The Ordway new era., 1920-12-31


N N the routine of ordinary
VA nv everyday life? And as
| sS the song puts it:
"How are you going to get them down
on the farm,
After they've seen Paree?"
When 1t was written the song was
true to life. 1t Is not so today. The
United States army has farms of Its
own now. When a soldier enlists and
says he wants to become scientific
farmer, the recruiting officer is glad
to take him on and there is a farm
where he can be sent.
At present all wOuld-be soldier ag-
riculturists are moving on Camp Ira
Wis, near San Antonio, Texas. because
hurry-up order has gone out from
the War department to send all re-
cruits who enlist to the famous Sec
ond division on duty there-the hlstor-
ic Indian Heads" who saved Paris by
stopping the Hun at Belleau Wood and
Vaux.
The agricultural schools maintained
by the Second division are consid-
cred among the best-equipped in the
army To the average farmer it may
seem strange that Uncle Sans SOL
diers are engaged in making the des-
ert bloom, but that is exactly what
they are doing. Adjacent TO the great
military reservation IS 400-acre farm
where the soldiers of the Second di-
vision are being trained in farming,
ranchlng, stock raising, dairying and
irrigation.
West of the cantonment and along
Salado creek and the Missouri. Kan
sas and Texas railroad, are splendid
acres of bottom land, enriched by
thousands of tons of manure from the
stables of the various mounted organ
iZations at Camp Travis and irrigated
in part by fine artesian flow of wa
ter. These lands offer soldiers who
intend to engage in agriculture on dis
charge from the service an excellent
opportunity to become familiar with
scientific farming methods. The gov
ernment is offering the courses
through the divisional agricultural
schools.
Maj. Gen. p. c. Harris, adjutant gen.
eral of the army, says:
THE agricultural program was de-
vised by governmental authorities in
an effort to avoid penalizing young
men who volunteer for term of serv-
Ice in comparison with the oppor-
tunity they had in civil life of TAX
ing up and following a vocation of
their choice"
This school which has been devel-
oped at Camp Travis is under the su-
pervision of George G.. Snow, who
comes from Mississippi Agricultural
and Mechanical college, where he
taught for twelve years. Assisting
Mr.. Snow is Joel l. McGregor, former
ly dairy specialist for the Houston
chamber of commerce, In charge of
the department of animal husbandry.
Courses are provided in horticulture,
agronomy, dairying and animal hus-
bandry, and fine irrigated farm has
been purchased by the government,
where soldier students may be turned
into scientific farmers.
The course in horticulture includes
theoretical and practical work in the
growth of fruits, flowers and orna-
mental shrubbery. In agronomy the
tdhtS up Sluuy VI SOils,
with special reference to irrlgating ag-
riculture. Great artesian wells supply
the water necessary.
instruction In dairy husbandry in
cludes types and breeds of dairy cat
tie. Practical work is given in judg-
ing stock, and visits are made by the
soldiers to famous cattle farms near
by. The school farm also provides
practical work in animal husbandry,
and fine herd of pure-blooded stock
belongs to the camp farm.
One of the most important activi-
ties of the general staff In the upbuild-
ing of the new army. says the report
of the secretary of war for the 1920
fiscal year, has been the establishment
and development Of comprehensive
program for educational and recre-
ational activities. This program In
sures that the army will become an
important constructive factor In the
mental. moral, and physical training
and development of the youth of the
country and In the Americanization