Norwich bulletin., 1913-11-22

fWritten Specially for The BulletinO
 Secretary Houston of the department or Agriculture told the National Grange. in session at Manchester. N. h., the other day that American farm ing wasn't a very well done job. He said the best figures he could procure led him to the belief that less than forty per cent of the arable land of the nlfed States was reasonably well cul- tivated. and thai less than twelve per cent was yielding maximum returns. We haven't yet got out of the pion- eer1ng and into the real farming stage, he told the grangers- We had better frankly face the fact that We are Tela- lively inefhcent. said he, "take stock of our shortcomings and earnestly seek the remedy.
 A little bit funny, now isn't it. that pretty nearly every eSumabte old gentleman who has spent his life bank ing or merchandising or railroaoing or college -presidenting thinks himself not only qualified but in duty bound 10 reprore us farmers for our short oomings2 Not only cOndescendinglE 10 point them out to as, but paternally chide us for them and patheticaHy bid us Eird up our lOlns and reform
 wish. when Secretary Houston was taking this way. some gTiZZled old granger near the platform had asked permission to inspect the hOe-made NSl4OuSe< on Ills L4AlS ana LllF lul II b- pulling dirt under his nnger-nalls just to see with how much real authority he spoke
 It's always very easy to criticize oth- CT folks. It's easier for some to do it than to keep still I've known several men-and womeu-In my life who would gladly give up their own work and sper.d the whole day telling other people what mistakes they were mak ing They would de this for nothing and jump at the chance, while they offered them g. day and board just 10 keep their mouths shut.
 You ali know perfectly wet by this time that l don't sheer at education for the farmer. nor at scientific study of farming problems l believe in both. A mighty good thing for the black smith is 10 learn all he can from text books about the theories and proper ties Of heat and iron Then. when he has thus learned all that books can tell him, fl he wants to win out at his trade. he'll get in between the forge and the anvil and pound iron.
 A mighty good thing for the farmer man is to study up all he can learn. anywhere and everywhere, about the theories of plant growth and the chem istry Of fertilization Then. after all mat neH ma mat Iue sooner ne gets ! hold of the blow handles or the hoe, ! the sounder will be his farm -educs,- rion.
 The only place really to learn black smithing is the blacksmiths shop: the only place 10 learn carpentery Is at the carpenters bench: the way to learn ! farming is by farming.
 A year or two ago a big western railroad Tnasnate got the farming bee into his bonnet. He was rich as mud ]. and had greenhouses galore. So he got 1 some selected dirt out of the potting , soil heap. and some pretty pots out of | the store room. and some phosphates | and things from the barn, and soWed | a teacup full oI wheat in his pretty 7 pots fn his prepared dirt, with his ! drugstore weighed phos phates,-aIl in | his steam heated. wide glazed green | houses Naturally enough, he got | some wheat. Naturally enough, it was | ranker and better than average out | door grown wheat WheFeupon he f made a little calculstion.-If two i grains of wheat in a one-miilenth of l FlTndfrsaan a caF#zir l