Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-08-08

trate by saying that each member of
Congress from Iowa gives a handsome
premium to that boy in his congressional
district who grows the most corn on an
acre.
THE southern boys have organized on
the theory that you cannot elevate n
man without doing something for the girls
as well as the boys. They we're taught
something with regard to home cconom-
les. something of what Is going on in the
house from cellar to garnet. and some
thing about tho front yard and the sur
roundings of the house. They were taught
how to grow vegetables and fruit and
how to put them in cans in summer for
use In winter.
I'm this movement the southern ladies
took an active part and nave been OK
ceedingly helpful. In fact, the whole
South has been helping. and this work,
as far as It has gone. has been lone by
southern people. The department of agri-
culture has not sent one northern man
to the Southern States to do this work.
II might state here that the depart
ment of agriculture. encouraged by Con-
gress In jurisdiction and appropriations
Of money. is now organizing to take this
kind OF work into the Northern States,
and what we may do. or help to do, which
is the better way OF putting II. will be
lone through northern agents. There Is
much that a man raised in a given local
ity knows about that locality that peo-
pie outside OF II do not know.
"The New England States and the Cen
trail States need help along these lines
more than the Northwestern States do.
Tho prairie soils OF the middle and ex-
treme West and the southwest have not
been seriously injured. but processes are
In operation that will unqucstionably re-
suit In the serious deterioration Of the
very best glaciated soils of the prairies IL
a halt Is not called and better agriculture
introduced.
THE FAULT AND THE REMEDY.
81 need not say In a letter to a New
England man anything about the mag
niiicent educational institutions that have
been endowed and developed in the New
England States. But this | beg leave to
say:
while that part of our country has
educated her people toward her industries
until many of them now send their prod
ucts to all lands, even where labor Is
cheaper than in New England. she has
not educated her farmers toward the
farm. She has educated the farm boy.
without question:. in her great educa-
tional institutions. but she has prepared
him to leave the farm as soon as his edu-
cation Is conpleted-and he promptly
leaves it.
1T is not too late for New England
to begin now the consideration of the
condition of her soils and her agriculture
generally. but 1t is high time.
II would suggest that active steps be
taken to save a percentage of the farm
boys to the farm by beginning their train
ing on the farm. They cannot all go tc
college. There is not room and there ar,
not colleges enough.
MY theory, then. Is that the college
should be taken to the farm. Extend the
classroom worl; and let the field of the
poor farmer become the class -oom. Eacl
county in New England could furnish 9
frst-class practical man who would hell
In this work. The United State. shoult
pay part of his salary and the county il
which he works part. The whole %countr,
is interested in this problem.
1T does cost too much to live. and /
costs SO much simply because we have
not been educating the children of thu
farm. New England Is now producing
only % per cent. of the food she con
sumes.
Now. It is only necessary for a PEG
PIE as highly Intelligent as the people q
. Connecticut to have their attention calle'
to the situation for them to take steps Il
remedy existing evils and rapidly increas'
> tho nprcentage of production of the foo