Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-11-20
'LAUGHLIN FOR
Federal AID TO
WORK OF JAGGAR
Michigan Congressman AdVo.
Gates Compulsory AgricuI-
turaI Course in Schools

The proposal to erect weather sta
ton and give federal support to the
maintenance of an observatory and to
aid the work of Professor Jaggar at
Kilauea will have the firm backing OF
Representative Mclaughlin OF Michl-
gan, who for ten years has been a
member of the house committee on
agriculture. Furthermore, MIR. Nc
Laughhn is favorably disposed to the
plan Rof connecting up kilauea and
MaunA Loa with a federal road.
He was. greatly impressed with the
scenic wonders at the Volcano ant
realizes that they are a valuable as
set to the -uent.
What in the opinion of Mr.. Nc
Laughiin offers solution to the prob
Gem of how to obtain greater diVersi-
fication OF farm crops with an attend
ant betterment of Standards is compul.
sorry agricultural education by the in.
PRODUCTION of such a course into the
public schools of the territory.
Mr.. Mclaughlin being farmer him.
self, who has big acreage near Mus
keegon, Mich, was greatly interested
III (4IS lSHO VI lonu pdSSSA III i4AC AoAl
way trip TO Paauilo. He took great
interest in the corn crop and early
sought information as to the different
stages OF planting and production, and
at the END of the line got in touch
with County Agent Moir, quizzing him
at length On the system Of keeping in
touch withlthe farmer and enlighening
him on the latest farming methods.
Mr.. Mclaughlin was distinctly dis
appointed to learn that Hawaii's farm
ers are inclined to adhere to old time
methods and seem to show little inter
est in up-to-date ideas or to take ad-
vantage of knowledge gained by eX.
periments and investigation. He was
told that they seemed content in most
instances tolcarry GU their farming as
their forefathers had done, ignoring
intensive clltivating and failing to
heed advice as to planting time under
different conditions. Thus Mr.. Nc.
Laughlin has reached the conclusion
that the territory should compel its
children while in school to learn some
thing of the advanced methods OF
farming and q cultivation. Once i'm
bued with the value and necessity Of
intensive cultivation, the adaptation
of soils and all the other knowledge
that forms the basic foundation for
successful agriculture, the child would
carry the idea to the parent, who in
Shme might yield to instruction, while
On the other hand the child would
grow up to realize that intelligent as
sistance was not to be disdained.
Another thing that would be of great
help to the islands would be the ex-
tension of the Lever law, which pro-
vides for federal assistance in agri-
cultural research and demonstration
through the educational system, the
schools and districts so included tc
receive a certain appropriation each
year for agricultural Instruction.
Mr.. Mclaughlin seemed surprised
when informed by Agent Moir that
there were several Thousand acres
near Paauilo highly adapted for CORE
production, but which were tied up for
grazing land by cattle ranchers, who
refused to turn the. land over to pro.
ductive purposes. The LAND belongs
to the government, but is under lease
to the ranchers.,
At Paauilo the members of the party
were shown some corn which grew
three ears to the stalk. They were
much interested. The successful
planter is George Allen, who has made
a success of corn growing after yeSSs
of working and experimenting.