Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-04-19
Howard Taylor-A Com.
position on Agriculture

i 1~S0SAOAe
Dear Juniors:
Agriculture or the raising Of food is
or country. 1t IS this great occupation
that originates great deal of the
wealth of the world. What would .
nation of so many people be without
the farmer and the things he raises
The food of the world depends on the
farmer and his plants. Although agri.
culture is the leading industry in the
United States 1t would be even more
successful il it were taught in all the
public schools.
"The farmer boy of today is the man
of tomorrow; today student, tomor.
row bearer Of responsibilities" The
schools, then, should teach agriculture
to the farmer boy so that he may
bring forth abundance Of nourishing
food which makes the body strong and
healthful. Thus, he must learn how
to raise the largest, purest and best of
everything on the farm.
The subject of farming taught in the
school would aid great deal in the
selecting Of seeds for planting, the best
methods Of keeping through the win.
ter and something of the preparation
for planting. cleaning and testing the
! seed; also the time and manner of
planting. It should be remembered that
certain conditions of the soil are more
favorable for termination and growth.
Agriculture teaches the pupil how
and why the soil should be cultivated
to stir it up SO that it will be better
and able to hold the moisture. Guilt
waiting any soil makes it finer, better
fitted to supply water to plants and
lets air into the wet and sour soil. And
further than this, it kills the useless
weeds which would otherwise use the
moisture and plant food which ought
to be saved for the useful crops.
To know something about the differ
ent insects is also Of importance to
the farmer as we'll as to all other per-
sons who cultivate the ground for the
purpose of growing different kinds of
plants. This great study teaches us
how to exterminate the harmful in.
sects such as grasshoppers, locusts,
chinch bugs, Hessian and house flies.
gnats, the apple worms, cabbage.
worms. beetles, etc. For example, the
way of DISCRIMINATING grasshoppers is
to destroy their eggs in the fall, win.
ter or early spring, by discing or har.
rowing the ground. Some harmful in
'sects can be destroyed by spraying
their food plants with poisons. Not all
insects are harmful, however. so we
should study how to protect these.
Bees, wasps. dragon flies, lady bugs,
and others are useful to mankind.
Birds, too. as well as insects, are found
q hn rfo NJ hn rfh VI.
ing for the food they eat by taking de-
structive insects from our trees, fields,
etc.
We hnd that the good done far ex-
ceeds the possible harm that might be
indicted by our birds. We are further
indebted to them for the cheer which
pleasant manners bring to VS..
The boys and girls stould study agri-
culture to learn something concerning
domestic fowls. as to the best breeds
for laying and for market; to learn
something of the feeding. breeding,
housing, care and value of chickens,
turkeys. geese, ducks. etc.
Another imnorEaAt feature in the
study Of agriculture is tire proven care
and feeding Of the domestic animals OF
the farm. 1t has been found that feed
ing a balanced ration of hay or grain
will produce better results and will not
cause the animals to be overfed.
Much Of the work of the schools in.
GLIDING instruction in geography,
arithmetic, science and literature,
might be combined profitably with in.
struction in agriculture and nature
study. A school garden with the actual
work directed might prove an inspira.
ton to honest toll and living. So the
teaching of agriculture and nature
study will effect and improve every
farm. garden. lawn and flower box In
the United States.
The tendency Of a boy, when he be.
comes a young man, is to go to the city
with its temptations and vice. While
the city has advantages and pleasures.
those OF the country greatly exceed
those Of the city and are more healthy
and natural God made the country
and man made the town." The study
Of elementary agriculture will over.
come this tendency OF drifting toward
the city and keep the boy on the farm.
closer to nature.
Howard TAYLOR. Age IL.
1voh