Agricultural Education. 



442 



[November, 1911. 



It will be noted that the average value 

 of farm buildings and farm machinery 

 for each farm as given in these tables for 

 each State differs from that given by the 

 census of 1900. The explanation is that 

 in the census enumerations the value of 

 the buildings on a single farm, whether 

 large or small, is given in one sum, and 

 does not therefore tell how the labourer 

 is housed, for in this sum may be included 

 the value of 40 or 50 houses, as is gener- 

 ally the case on very large farms, especi- 

 ally in the South. The same rule applies 

 to implements. For our purpose the 

 average of buildings and implements on 

 the smaller farms was taken, so as to 

 determine how one family lives and what 

 implements it uses; but in every State 

 enough farms were included in the esti- 

 mates to make a majority of the farms 

 of that State. 



It should be borne in mind that these 

 tables represent conditions in 1900. Since 

 that time rural prosperity has been 

 greater than in any former period of 

 American history. Undoubtedly the 

 next census will show marked improve- 

 ments. 



Tables I to IV show the value of the 

 buildings on each farm worked by one 

 family ; the value of the implements and 

 farm machinery ; the value of the poultry 

 and the average number of cows to the 

 farm ; the number of horses (or mules) 

 tor each labourer ; the number of acres 

 each labourer tills and the amount he 

 produces annually in value, and the 

 percentage of farms worked by tenants 

 in each State. These tables show the 

 condition of the housing of families and 

 stock in the Southern States, the farm 

 equipment provided to do the woik, the 

 amount of work accomplished, and the 

 annual earnings, which fully accounts 

 for the condition of schools, roads, and 

 churches in the country. The average 

 income is scarcely sufficient to maintain 

 the civilization now existing, ignoring 

 progress, and these facts do not present 

 the whole truth of the situation. 



Quite a percentage of the small farmers 

 still owe on their farms. Prior to 1905 

 the percentage of these in some States 

 amounted to three-fourths of the whole; 

 since that date there has been consider- 

 able decrease. 



Nearly all the tenant farmers of the 

 South and a large proportion of the farm 

 owners have been working their lands 

 by securing annually advances from the 

 merchants, thus paying from 20 to 75 per 

 cent, more for their supplies than under 

 a cash system. This situation is rapidly 

 improving. 



Some Reforms Needed in Rural Life. 



For the improvement of rural life many 

 things are needed : — 



(1.) The improvement of country 

 schools, or, rather, the establishing of 

 real schools for the country. Many 

 leading educators believe that the coun- 

 try school has yet to be conceived and 

 established. It has been said with great 

 force that "the existing country schools 

 are but poorly equipped city schools 

 located in the country." 



(2.) County or district agricultural 

 schools, in which the main work shall be 

 to impart knowledge that tends to make 

 the successful farmer and the good 

 citizen, and to give a training to youth 

 adapted to rural life, in sympathy with 

 toil and in love with the farm. 



Several States have taken the initi- 

 ative in establishing such schools. It is 

 believed by their friends, and hoped by 

 all that they may lead to a solution of 

 the problem of the best education for 

 rural life. 



(3.) It is also desirable that text-books 

 in country schools shall have for illustra- 

 tive material incidents and experiences 

 drawn mainly from rural life instead of 

 from commerce, politics, diplomacy, 

 and war. 



(4.) It will doubtless be found advant- 

 ageous at times to co-operate in buying 

 and selling, in borrowing money, etc. 



(5.) The proper valuation of property 

 as a basis of taxation to establish and 

 maintain rural betterments should be 

 considered. 



All the improvements required in 

 rural life we see and realize. The pur- 

 pose of this publication, however, is to 

 call attention to a reform which is 

 fundamental to all these things, and 

 which must necessarily precede them, 

 logically and chronologically. 



The Remedy offered by the Farm- 

 ers' Co-operative Demonstration 

 Work, 



What primary remedy for the im- 

 provement of rural conditions ought a 

 republic to propose where all the adult 

 male citizens are expected to exercise 

 through the ballot the functions of a 

 ruler ? Evidently it should be one that 

 can directly and immediately benefit all 

 the people, More than nine-tenths of 

 the rural population of the South are 

 limited by their conditions to an educa- 

 tion provided by the country district 

 school. What help can be given them 

 that will be immediate and will benefit 

 both parents and children ? It must be 

 such that it will reach the farm and 



