Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-01-25
FARMER man OF THE HOUR
CULTIVATED LAND HEAVILY
TAXED TO FURNISH FOOD
Science of Agriculture Should Tie
Taught ON More Practical Lines
Professor Thinks.

Because YOU live in town or city ana
gain your livelihood without touching
the soil, and never think OF the farmer
except when you catch Sigh, of him
from your touring car. or see him
outraecouSly caricaturcd or the stage.
YOU should NOT blind yourself TO the
Fact that he is, fundamentally the
NOS; important person in tho world
~ Us unnecessary 10 point out the rca-
son WIZ Our stomachs tell us the
reason.
Now that everybody is kecnly con
vtrhca win The question Of the bes:
should IKE TO invite attention to Ger
lin i'm nacIs unmarried by Professor
ie'p ,Er ro N%per's ~ r.c"nt address
cElhcGS more comprehension of what
S Sp1,f, us real human interest, and
any uttcrsncc rom an academic source
'h1t nave read IN q long time.
i,nitFe IS an important fact TO start
Win. The population of the country
no"' under present methods. over
ShN.nS the cultivated land for It's sup
DOT 1T has been said that wc are
consuming thirteen months, OF wheat
every twelve months"
IN inc forty years from $50 20 1910
."1scryc that this has nothing TO do
"Ith the war wh, ch did not break out
untii 1910, the ratio OF the number OF
p@rsPns ENGAGED in agriculture 10 tho
nnihnsr engaged in other occupations
ie!t 80 per cent.
Vain Hope. Indeed.
on, that's all right. SAYS the thcorst
ahd The dreamer who sees almost ar
E,'SGn The happy time when nobody
snail harden his hands with toll and
"hcn eScrEbody VIII ride in a silk :
e4Hopied hpwdah on the patient back
tAe scientific elephant Agrono-
nllcS' chemistry and machinery can he
,fhsieu 10 take care Of that In a
..LU,e While science VIII furnish US
,hHn q pea that win feed a man for a
who'll" day.
~ from .mconshine let us turn bacI,
l''r"d %, during which the number Of
'''!SHhS engaged in agriculture, has.
sIa'l'"'E. fallen OF 80 per cent. whiIe
,.riod OF tho rise and growth az the
'Rf'rui uras colleges AID experiment,
."toNS. ana the development OF tho
enormous activities of tho United
>'"ieS i'%partment OF Agriculture.
,,i,'"sh Al o. which. agencies new
'ni better systems OF t,laEe crop
rnE and rotation. and feeding OF farm
'hlin'is have been introduced and dis
H?w what can the matter be?
Maehinery. scientific methods and All
tnat hayc been Introduced and en-
p"oNcd, but wnilc the acreage under
cultivation mas increased the acre
Na.uc ~ production has not kept tho
pace Cond.mnaticn should no, fan on
lt "on!l appear that !, may justly
i-,l upon tho manner IA which the
$50 -''' TX Taught, or cpt1flglirat ed
Professor Roberts discusses the prub-
lem:
"ii6w can tho young people in tho
p"bli. schools receive such "a ;ralf!in:.
~. d!ScipiiNc' tin botany) 'as VIII bc
81 scientific vaiu. and at m. same
I'M. he OF yital economic use in their
everyday ne"
4 Special Course.
Ills answer 20 this question is, in sub
stance. thai in the high schools and
"su"c!ally the rural high schools a
curse in agricultural botany should
he used differing from the ordinary
academic course: First. in the aim.
which ~ the oconomic adyantag. OF
IA" pupii rather than the professional
ARA 81 the subject from the stand
p".ni OF the discipiiner second in the
means used for Instruction. tn. seed
uianis being largely employed as
teaching, material tor practical Du.
poses ihird, in the extensive u.c o.
hlints OF economic value - the riean,
through which 10 study plan; structure
ana functions"
Loss second hand learning" fewer
ready made ideas" rom books as
.!ttle ~ possible OF "pycdiGestcd in.
fprmhtinn.' Tor these stamp our "or-
i-.nality. curiosity and srontancity.'
St! Is the duty of the biological sciences
step into the schoolroom, re-
SPARKS Of originality. Can this best
hc done hv course In botany that
is scientific from tho adu; stand.
p"lnt bat That is totally lacking in
vivid iiiman interest from the point Of
ElCN yBuu.s n,nDlef