Evening star., 1917-04-08
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING

Normally. the United States imports
from about two-nfths to more than
one-half OF the wool re-
Home Wool quired for domestic con-
o. sumption, according to
So"Ans' Uncle Sans experts at the
Department of Agriculture. During the
ranged from nearly 250, 900 900 to more
than 500 900 pounds each year. the
average being over 800 900 900 pounds.
The total consumption of lamb and
mutton during the past ten years has
increased appreciably. according to
those off7cials of the department who
look especially into such matters In
the fiscal year 1907 more than $500, 900
sheep and lambs were slaughtered at
plants subject to federal inspection.
The number now averages more than
13. .00O.o 900 per annum.
1t has been found that in some sec
tions of the United States there has
been steady decline in sheep produo-
tion since the earliest statistical re-
ports of the Department of Agricul-
ture. This has been true also in every
other settled country except Great
Britain. The explanation undoubtedly
is an economic one, say the depart
|
mary purpose of sheep growers has
been to product wool. This cannot be
attained prof1tably on high-priced land.
Naturally. therefore, 1t is pointed out,
there is a rapid decline in the number
Of sheep. In Great Britain meat has
been the principal product and wool
the by-product. and the sheep industry
has nourished.
After studying the problem, officials
say that IL American farmers will fol-
low the British custom the industry
can be put on profitable and perma-
nent basis. The greater number of
sheep in Great Britain are raised in the
hills and on land comparable to much
of the waste land Of American farms.
The areas in this country. especially in
the east and in parts of the south,
now relatively little used. can be profit
sheep production II the farmers will
secure the proper breed Of sheep.
Sheep also can be made profitable on
high-priced land. It Is said, as British
vorably with other animals in economy
Of production. They require q mini
mum of expensive concentrated feeds.
They exceed the larger animals in the
rate of maturity: lambs can be made
ready for market at from four to six
months. They make possible the eco
nomical and fuller use OF labor. They
are Of assistance in keeping the farm
FREQ from weeds. The Sheep 1afm IS
usually a weedless farm.
A census shows that in the united
States only one in seven farms of over
twenty acres now support sheep, with
an average OF one sheep OF shearlns
age to three acres of land. The 800
600. 900 pounds Of wool now imported
annually could be secured, 1t is said.
from sc, 900 900 sheep. and this number
could be added to our stock II fourth
Of the remaining farms sustained one
sheep for each three acres.
Not so long ago the department can
vassed crop reporters in thirty-six
states In reference to sheep on farms.
The replies indicated. 1t Is said. that
the number could be increased $50 per
cent without displacing other animals.
1t is to our settled areas, particularly
in the central. southern and eastern
states, that we must look for an in
crease in the number of sheep.
Military training in the public schools
OF the country conceived as military
drilling is undesira-
Military nriI1 BILE and unavailing;
but military training
IN the school. conceived as q COM
prchensive program OF physical, moral
and civic education is desirable. and
necessary,
of the bureau of education. who have
looked into this phase of the school
work in many cities.
It is pointed out by these experts
that military training thus conceived
offers a possibility of unifying and
ennobling the now confused and dis
jointed activities in the field of physical
and moral discipline. The physical
and moral values OF both gymnastics
~ h,tt
both lack comprehensive and unifying
motive. according to these officials. All
systems of gymnastics are indivtd-
ualistic. Their appeal. they say, is to
the desire of the individual for physical
perfection. Systems of athletics. they
point out. are mostly based upon group
competitions, and, II properly managed.
are very valuable. not only for physical
development. but also for training In
the very fundamentals Of social moral
ity. But the philosophy of athletics
and the philosophy of play is the
philosophy Of INSTINCT philosophy
that is not comprehensive enough to
serve as a sole basis of physical and
rightly conceived includes these mo-
tives and subordinates them to the
ideal of patriotism.
1t is. the opinion of these men who
have just completed this study that
military training will. in the strict and
technical sense, not be grated upon
the schools, but military training in
the sense of a comprehensive program
for physical, moral and civic education
in which some appropriate military
affairs may be included is likely to find
it's way into all schools at no very
distant date.
A very extended and interesting
study has been made by the United