8 THE CHEMAW
Farming
(IvKVI Sortor)
America feeds and leads the world.
This country furnishes one-fifth of . the
wheat, one-fourth of the hops, one-third
of the corn, two-fifths of the meat, nearly
one-half of the oil cake and oil cake
meal, almost one-half of the leaf tobacco,
two-thirds of the cotton, and four-fifths
of the cotton-seed oil.
The cotton goes to Great Britain,
France, Germany, Italy and Spain,
Most of the grain which we export is
sent to Great Britain, The Netherlands,
Germany and Belgium. The animal
products go practically to the same
countries.
Cuba takes nearly $9,000,000 worth
of our animal products, such as bacon,
ham, fresh beef, lard, pickled pork, salted
pork
Our live stock is sent across the Pa
cific Ocean to Russia, Some of it goes
to British South Africa. Much of it goes
to Northern Europe,
The annual farm value of the products
of the American farms for the last five
years amounts to nearly" $7,000,000,000.
An almost incredible sum,
I am a farmer. We boys who study
farming and the principles of agriculture
at Chemawa are interested in statistics
like these I have just given, as it shows
to us the importance of what we are do
ing, and the great place farming has in
the world's work and has had since the
time of Adam.
The Indian is a landowner. As such,
he should find agriculture the most
available occupation. In former times
farming vyas distasteful- to him. As a
crop producer, he was a failure. His
capacity for the necessary arduous work
required upon a farm was doubted. The
V AMERICAN
monotonous drudgery, so unlike the
traditional life of generations of Indians,
made it appear very unlikely that he
would ever till the land, of which he is
owner, with any success. Stock farm
ing, herding, and so forth were,' and are,
congenial to him. In these pursuits he
excels and will excel.
However, the study of agriculture has
been made such a prominent feature in
the industrial school that the Indian
has gradually assimilated the idea that
farming tilling the soil will be of
more practical value to him than any
other occupation.
The Indians have passed the experi
mental stage as laborers. His capacity in
that direction has been proved The
steadfastness of the old-time Indian,
that steadfastness and determination
which he used in battle, on the trail, in
the hunt, has made of him a trustworthy
laborer, and, in proper environment, a
valuable citizen. That same steadfastness
will make of him an agriculturist and
an up-to-date farmer.
The educated Indian, the hoy who has
been away to school, who has studied
farming as we are taught it here, will
return to his home, will see the profit
to be made from the land he owns, and
will use the knowledge he has gained
for his own and his country's good.
Mrs. Newcomb and her daughter, Miss
Frances, will be in Salem during the
period of Mrs. Newcomb's vacation.
We were very sorry to see Mrs. Brewer
and her children depart last Saturday
for their home in Tacoma, Washington.
They had been identified with the school,
for so many years that they will be great
ly missed. A host of friends at Chema
wa wish them happiness and success.