the causes that rapidly de-
populating the rural communities.
/ Under the auspices of the Association for I'm
proving the Condition of the Poor, of which Mr..
Cutting was president, most exhaustive inVestI-
cation was made of the agricultural conditions of
the state. the results of which given in a
report at conference held In the United Charities
Building several thousand copies of which were
published. but which quickly exhausted
The conference held at that time to consider the
interests of agriculture was the second In the
history Of our country. the first being called in
Philadelphia in 1875 by the prominent business
men Of that city who felt that the growth and
prosperity of the nation largely dependent
/ upon its agriculture ntclligently pursued and
means and measures were discussed at this early
conference by which farming interests might be
encouraged.
The duty of making the investigation into the
condition of the agriculture of New York State In
1896 being asked of me. assisted by ]. ". Nel-
gard. business man of New York city and an
of farm and interested in the welfare
OF farmers. letter sent many farmers IN
every county of the state. asking Of them specific
information the value Of land its decline. il
any: the causes for the same the yield OF their
crops the rate of interest they had to pay when
obliged borrow money, the condition and at
tendance upon their schools and the churches in
their communities.
Another letter sent out that was of cor
fdential nature asking for the amount Of mort
gagged Indebtedness farms, if the farmers
family was satisfied and contented with their farm
life. if they would send stat ements of their farm
accounts. receipts and expenses including the cost
of producing a busheI of corn, bushel of pota-
toes, ton of hay, q dozen eggs, quart Of milk
and pound of pork.
Having conducted farmers institutes in every
county IN the state and being personally known 70
large number of farmers. a surprisingly great
number Of answers was received to these letters,
giving much valuable information. While many
plies gave reports Of different ways OF keeping
farm accounts and few showed profits. none
gave any information the cost OF production.
one report showed a profit OF 10 per cent the
Investment in the farm, and this from city
mechanic. who carried out his methodical ways of
doing his work TO the farm he had bought. The
great majority, however. were most discourasing,
both I'm the financial showing and in the general
answers to the questions.
In single rural school there instruc
ton given that had any bearing the soil. plants
animals. the home life OF those attending the
schools in farming communities. One great and
derlying for the present unsatisfactory con-
dillon in farm life is In educational system.
/
the farm.
From want of knowledge the farmers OF New
York are TO too great extent hopelessly help
less to meet the problems that they must face.
Their crops are sacrificed year after year by at
tacks from insects. blghts and diseases. OF which
they have little knowledge The losses TO tho
fruit growers OF New York from the codIlng moth.
which attacks apple trees. is 10000 annually,
while the loss in farm manures. including that
also in cities from waste and injury before they
! reach the soil is $500 90, obO annually
One Of the recommendations in my report to this
. conference for the promotion Of agriculture
that a practical test be made Of the value Of tho
introduction Of nature study without books In a
limited number Of public schools Mr. Hewitt
with his keen and quick perception OF the value
educational proposition. promptly favored this
line Of effort to help the rural schools. and the
plan heartily supported by Mr. Cutting and
Mr.. Dodge.
Westchester County was chosen as the territory
In which 10 test the experimental educational work.
Appointments made with boards OF education
and school superintendents 10 have the nature in
structon given in the high schools of the village
and in the district schools in the farming
mites.
Assisted by Professor Anna Bottsford Comstock
NJ. Y. Singeriand OF Cornell. and Professor c. Z.
Curtis. OF Columbia. the work having the indorse
ment of Seth Low, president at the time. and
Professor j. w. Sanborn. of New Hampshire the
work done. and it received with marked
interest and favor.
Farmers seventy-fve years old to the
schoolhouses with their grandchildren listen 10
the short talks given on the clover plant. and
some of them. in indorsing that kind of teaching
said that il the first time in their lives that
they had heard how and why the clover plant i'm
proved the soil. In presenting the lesson of tho
strawberry plant, | made an offer to the children
Of all the schools that such would he inter
ested 10 study and to learn about that inter-
esting and useful plant / would upon their appli-
cation for them, in the spring send each one
half dozen plants from my farm but those who
applied for and received the plants must write and
bring TO school compositions giving account of
what they had learned about the plant
Mr. Hewitt expressed the opinion that the string
attached to the offer would defeat the object of the
work. but when spring arrived the mail filed
with applications the children for the plants.
My stock of plants entirely exhausted-ovCr
twenty thousand having been asked for and sent
out-and several nurserymcn in the state helped to
meet the demand until the last order filed
Before this work finished applications came
from boards of education, superintendents and
teachers from thrty-five counties in the state for
the line Of teaching be introduced in their
schools. The work finally given over to Cornell
University. and through Professor l.. III. Bailey
has been widely extended.
New York State lacks leadership in its agricult-
ure 1t has no aggressive or progressive policy. It's
young men little of value In the development OF
land, and they get away from it. The farmers
Institutes thrashing too much old straw and
there is no agricultural spirit in the state.
Another conference that has been suggested is
much needed. and it should result In active
work being done for the agriculture of New York.
which as a state. has natural advantages
than any other state IN the Union.
GEORGE T. POWELL
Client, n. Y, Aug. s, 1907.
LAWYERS PROFESSIONAL" ADVICE.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Tt.- ntlaa