The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-08-14
AUGUST IA, 1872
agricultural.
a Few Words About the Farmer and
Mechanic, and It's Connection
With the Board Of Agri-
culture.

h consequence of the remarks Of a contem~
,,oyoru. re decOte oar Hmtted space THIS
rreL. to q more particular rerie,o of the
nominal connection of THIS paper with the
Department Of agriculture.
When the Department of Agriculture
was established by the General Assembly of
1s-6-,77. it was found that very few of our
people had any acquaintance with the de-
SION and scope, much less the methods and
nractical working Of the new Bureau. The
Act creating the Department, was drawn
we believe, by State Geologist
William G. Kerr, in conjunction
GOV. Vance, aided by suggestions from Col.
Polk, whose plan for a State Grange
Museum at Greensboro had first aroused
public interest in the scheme. 1t may be
admissible here to remark. In parenthesis,
that Col. Polk from the outset advocated
the Georgia system, to-wit: the giving full
control of the Department to the Commits
sioner. who should be its responsible head,
on the same footing with the Treasurer, or
Secretary of State, or Attorney General.
To this end, as we have been informed, be
marked out the phrase beard of Agricul-
fure." and substituted Commissioner Of
Agriculture" in the draft of the bill. But
the other God-fathers of the embryo Act
reversed the order, and in this style it
passed into a law. The length Of the bill
precluded its general publication in the
State press. and having been enacted in the
hurry of the last fortnight of the session,
many of the Legislators themselves failed
to get a clear idea of its provisions. To
illustrate this lack of general acquaintance
with the law, it is only necessary to refer to.
the fact that last winter the majority Of the
General Assembly spoke of the Department
OF Agriculture as "Col. Folks Depart
ment," "Col. Folks Fish Hatchery, "Col.
Folks Fertilizer Tax" ETC., etc., whereas
in truth COMMISSIONS Polk was only nomi-
nally responsible. Neither he, nor Secretary
Robinson, are members Of the Board, and
have no voice in it, except by way of sug-
gestion or recommendation. The Board
consists of Gov. Jarvis, (chairman), Presi-
dent Battle, of the University, Col. L. NJ.
Holt, Pref. VIM. G. Kerr, Col. w. III.
Cheek, Mai. Jas. l.. Thigpen, and Maj.
Jonathan Evans. The regular sessions are
held once a quarter-if "A quorum can be
obtained. In the interim, an executive
committee consisting of the Governor, with
Messrs. Holt and Battle, controls the action
of the Department, and audits its money
expenditures.
Ii Is true COmnllSSlOncT IOlh Is cutltlCtt
to much credit for originating or suggesting
many of the most useful measures of the
Department during the first two years of its
existence, and he is entitled to praise for
Jealous endeavors to carry out the orders Of
the Board. At the same time he gets
credit for some things which members of
the Board originated. Hence all we desire
is to point out that it is the Board which is
responsible. and that Col. Polk is neither
to be unduly blamed, nor unduly praised,
for what has been done by the Department.
And here we will amend our remarks last
week to this extent:-it is the Chapel Hill
Fertilizer Station alone which is disconnect-
ed from Col. Folks Bureau. The Fish
Hatchery is superintended by Mr.. Stephen
G. Worth, land assistants) but he makes
his reports through the Commissioner, who
j. charged with the general direction OF the
fish business, subject to the approval of the
Governor and Board, of course.
After a few months experience the Board
Of Agriculture found itself much hampered
bv inability to enlist public interest in the
plans it had chalked out for its future ope-
rations. Our people are proverbially con
s~ervative, and slow in taking up new pro
jects, particularly in the line of agrlcultu-
Tai experiments ana the Whole e'nehie Oh
the Department was like a map OF a new
country that looks pretty on paper, but IS
risky to travel by.
At the end of the first six months. 1t was
agreed between the Executive Committee,
Gov. Vance, President Battle and Prof.
Kerr and Col. Polk that the latter should
attempt to obtain an official organ or re-
porter, whereby a weekly exhibit OF the
methods and achievements OF the Depart
ment might be impaired to the public, ana
more general stirred interest therein. An IN
qulry soon showed that to buy a printing
office, employ an editor, rent an office and
pay for paper and type setting, would nee
e%ssitate a cash outlay of at the very least
81, 1000 for the first year, and a large sum
every year thereafter; because no Official
organ ever paid expenses.
Turning next, to the Raleigh publishers,
the inquiry was made whether any of them
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