The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1914-02-11

versity, and for that reason we should
strive to teach in our common schools
the things that will be of vital import,
ance to them in after life, and scientific
agriculture, it seems 10 me, touches the
vital spot.
Let US teach the farmer boys that
there is yet hope for the old farm; let US
show him how the combination of GER
tain acids will make Nature unlock her
storehouse of fertility, and if he finds it
depleted let US show him how he can
add PHOSPHORUS, potassium, calcium in
its cheapest form and then teach him
how legumes through their root bacte-
ria extract the nitrogen from the air and
deposit it in his soil. Let us also teach
him that these bacteria will not thrive
in acid soils; let US try to inspire him
with desire to know more about the
soil from which he lives and from which
he draws the sustenance for himself and
the teeming millions of the world
But how can we teach without
teacher? We hear on every hand and
at every turn the cry Back to the soil!"
and as we look around and observe the
food supply and prices the necessity for
such move becomes more apparent
every day, and if such IS the case why
cannot we in Kentucky adopt a policy
that will encourage the boys and girls
who are on the farm to stay there? Why |
lock the stable after the horse has been |
stolen?
| believe the Board of Regents of the
Eastern Kentucky Normal School acted
wisely when they purchased the much
discussed farm for which they have
been so severely criticised by the "oritu-
cises" and so deeply probed by the
''probers.
don't suppose it would be claimed
for a minute that the farm is fine in
vestment from a pure dividend basis,
but 10 him who can see farther ahead
than his nose, it gives assurance of
paying back TO our great State in high
er, more progressive and more enlighl-
ened citizenship thousand fold what
it has cost in dollars and cents. | be-
lieve one of the greatest things our fs-
cal courts could do would be to buy a
well-equipped farm for each county and
employ first-class farm expert to dem
onstrate TO the farmers the best meth
DDS in conserving the fertility of their
soils and also the latest and best methods
Of crop production.
believe the farmer boy in Kentucky
is entitled to know as much about agri- :
cultufe as his cousin in Illinois and Wis
conslA and yet we, as compared with
either of those States, are spending but
small amount 10 teach our boys how 2
10 farm.
l believe the Kentucky girl is entitled
70 know as much about domestic science v
Is the girls of any other State, and yet,
rs compared with scores of our sister j.,
states, we are doing but little to help |
'ur girls equip themselves for the house
wives of the future. n
May call the attention of the above c
com mittee that these are not v
lead issues; not dreams of some theo- 5
list, but are living, vital questions that a
We must meet and solve in a manner z
with the dignity of our State. a
Instead of recommending the sale of a
he farm, let that committee put their Il
houlders to the wheel and have such "
teps taken as will put scientific agri- h
ulture in the curriculum of the COM II
non schools. r.
Let the retrenchment begin at some G
ther point; play petty politics from b
ONE other angle. Be the watch dog of d.
he treasury when the good of the Com
demands.
should regret it exceedingly should
General Assembly elected by the peo- n
lie of great agricultural State like II
.entpcky SO far forget the interests of CO
heir constituents as to adopt the recon- OF
lsndations of the probe" Committee "
regard to the farm of the Eastern ell
entucky Normal School. fir