The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1910-01-28
FARMERS INSTITUTE.

gret that we are unable to publish
them entire.
Hon. B. w. McKeen dwelt es.
peciaIly on improving the corn crop
how to increase the yield by the
careful selection of seed, the prep
aration of the ground, and the
knowledge of the special soil needs
the crop. While not new in many
details, il impressed the fact that
the head must do some work if the
hands were to raise the most profit
able crop.
d. HI. Lamberton, an editor and
former educator, impressed the audi
ence by his size and his gray mat
ter, on the subject of the teaching
agriculture in our schools. He laid
deep foundation for his contention
that the public schools should edu-
cate, not the exception but the av-
erage child, to make the life the
most profitable. on the ground that
existence. stripped OF all its arti-
fees, is exactly what it was at the
beginning of time in its essentials
a struggle for food and shelter.
Logically and brilliantly he devel-
oped his position by the history of
the race. In this struggle lies the
the reason for the demand for man
ual training and agricultural cours-
es in our schools. Our state agri-
cultural college is doing good work
training teachers and experts, the
reasonable aim of any college; ele-
mentary agricultural schools, ac-
cording to population, would give.
Vermont abouC two, whica W2uld'
not serve our needs adequately.
The process of elimination brought
MIR. Lamberton to the rural and
village schools for the teaching of
agriculture. He had word for
text books written in the city for
country teaching and contended
that they should be edited so that
the boy or girl
Finds tongues in trees, books in the run
ming brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in every
thing"
which would take advantage of
the country offers in the way of OBJ
ject teaching. He briefly outlined
a course which in ten years would
revolutionize the agricultural histo-
ry of the state, as he would make
the everyday objects the basis of
impart!ng the technical education
needed by the average child. The
regular branches would be taught
so that the practical needs would
be solved instead of the latin names
of common species. 1t would not
add more duties to the teachers
task but redirect her effort.
Prof. A. f. Hawes, the State For
ester, gave much elemental infor-
nation on practical forestry. He
gave no theories that ought to work
but wont; but he talked of the re-
suits to be obtained. He said that
a tree was just as much a crop as a
potato, and that, approached in
this spirit, the tree brought good
returns with less work than the
other crops. He showed how trees
live and get their sustenance from
root and leaves, soil and sunlight,
which explained why it was neces-
sally to get a healthy growth that
the tree has a large top, without |
many side branches. This makes
a more marketable log as the wood
pulp Is deposited nearer the Top |
and the log runs more evenly.
Trees always grow faster after they
have obtained a reasonable size
than in getting the start, so it is un-
wise to cut small trees. 1t is i'm
portant to plant new forests, but it
is fully as important TO take care
Of the forest already at hand. This
is to be accomplished mainly by /
thinning, which process is not a
slaughter but a scientific study of
what the trees need and what the
market needs that the cutting may
be financially profitable. He ex-
planned the work of the state nur-
sery, the price of seedlings per thou
sand, and the method of reforesta-
ton planting He took time to dis
euss the cultivation of the tree, the
care of the soil. the minerals nee
sssary to produce a tree, which is
many sided problem. Reforestation
onght to be accomplished by the