The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-01-10
THE DOARD0F AGRICULTURE
Interesting Discussion as 10 the Cost
Of Raising Staple Crops.
FINE TaLK DIaDE BY mr.. AHDREWS.
Report Of the Committee on Analyt-
ical and Agricultural Chemistry.
Fertilizer Appropriation.
Speeches of Calamity
Ably Answered.
Special Dispatch to the virginisn.

RICHMOND. Va, January 9.-At
the meeting OF the Board of Agri.
culture to-day Maj. Gaines, CHAIR
man, submitted lengthy report
from the committe on agricultural
mud analytical chemistry, The re
ports deals largely with the question
OF fertilizers, showing that during
the past year the farmers Of Vir :
ginia purchased 156, 5S2 tons of
artificial fertilizers at cost of SO
per ton, nggregatlng S3,9l4, $50.
Add freight to this and we have d
total cost of 1850, 900.
Tne report declares that such an
enormous expenditure for fertilizers
is nnwise and improper aud recon-
mends that farmers pay moro ntten.
ton TO the manufacture of home
mauures.
A very interesting discussion was
brought out by statement in the
report that the staple crops in Vir
gina were grown at loss.
Col. Buford and Capt. Whitehead
thought that there was "A calamity
howl in the report that would tend
~ SNNSA 'hi utlOu.
Maj. koiner said that lie thought
that the truth should come out.
That we had sent out glowing re.
ports ns to the advantages of Vir-
ginin, which were in many instances
misleading, aud immigrants had
been deceived thereby to the detri-
| ment rather than to the promotion
OF the cnuse of immigration. The
way to get immigration was to tell
the simple truth and get the conf
dence OF home seekers.
Messrs. Buford and Whitehead
replied that they were as far as was
Major kolner from misrepresenting
the facts, but the report of the com
mittee would certainly produce the
impression on the reader that all
sorts of farming in Virginia was un.
profitable. That, they thought,
would be O most unfortunate state
ment to promulgate from this Board.
1t was not true and would do Vir
gina n gross injustice.
Maj. Gaines made stnmp speech
in his most interesting style, in
which he reviewed the condition of
affairs In Charlotte county, told how
much he had lost On his tobacco
crop and wound up by saying that
outsiders well understood the true
condition of affairs in Virginia, and
they couldn't be fooled. "You talk
| about not advertising enough" he
went on, "the trouble is tmat the
State is too well advertised. We
have social nud political problems ms
we'll rs problems of finance and ont
slders know too we'll what they
are"
Judge Henley. of James City,
said that he could not agree with
Maj. koiner and Maj. Gaines. In
his section tho farmers were doing
we'll and making mouey. Mai.
koiner snid that he had excepted
tho trucking business.
The report was amended so as TO
read that III some instances farming
was unproitable and as amended
was adopted.
At tho night session of the board
MIR. Andrews, of New York. ad
dressed the body and gave an inter.
esting talk III regard to his favora
hie impression with the advantages
and natural resources of this State,
and the possibility OF future invest
meuts III Virginia by Northern cap.
italists.
The board decided TO appropriate
81, 300 for the purpose of treating
soils and making fertilizer expert.
men,s. not more than $3.50 of this
sum to be used by one Congressional
district.
The board adjourned until 10
o clock tomorrow morning, when
the body will call upon the Gov.
ernor.