The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-03-14

Wi piibhseos ypuhk Ahoh cPShe h'S"
three to five years In learning q pro-
fession. while their brothers, who
have had less opportunity than they.
remain on the farm and follow their
occupation according to tradition and
habit. Farming is business that re-
quires as much study as nearly any
other profession, and, when we learn
to put as much time and energy in
to studying the science Of agricul-
ture, farming will become as profit
able az law, and far moro indepen-
dent.
To solve the problem as q State
wide issue, we must educate the
masses; and, TO educate the masses,
We must go to the common school. II
has been the great hope that the
agricultural colleges would teach the
people Scientific or Intensive Farm
ing. and SO they have; but tho de-
mand for teachers has been so great
that the graduates have all become
teachers and the man on tho soil
has not yet boon reached. Tho great
masses of people till, pillow and SOW
as did their fathers. All honor to the
fathers! The ring of the saw and the
sound of the axe was music to their
ears. but 1t means the death knell of
the coming generation. OF course the
coil must be cleared, but. when It
is once made barren, the owner
shoulders the burden of caring for
1t. The forest cover of the woods
would protect 1t forever; the weeds
and shrubs of the barren fields, new
err.
Five years from today, agriculture
will be taught in every rural school
Ia Kentucky. Not only one, but sever
al Farmers Institutes will be held
In every county In the State. We
will also have three or four expert
ment farms in the different parts
Of the State. Our Kentucky people
are like those from Missouri. they
must be shown" And there is no bet
ter way to convince the poor farmer
OF his error than by setting him the
example. You say this will oil cost
money; but money makes money
and every cont expended in improving
the agriculture in our communities
will return ten fold. The State Of
Virginia is planning to spend $10,-
100000 a year to take the gospel i'm
provement of Agriculture to the farm
err. Our southern neighbor, Georgia,
spent more than a million dollars on
this mission last year. Wisconsin
spent 100000 on improving her oats,
and in one year she increased the
value Of that crop 100000. Iowa
spent a few thousand dollars send
ing her corn train throughout the
State. which resulted In increasing
her yield about a million bushels in
single year. Michigan Is spending
nearly a million in teaching her
farmers how to raise better stock,
more grass and fruit. New York has
been the leader in extending the
knowledge of scientific agriculture to
her rural people; and today. she
leads the nation in social. financial
and POLITICAL affairs. Our federal
government is spending some $685.
100000 year in studying the diff
culties of the farmer and In applying
the remedies. Our State is spend
ing many thousands in experimenting
and in conducting Farmers Institutes
such as this, with but one purpose;
to teach the farmers Intensive Agri-
culture. Three minutes time and o
two cent-stamp will secure informa-
ton from our State or National Agri-
cultural Departments on almost any
problem that interests the farmer.
We grumble because we cannot learn
more, but the information that Ia to
be had by any farmer from these
government bulletins, together with
a few good farm papers is enough to
make any reading man successful on
the farm.
| f. O. Clark