The farmer and mechanic., 1915-03-09
nv ALiCE LEE MOQUE.)


LIN Washington knows that spring is
.-..r Tor the little farmers also are in
t.V.r sightseeing. The youthful |
.tampions in corn raising, gardening, |
canning. potato raising, and market |
srdeuiug generally, AS we'll as those |
.xpert in raising poultry, pork and |
bsef. etc, are the guests of the city |
and have their headquarters at the
yean2 Mems Christian Association.
All larrangements have been completed
raf heir entertainment while in the
..ifr and for the next five days they
g,iu have every hour taken up with
sightseeing and enjoying themselves
generally. On Monday, they met the
secretary Of Agriculture, and were
greatly interested in their tour of the
Agricultural Department, after which
they visited the Washington monu-
ment and looked over the Bureau Of
Printing and Engraving, where Uncle
sam makes his paper money. The
Juvenile SightSeers are visiting Wash
'ngton as a reward for their excellent
eorlt in Boys and Girls Clubs Of
tatious States. A champion baby
pork raisey and two pretty little ex-
uert bread makers are among the
dfty or more children now the guests
ol the capital city. Each year, Wash
Iueton becomes more popular as q
place Of pilgrimage and no delegation
haas been more warmly received than
ihe small farmers. While the Depart
uert Of Agriculture does not pay the
expenses Of the visit of the champions,
t does act as host, and everything is
tuu, 10 make the children's stay a
pleasant one. Ohio, and Indiana have
already sent their delegations and the
boys and girls from other States will
soon follow those now here who have
Won the coveted prize OF a week in
Washington.
Gardens Instead of Guns For School
Children.
% has been suggested recently that
"a military training be given the
school boys of the country so that
they may become soldiers while Still
AZ their books. The idea of training
our boys for war is an idea that does
not appeal to the mothers of the
country as patriotic as American Wo-
men are known TO be. In this con-
neCtiOn, the suggestion recently ad-
Vanced by the United States Bureau
ot Education-a plan almost a:
useful as the one to give school boy:
military training-is one that il
meeting with great appreciation on al
sides. 1t is plan by which the 10,
100000 public school children will b.
taught TO boone truck gardeners
While 1t is true that the project pri
marliy was not even remotely con
nected with war, the fact remains
as Dr 9. y. Jarvis, the specialist il
charge Of the Governments hOm
+ardening survey points out, that
even half of the available school chill
iren were interested in the work, tn
Increase in the food supplies WOul
amount to S50,000,000 annually. II
oaSes this estimate upon the supposi
zion that SO is the average yield c
garden, although as a matter {
i3ct, statistics prove that many sue
sardens can earn from $50 even I
@lVV yearly. Legislators and govern
ment officials having been impressed
with the vital Importance TO the Ell
iopean nations now at war Of til
iood supply, the suggestion for scho
Sardens made by the Bureau of Edl
eaton Is therefore receiving earne
'onsideratiOn. Although obvious
ne great usefulness of this work
planned for its beneficial results
itue or peace, says the WashingtC
ines, III time when many peacef
hpNeinentS are viewed from a w;
angie. this plan cannot escape Il
tl'ehuon OF those who believe pr
pdredness is our best protect,
AGAINST foreign embroiIigos.
secretary Lane Believes i'm the Ed
'atonai Value Of Motion Pictures
oecretary Franklin X. Lane is
"rstern man, as was his father b
t"re him, and he takes the bro
Western view of things Among /
-featest prides are the two gre
government reservations in his kee
i.is as Secretary of the Interior, t
ellowstone and Yosemite NatioI
parks. As these two great Americ
Pdrhs are so far away from the m
iofity OF the people, and as only pt
ons Of wealth can journey to
vest Co enjoy their beauties, 1t /
occurred TO the genial big-nearted
ucldl that as "Mahomet can not
- the mountain to bring the mot
laln to Mahomet." Consequently,
project is already we'll under way
orlhg to the people of the Unit
states the beauties of their natiOl
uohalns by means of the omnipres'