The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-05-06
Experiments OH the Farm.

Quite q good many OF the States, bnth North arc
South, have established and arc operating, under Thu
control Of the government, what nre known Gs lex
pertinent misunderstanding, not alone, to the spccia
agriculture and horticulture Of their immediate zee
tions, but to any general information that may aifrc
these dcpai trnents of industry, rs they relate to tn,
common good. The investigations tnuGo OF tlrs'
stations, notably, the one located in the State Of New
| York, have awakened considerable interest In tn
general question, and other States are now crnteln
plating similar action.
1t is not go much the purpose Of this article tt
discus. the ~lrolric,y of this move on the part of th,
| State authorities, rs to urge tho advantages to b.
derived from indivilua! effort on the same line.
Muny matters upon the f,rm ore regarded as fSet
fncts, and we do rot know, nor do We stop to Qucs
ton their authority, when possibly, mn actual ties
would entirely contradict their accepted teachings
Such results have already teeR reach-d and mny m
again. Farmers very wisely demand to know TIL
rrp'y Of the suil when scientific men, as such, sis
cest new ideas for drvcl"pcmcnt. Why not apply
these came tests to all other matters not yet settlct
upon that invariubtc basis?
Certain theories have cnme 10 us fOn the "futh"rs'
fourded npon their bare testimony and not estab
lisled upon any b0dy's experience. do We know b,
actual test that the cheapest and best feed for q lOrs'
Is one bundle Of fodder and ten ears Of corn three
times each day? Or have We. by actual experiment
found substitutes for both, equally good and fur les
expensive
the preparation necessary to niOdncc the hest yields
Or, without making the trial OF anything beyond
will farmers prefer to run off y row, deposit and cove
the seed md leave the preparation to be absorbed by
the cultivation because it'SaTcs time? Do We know
bv act,!ul experiment that 1t saves money also?
Whn IL prepared, by experiment., to settle the qnes
ton, now much discussed by scientific men. rs to the
demand for ammonia In the cultivation of our crops
particularly in the use Of cotton srrd rs n fertilizer
for curn? Many other Questions Of Importance vii
suggest themselves to thinking men. about which w
need information, to be obtained from no other source
than II careful experiment on the farm.
some yeurs Since several distinguished gentlemen
gave to the public what in their opinions, and, under
their methods, 1t cost to produce one pound Of cotton
These opinions, coming from farmers Of deserved
reuutntion, having formed the basis Of much Uf the
o:tun farming ut the South. Farmers have proceed
ed upon the idea that 1t It's n fixed fact, established
by undnubtctl authority, that 1t costs, say, S cents I,
produce one pound Of cotton, when possibly, nndrl
their melhuds, with their labor, upon their land u
actually Gusts l5 cents. VIC do hot need Sc
much to know what, in the opinion Of another man
nndrr circumstances far d .tirrcht from 0ur own, i
costs tn produce certain results, rs to know who
from his own pocket, ui,ist meet the expense. JUS
rs one mars expenses are not to BE- measured by an
other mans income, 20 one farmers results arc moi
to be measured by another farmers ineth"ds.
In the absence of governmental stations, can VT
not. to great advantage, begin innividnal experiment!
to determine The best methods that may be uniform
ly nrI,!R,l rn,lrr certain conditions for the best re-
suits: The results of such experiments rs the one
made by DR.. Hrllingrr. page ISL. and the one by
J. +. Calhoun. page ll6, IL given to The CHHirdt0'
will do much TO advance the interests Of agriculture