Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-09-01

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along. The Agricultural Department
has done power Of good cramped
up as it is, but that don't cost the State
anything. The fees from the inspec-
ton of fertilizers more than runs the
machine and the farmers pay for that
for of course the men who make it put
that much more onto, the price. But
still we are grateful, for the Department
is well organized and has protected us
from many fraud. | never knew a
more conscientious and laborious set of
men than have for years been running
that branch of the public service and
they have taught the intelligent far
mer a great deal. Of course they can
not reach all the farmers for the means
are too limited, but if they reach my
nabor Lowry l can watch him and
talk to him and do as he does. Some>
body has got to 60 in the front and
some must follow. No intelligent far
mer can talk to Jack Henderson or
Newman or Redding or Tom Howard
one-half an hour and not learn some
thing that will save him time and
money and be of value to him. l am
sorry that Newman has left us. Ala
bama got a good man with good
heart and a bushel of brains when she
got Newman and put him at the head
Of her Agricultural Department. He
will make his mark anywhere and give
more than value received for all he
gets. What we want is for the Depart
ment to be enlarged and encouraged,
we want an experimental farm that
will make a fair test Of every new pro-
duct that is offered to the farmers.
Why should a thousand Of us waste our
time in experimenting on one thing
when it can be better done at one
place. Gov. Brown sent me some very
fine yellow corn from Washington last
year and / planted an acre of bottom
land and it wasen't worth cent, and
Jack Henderson told me after / had
planted it that it would do no good
down here. A few years ago the Ag-
ricultural Department of Kentucky
offered a premium of a thousand
dollars for the best essay on
practical agriculture suited for that
climate and soil and practical and
successful farmer got it and his essay
was printed in circular form and dis.
tributed all over the State and his
system has been generally adopted and
has been worth thousands of dollars to
the farmers. That is the way to en-.
courage farmers; offer premiums for
the best acre of corn and cotton and
wheat with mode of cultivation, and
let Judge Henderson inspect the acres
from time to time or have it done by
competent agents and make his report.
A little money will stimulate the boys
more than anything else. The Legis.
lature is full of good farmers. Why
not give them a showing and say now
you men who represent the greatest,
grandest and most vital interest of the
State, tell us what you want and VIC
will give it to you. Where is my old
friend Green Foster from Floyd, live
farmer and practical, successful, pro
gressive man? Can't he rise forward
and put his demand upon the minutes
Green has got sense, common sense
lots Of it and abundant energy, and the
best Of all he does not think that he
knows everything, but is always will
ing to learn. ] never have much hops
of q man who thinks he knows it all.
| Now about the new school they wan
you to get up I hope they will give it 6
fair start and locate it up here among
the mountains. I believe in these
schools where boys can learn trades
Peter the Great quit his throne and
went of to learn how to build shir
and he learned from stem to stern
| from hull to mast and that was the be
ginning of his greatness. ! know .
young man who was poor and smart
and a friend sent him to one of these
schools up North and he staid two
| years and came back as a mining engi
| naar ond a hr;dna hu;ldar and Ios