The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-10-13
LECTURE
Delivered By Prof. Graham
On american Farmer"
At BIadGnSburg Was One Of
Special Interest
A Brief Outline Of The Pro.
feSSOr'S Lecture
(By e. r. Newcomb)

the address of Prof A. b. Graham of
the Department of Agricultural Ex-
tension. o. s. IT,, was of special inter-
est to formers, am taking the trouble
of writing a brief report of II for
publication in the Banner.
We we're told nothing new when the
lecturer told US that all must work to
live. Farmers are neither strangers
to work nor afraid of it; but the lee
turer's emphasis upon living we'll is
needed. No man can reach his best
in living who does not stand for the
success of his neighbors and for bet
ter roads, better schools and better
churches for the community. He may
be making living but not a good
living. Kind words and deeds for
if one would live well. AS to kind
words, we can find good in our neigh
bors to talk about if we try. And If
we learn to see and speak of the best
in our neighbors, we need not be con-
cerned as to the valuation that will
be set on us.
The new farmer will live better than
the old because more intelligently.
Our fathers had a virgin soil while
we inherit depleted soil and farms
stripped of most of their valuable tim
Der; but we may hope to remedy the
past by more intelligent and conscien-
tious methods. Old England has
learned the lesson. She can produce
today twice as much wheat per acre
as reward of their efforts. A more
scientific understanding of the possi-
bilities within our reach is the prime
essential. 1t was his ignorance of the
simple fact that sunshine is death to
the germs with which certain farmer
of whom the lecturer told us, sought
to inoculate his soil that led that
farmer to discredit soil incubation.
Had he waited for a cloudy day before
he transferred the soil from his neigh
boris clover and alfalfa bearing fields,
he would have been convinced of the
value of soil inoculation.
And the spraying of apple trees,
COO. We might live well indeed If we
knew the possibilities of our old or.
chards. On one of the demonstration
trains, sent out by Prof. Graham, a
lecturer, who had experienced the vir.
tues of spraying, was closely quizzed
by an old Quaker. A year later the
train again stopped at nearby sta
ton. The Quaker of the year before
thrust a paper into the hands of the
lecturer with the words, "Thee read
that!" The paper proved to be bal
ance sheet of receipts and expenses
for some thing over an acre of or
chard. paid for spraying-so much.
paid for Grating, so much, etc. ITO
tai, 5000. Received for firsts, Sc
much, For seconds, SO much" "For
thirds, so much" Total, $780," met
profit, $780,"
Prof Graham also went on to speak
about the principles involved in the
interior decorations of our homes.
This part of mis- address was of more
interest to the farmers wives than to
the farmers. Suffice it to say that he
would borrow his color scheme from
nature. AS the darker clouds are
banked on the horizon and the sky
above us Is the lightest, so the walls
of our rooms should grow lighter to-
ward the ceiling, with the ceiling light.
est of all.
The professors has made special
study OF the country schools of our
state. He is strong advocate of the
centralized school. His bulletin on
the Centralized Schools of Ohio
has been in great demand wherever
the subject has been agitated But
whether the school is one room dis
trict graded school, the ash pile should
not be in front of it, the closets should
be kept decent, the grounds graded
and attractive. Why should our
schools destroys the training and cul
ture we are working for in our homes
--sks---