Elementary Agriculture 



A. W. Nolan 



Some Points to Emphasize in Teaching Farm Animals 



One result of the teaching of the elements of Agriculture more or 

 less widely through the public schools of our country, ought to be 

 an increase in live-stock production on the farm. Since the 

 decline of the live-stock industry on the western ranges, and the 

 increase of farm tenantry, live-stock production has gone down 

 about eight per cent, in the last decade. It would seem that the 

 only way to assure an adequate production of farm animals and 

 their products would be for the farmers to go into the live-stock 

 business. 



Aside from the question of public good resulting from increased 

 production, the individual farmer would profit as well. Live-stock 

 farmers are generally more prosperous than grain farmers. The 

 reason is not far to seek. Farm animals nearly always sell at good 

 prices; they enable the farmer to convert his crops into higher 

 priced products; they utilize a great deal of waste material, and 

 they contribute toward the maintenance of permanent soil fer- 

 tility. 



While teaching the value of live-stock on the farm, place the 

 emphasis on pure-bred live-stock rather than on grades or scrubs. 

 Pure-bred stock of all kinds sells for more money, gives greater and 

 better returns in products upon the same or less feed, and adds no 

 small amount of pride to the farmer's business. 



This last is no mean asset to the success of farm life. When the 

 farmer begins to get interested in any line of pure-bred live stock, 

 when he sees an increase in quality and amount of the products, 

 and when his sales bring him more actual cash, then he begins to 

 improve his place, his home is better equipped, he will perhaps 

 name his farm, advertise its goods, and the whole life of the family 

 is elevated by the pride and skill which has grown up in his new 

 interests. The teacher of agriculture may perhaps successfully 

 encourage the boys in the class to begin at home the production 

 and care of some line of pure-bred stock. 



In the teaching of farm animals in public school classes, emphasis 

 should be placed upon the improvement needed here, and now, in 

 the live-stock upon the home farms, utilizing only those principles 

 and methods which are well known and successfully established 



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