The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-04-10

fNAtN~ "a A&AAhCA4AF Af bI oSitCA1 aEl4s IN
pAnd the views and opinions of all
who participate, that develops more
and more a. the work progresses.
In Iact a farmers Institute is a school
iii which the experiences Of practi-
cal men in the various branches Of
agriculture for nearly n life time is
gwen without money and without
price, TO aid their fellow co-laborer
IN achieving more success in their
several callings.
The calling OF the farmer is Il
great study, lifelong work, and no
one can be successful in the pursuit
Of the vocation without a knowledge
OF the the principles upon which it is
founded. We reed constant inter
courses with each other to be able to
pursue with success this great study.
And how better can this be accom-
Elished than through Farmers Insti-
tute5 when the information and
cooperation necessary NAV be had?
The State of Wisconsin no doubt
has achieved more success and has
as a natural consequence, received
more benefit from the special work
Of Farmers Institute than any otner
section Of this continent so far as
my information extends. And |
would think that our own people
could be induced to undertake the
great and good work with the same
spirit and enthusiasm.
The President then introduce
ed Prof. J. Il. Cha mberlain, who
opened the discussion on
HOMEMADE FERTILIZERS.
The following is the gist Of
the Professors highly entertain
ing and instructive discussion of
the very important subject:
The slow and gradual develop
ment of farming can be traced down
all the ages Ot'the past. Each epoch
has its improvements in agriculture
the sal-e as i'll all departments of
trade and professions. He who neg
Iects to keep step with the march of
time must, in the course Of events,
fall behind and become the little
fish in the great sea of progress.
Science in the past few years has
made wonderful advancement, and
we stand to-day with strained eyes
and open mouth and look with won
der and admiration on new facts as
they are brought to our notice. Yet
the same simple laws govern all to-
day that governed it ages gone by,
and when these old truths appear in
new forms we can't help but say
WOndrous things ale being done,
new facts are being discovered.
We live ina an age of advancement.
Close competition is croWding Us on
every hand. We are not exempt in
agriculture. and many of us, in Or
der to keep up our incomes, have
been Willtully eXhausting our lands
without considering the consequen-
ces. We find we must change our
methods. We all know something
must be done, but there we stop.
IUMDHUM FARMING.
| heard Gov. Holt once say that if
he used the same machines and toll
lowed the same methods he did 15
years ago in spinning cotton he would
be bankrupt in six months. Can
we not draw lesson from this?
There has been but little change
in the methods followed in farming
since we were boys, and we find our
selves to-day reaching that condition
i'll which England found herself one
hundred years ago, her lands de-
pleted in fertility, her trade slipping
away and a starving people looking
with anxious eyes towards some
means by which they could improve
their condition. One hundred years
ago the farming lands of England
had become too poor to longer pro-
duce profitable crops. The best
minds of the country commenced to
to investigate the cause and look for
which would aid the peo-
pie and restore the land to a profita.
bic state Of fertility. England solv-
ed the mystery and for one hundred
years her lands have been growing
more fertile and her farms richer.
ENGLAND's REMEDY.
She recognized the truth that if
there was continued substraction with
out any addition there would come
a time when there would be nothing
further to SubStract from. Without
her people had been selling
off the products of her lands and had
not returned the elements of plant
food taken away in the form of
grain and produce.
Rotation, diversification and stock
are the meansby which England has
changed, in few years, her lands
from 4 depleted condition to one of
the most productive countries the
sun shines upon.
GREAT IMPORTANCE OF STOCK.
Stock [ consider the main founda
ton on which we are to construct the
new agriculture. IF we raise stock
to the best advantage we must of
necessity rotate and diversity. We
make the mistake very often of cal
culating the return to Us in cash
from the sale of a certain crop with
out taking into account the loss of
fiertiliZing materials from the soil
for the production and sale ofthat
crop. We must turn our attention
to stock raising, not because there is
great profit in it, but because it will
help Us to retain the fertility Of Our
land and increase the yield of our
money crops. Circumstances and
taste must guide US in the selection
Of kind, breed and characteristics,
but we must select some kind Of
stock and turn our attention to this
industry.
For one | can never turn a cold
shoulder to butter and cheese max
ing, because of properly conducted
it is a source of great wealth. [ do
not say that this can ever become
q dairy comfy but if can ha Soma-