The Progress., 1892-12-10
MORE ABOUT THE EXPERIMENT
STATION.


In our last issue we closed with the
statement that the farm was now ex
perimenting with fifteen kinds of
fruit, consisting of 49, varieties. The
nursery is not yet complete as the
six acres now in cultivation IN fruit
will soon be increased to ten and the
species and varieties will be further
increased.
Leaving the orchard and following
our conductor, Major j. q. Lee, we
continued our inspection of the prem
ises and soon came TO that portion
allotted to experiments in grasses
and forage crops We found here 80
varieties of grasses, 6 of clover, Of
oats, l of barley and l of rye. Of
the grasses thus far experimental
with the Bermuda as Summer artl-
Gle and has been found the best, while
for general purposes the Texas blue
grass outrivals al, as it remains
green year in and year out,
and is in luxurant growth when all
other kinds has become withered and
blasted by the Winters breath.
The past year tests were made
with As varieties of cotton, IL of
which were of various specimens Of
the long staple There were also 30
varieties Of corn, Is of field peas, and
.26 of Irish and II OF sweet potatoes.
The latter was composed of Southern
Queen, Negro Killer, New Jersy,
Shanghai, Sugar Yam, Pumpkin
Yam, Hayman and Vineless. Quite
a discussion arose among the fifteen
or twenty practical farmers present
as to which of these varieties was en-
titled to the palm for superior ex-
cellence. Several had warm admir-
ers, but majority were Of the opln-
ion that the Southern Queen was the
best for the market, in that it could
be placed thereon from LOST of August
to the Ist of September, and that 1t
was also the most prolific, but as a
table vegetable the sugar or yellow
yam was decidedly the queen of its
kind.
Considerable information was also
cleaned in reference to the Irish po-
tato. 1t was fully demonstrated there
and that by an intelligent farmer lIv-
ing about six miles from the station,
that not only could they be raised
here from their own seed, but like
wise two crops could be made In one
year. This gentleman is Dir. s. N.
Camp, who lives at FOrksville, Union
parish. and he exhibited splendid spec
linens of the Peerless from a second
crop from their own seed. This sec
ond cropis planted any time from
July Is to August lst, the former be-
ing preferable. Irish potatoes can
also be well preserved during the
Winter by spreading in a cool, shady
dry place and cover them with leaves
and brush, and a little dry dust or
sand if desired. This statement was
given out by both Msjor Lee and MIR.
Camp, the latter of whom raised so
bushels to the acre III this second
Grop.
In tie matter of stock there are
four kinds of cattle, the Jersey, Hol-
stem, Guernsey and Devon with sew
eral of hogs ane sheep. These are
raised simply that stock raisers may
be their own judges of which breed
is best fer the c0aniry and climate.
There are also II strains of chickens
with the. Brown LeghCn and Plymoth
Rocks as the favor;tes with the man
ager.
Among. the items OF greatest inter
est was the; minerahure forest OF jute
which with Its stalks towering L feet
high seemed.a ver;table black wall in
the distance.
As the clock struck ats twelfth stroke
the visitors were notified that the |
hour for the meeting he'd arrived and
we all sought the inelusure of the
hall to hear what men of experience
and foresight oD the question of the
day-What are the results of the
past year aud what policy do they !
teach us sor the future? On this |
point we were .nuch]y entertained by I
a shorts pointed. speech from Mr.. S.
N. Camp, who said that the present
advance in cotton would teach the
farmers to plant more cotton, and the
result would be that at this time next
wear all the farmers would be hun
gry-because cotton would sell for
nothing-while now all had plenty to
eat. Solomonie words which we sim
cerely hope that all present and those
who read this Article viii hearkan to.
The discussion on this subject was
more or less entertaining, but the
main feature of this meeting was the
interest. .centered lie tobacco raising.
That this plant can be successfully
raised isfnlly believed and several
are enthusiastically going into its
cultivation as an experiment looking
to planting for remuperatiye crop.
At the station were samples of beau
tiful golden leaf, while Mr.. Camp had
the remains of plug growr on his
place and cnred at the farm which {
would tempt the palate OF any ,tebac- ]