The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-28
FARMERS INSTITUTES.
Some Points About Experiment. Station
Literature.

Some Points & bout Experiment Station
Literature.
Editor Morning NelCs: Under the head
ing, Educating the Farmer" In your issue
of the 2lst. Heidi" makes some very per-
limited circulation of the reports of
the department of agriculture and
the bulletins of the experiment
station. MIR. Heidi" is evidently an ap-
preoiative reader of the bulletins of this
station, and am very glad he has called
attention to the subject. Every reasonable
effort has been made to reach every
reading farmer in Georgia with our bnlle-
tins A copy of each bulletin is sent
regularly TO every newspaper in the state,
and generally O request" to the editor
printed on the title page in red ink, to ad-
vertise to his readers that the bulletin will
be sent regularly. free, TO any farmer who
requests it. / have sent a large poster to
each Of more than half the postoffices in the
state. calling the attention of farmers TO
the bulletins and urging them to send their
names to this office.
Hon. r. T. Nesbitt, commissioner
Of agriculture, whose duty it is
to republish all station llletins,
has reprinted many hundred thousands
of them in the form Of supplements to the
country newspapers. Each copy Of every
bulletin Issued contains the usual notice
that bulletins will be sent regularly free,
to any farmer who requests the same"
1t must be remembered that the United
States law establishing or authorizing these
stations, provides that "bulletins or reports
of progress, shall be published at said sta
lions at least once in three months, one
copy of which shall be sent TO each news
paper in the states or territories in which
they are respectively located, and to such
individuals actually engaged in forming
as may request the same, as far as the means
OF the station will permit" This clause was
evidently intended to prevent indiscriminate
and iujudicIous distribution. 1t would be
an easy matter to make up a list OF all the
farmers in Georgia, by the aid of the tax
lists OF each county. But to send a copy OF
each bulletin TO such a list (which the law
does not authorized would require all the
funds at the disposal of the station to pay
for printing alone. Thousands of Georgia
farmers cannot read many more thousands
do not take time to read.
But IL is not so bad as Mr.. Heidi seems to
think. have now 5000 "bona fide" sub
scribers-Georgia farmers-On my mail
books. The list is growing daily. Only an
hour ago l added twenty-four names, re-
ceived during the last few davs | sent
forty copies to farmers and others in Chat
ham county, and many moro to other
counties.
The suggestion by Mr.. Heidi that It would
pay to have a lecturer on agriculture to
travel over the state, ETC., and to hold
meetings in every county, is exactly on
the right line. 1t is what is being done in
many of the northern states. 1t is the
germ6l idea Of the farmers institute, many
of which have been held in this state the
past spriuG and summer by President II. @.
White and Prof. James B. Hunnicutt, at
several OF which l had the honor to assist.
Farmers need encouragement; they need in
formation, both scientific and practical I;
they are willing to hear and quick to learn.
Roll on the ball, Mr.. Heidi. You are en-
listing in good cause. Farmers have had
enough of politics, for the present at least
let them have bread, not stones We want
earnest, enthusiastic, competent men-wlth-
out axes to grind-nen who are in sympa-
theUic touch with the farmers, and who can
help them to help themselves by adopting q
more rational and, therefore, more profitable
system OF farming, and SO lay broad ald
deep the foundations Of our future pros
perity and happiness.
These farmers Institutes are working
we'll in the north. The station workers,
the agricultural college professors, and in
teligent, successful farmers, who know
how to tell what they know. are co-operab-
ing in the effort to carry scientific, practi-
cal and business knowledge to almost the
very doors of the farmers. The gov
eminent cannot do everything for the
people. The incoming administration
whatever it may do-cannot cause PROS
perity to flash over the country homes as
the sunshine from the passing away
cloud There must be intelligent, earnest
home effort. Farming has received less
aid from the discoveries and developments
of science than any of the other avocstions
of life, and is tagging behind all Others
We must be up and doing, and regain the
proud position of thirty odd years ago,
when the planters of Georgia were lenders,
instead of borrowers. r. J. BEDDING.