CALIFORNIA FARMER SECTION
13
EDUCATIONAL
OF PRACTICAL USE TO THE PEO
PLE.
A
University Will Aid Public Discussion.
“BURKAU
OF PUBLIC
DIB-
cuaslou, was established in the
University uf ('allfurnla at the
Heptember meeting uf ths Regents ns
■ part of the iww University Extension
I >lvl«|. II
Nine« public opinion b> tho eouroe of
authority In America, and sine« It H
all-Import ant that public opinion be
founded on sound understanding, the
and traveling expense« of «uch
Versify <tebulera. Huth visits by stu
dent debaters can probably, however
lie extended to only a few places this
first year.
free culture as a school
STUDY.
Uy H
A
t'rafUs
Vacations! courses of study In the
public schools of California are now
under serious consideration, and it
soems to lie only a qusatlon of time
wlian they will be fully installed
Certain state laws bearing upon the
subject are proposed to tie anacted. and
a plan of study foruiuliUed. and than
the movement will assume more e«m
Crete shape.
Certain phae>a of agricxUture and
horticulture have already baari Intro-
du<-«id Into the regular courses of study,
and It la the endeavor ot those for
warding the movement to introduce
those studies which wUl be bent fitted
to prepare the pupil to grasp the reaM-
tles of industrial life.
establishment of this Bureau of Public
Discussion la bslisvej by the univer
sity to be of vital Iniportanen and sig
nlfleanc«.
This Bureau of Public Discussion Is
to foster and aid intelligent dlscoralon
of vital preaent <lay questions by the
people of California.
Mlse
Nadine
Crump has been appointed to dlr«»ct th«
work. Hhe la a specialist In women's
club actlvltlea and In debating organ
isation.
Hha will ha»« tbs aid and
barking of tha wh"ln University Ex
tension DI via I on, of which the buritau
Tree Study and Gardening.
k* a part, and the active co-operation
of various related departments of th"
Tr-a study and tree rowing comprise
University of t'allfornla, such as those ■epoliLl phases of nature study and gar
of political actenna. economics, foren dening, and ItM-ne aru proposed to be
sics, and home economics, and the aa
among th« first to ba Introduced
elsianc« of th« unlvnralty library and
Gardening, it Is maintained, la on«
the t'allfornla Htate library aa ** •
kind of manual work that Is practica
A Bureau of Public Diccuccton.
ble for school work. It uffers attrse
The Bureau of >*uhllc IHaeusslon will ll ven ««as. opportunity, and educational
co operate with existing organisation«
value to the pupil; and al the sama
throughout the Mtate, «uch aa civic
time It may be oaally correlated with
study «octet lee, women'« Hub* debat-
moat of the other stud Ian
Ing clubs, workingmen's organisations,
The children of < California have been
snd neighborhood groups Interested In
studying about trees for a number of
Informing themselves a« to living
years.
Aa a part of nature study the
problems of Industry, politics, govern
work with tree« has been hugely con
ment and all human society,
fined to practice In Identification and
Huppoae, for Inatanc«, that a group
to observation of Ufa historic«, to
nf people In Kurekn or Ventura are
gether with stories about treea tn the
accustomed to meet regularly to hear
or discuss problem«« of the day. Prr- lower grades, and rarely elementary
hapa they would like suggratlnna of forestry from books and bulletins Ln
fruitful topic«? Then a letter to the higher grades
This has been goo<| no far as it goea,
Bureau of Public IMscuaelon will bring
but has lacked a vital element, the
suggest!* ns of timely subjects
Perhaps members of an organisation practical knowledge of growing treea.
who have been appointed to open the
Practical Work Necessary.
next month'«« discussion would like an
It la proposed to make this study
outline or brief to help them In gath
of both educational and economic value.
ering material and In covering their
There are thousands of miles of bar
subject« fully? Then a letter to the
ren nisdrld*« In California that ran l*e
bureau will bring the > desired olit
lines If the topics bo' one
i
of general planted to handsome shade treea by
the school children In some localities
Interest and value.
title work has already been taken up
It la important that the sol) should
Of Use to Public Speakers.
with flattering success
be thoroughly mixed, finely pulverized
are to ad-'
Perhaps the speakers who
i
There are state laws on the ■tutut«* and sifted. A solve for sifting the soil
drr«« a club want to be aure they books empowering county
supervisors may be easlly improvised by knockLng
have not overlooked some r«*cent vnl- and city councBmcn tn
appropriate the .bottom out of a shallow box and
uublo publication, wnnt to be sure
money for the planting of trees Alon e nailing In its place a strip of window
they know just what men have writ
roads and streets. and a scheme has screen.
ten the moat Important and mrat re
been worked out by Mr H. A. Greene
How to 8ow ths Seed.
liable dtecitsslon« on their Subject?
of Monterey by which school children
The oc « k 1 I s to bo sown in boxes
Then a letter tn the bureau will bring
may grow trera for this purpos«*, make four inches deep. At the start the box
a ll-t of books and magaxlns articles,
a first-class guard for ench tr«*e, and Is to be filled level full with prepared
compiled ut the university In consulta
care for the tr«*ea the flrat y«utr at a •oil. and then the soil Is to be pressed
tion with the experts In the particular
coat not to exceed 50 cants per tr«*a.
down to a desired firmness by a flat
fields <*oncerned and with the aid of
It la proposed tn develop this plan bl ock of Wood.
the university library staff, who have
Into tan slide form, after which some
When this Is done the seed is to be
access to the university's magnificent
scattered on the surface, and then sand
Colectlon of over 100.000 volumes am! very gratifying results are anticipated
Information as to the boat and most is to bo sprinkled over the seed to a
of thousands of different current pe
practicable trees tn be planted under sufficient depth to Insure germination.
riodicals
thia scheme Is being gathered, ■nd Next the box should be covered with
A Help to Public Libraries.
placed bflfore the schools for th«*lr a gunnysack or piece of coarse cloth,
Perhaps the local library of Napa or guidance.
which may be left on until th«* seeds
Redlands or Modesto cannot furnish
have sprouted.
Raising Treea From Seeds
to the members of an organization the
The
seed
should
be
thoroughly
needed books or material.
Thon the
The art of sprouting and the t**xt
University's Bureau of Public Discus. method of planting sprouted seeds are« watered and the boxes set where they
will be shaded during the greater part
«Ion will put th« organization Inquir explained.
ing Into touch with the Htate library,
The cheapf-et and most useful device of the day.
and th« Htats library will send to the for the safe handling of young trees.
Transplanting seedlings.
local library or echool (the borrower It la pointed out, is the ordinary tin
In transplanting small seedlings PU-
paying the mall or express chargee) can nf the quart else or larger.
pile are advised to vxter the seed box
the printed matter desired
Remove the cut end of the can by just before breaking the soil; then
All thia means that speakers, de the use of a can-openar, or by melting have the soil into which the seedlings
baters, and dub members with Im the aolder. Then, with a sharp hatchet are transplanted moistened to that d«v-
portant questions lo discuss will have make two cuts across the bottom of the gree that whan the hole la made for
the ahi of ths university In getting can, at right angles.
This will pro the plant the soil will not fall In.
hold of dependable data and male ria H vide a means of drainage, and will al
In making the holes, a tin cylinder
from which just conclusions can bo low the roots to cacapo after the tree may be used. I*reas thia down as deep
drawn.
has been set ouL the Idea being to have as the seedling Is to be set. squeeze
Women's club«, so numerous and wo the tree in the can when planting.
hard enough to withdraw the cone,
effective In t'allfornla, can get great
The can will tn nowise hinder the and the hole Is made.
help from the bureau In planning pro growth of the tree as roots will soon
The Important points In planting
grams and organising a year's work
push through the slashes In the can. trees are. to set tn deep soil If possi
And they have been asked by the uni and the enn Itself In a season or two ble; have the soil thoroughly preparad
versity to co-operate by sending to will rust out and go to pl «sees.
before hand. In preparing county road
the Uurrau of Public Discussion their
The older boys of the classes will planting have three or four furrows
own programs, so that tho bureau may
easily learn to prepare the cans In a turned In the fall preparatory to spring
become a rep<s»itory of such materlul,
neat and methodical manner.
After planting; dig the hole for the tree some
available for oo-operatlve use.
the sprouted seeds or young seedling deeper than necessary to receive the
Tn
many
communities there may
trees
taken from
the
woods and roots, and fill the extra space with well-
bo groups of people who would like
been planted In cans they will be set pulverized surface soil; tamp the soil
to start new organizations for discus
tn rows In sunken beds, and so placed well in filling, etc.
sion of the great Issues of the day.
as to have partial shade during the
Protection for Road Trees.
The bureau will endeavor to aid such
Guards for both street and roadside
movements and to help build up evety- greater part of the day.
Hliould the season be unusually dry trees are important for the develop
whore throughout California bodies of
«o much usefulness to their members the cans will be protected with straw ment of seedlings and small treea. Mr.
and of so much value toward creating or other mulch In order that the mois Greene has devis«*d what he calls the
“Monterey Tree Guard." which constats
a democracy enlightened and wisely ture may be retained uniformly.
Hpeclal attention will be given to the of four strips of wood, ono by one
informed.
In this the and
i
a half inches, six feet long and
And where communities desire, and process of germination
when the distance from the university first requisite Is well prepared soil. pointed at one end, those to b. en-
Is not too great, the further help Is This should consist of about one-third i circled by six or eight strands Of w ire
offered to debating clubs of visits by ordinarily soil which must be free from fastened with staples.
the beat debaters from tho university alkali; one-third clean bright sand, and
According to the California Almond
debating clubs, to open debates or dis one-third leaf mould or thoroughly rot
i (Growers' exchange this year's output
cussion«, to serve as judges, or to aid ted compost.
If good leaf mould Is not «lastly ob- i of almonds will be from 1100 to 1504
In organising such socletliw and plan
1
In comparison with 1000 tons last
ning and starting their work.
The talnable the ordinary soil and mind tons.
; year.
only cost Involved In this Is the hotel may be mixed in equal parts.
TO
IMPROVE ITS SERVICE
WOMEN.
FOR
Sacrctary Aaka Suggestions from ths
Wives and Daughters cf 50.000
Farmers.
David F. Houston, secretary of agri
culture, will address a letter to the
women memb<« of 50.000 furm house
holds throughout the United States, re
questing them to give hirn Informa
tion u to how the department of agri
culture can best serve the needs of
the farm women.
These letters will be addressed "To
Housewives tn the Homes of the Offi
cial Crop Correspondents“ and will l>s
sent to the full list of Crop Correspond
ents for transmission to the women
members of their households.
With
each letter will be supplied a return
envelope In which the women can for-
ward their suggestions.
This inquiry results from the re-
Ceipt of a letter addressed tn the sec-
rotary in which the writer said;
"The farm woman has been the most
neglected factor in the rural problem
and she has been especially neglected
by the national department of agri-
culture,"
This letter was written not by a wo
man but by a broad-minded man so
thoroughly in touch with the agri
cultural and domestic
needs of the
country that his opinions have great
weight. Following the receipt of this
letter, the secretary determined that
the best way for the department to
learn how to give these women
the
fullrat possible aid and service which
their important
place in agricultural
production warrants, was to write to
the women themselves and ask them to
make their own suggestions.
In the letter these women are in
vited to give Individual answers to the
letter or to discuss the matter in their
church societies or women's organiza
tions end submit answers representing
the combined opinions of the women of
their entire communities. The ans
wers are requested not later than No
vember 15th, and this date Is set be
cause it will give the women time after
harvest to consider the matter and dis
cuss It with their wotnen neighbors.
This letter will go
about 20 It-.cl
ing farms In each of the 2R00 counties
Their answers,
of the United States
It is expected, will represent the views
and opinions of upwards of 500.000
These answers will bo
farm women,
carefully considered by the specialists
of the department having to do with
that branch of agricultural activity.