Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-10-07
FARMER AND PLANTER.
EXPERIMENTAL FARMING.
A Glimpse at the North Carolina Experi-
ment Farm and Its Valu-
able Work.

ment Farm and Its Valu-
able Work.
Probably no other experiment sta
ton is doing more to benefit the agri-
cultural community than that OF North
Carolina, located at Raleigh. The ex-
pertinent farm, which is owned by the
North Carolina State Horticultural So
ciety, and is carried on mainly in the
interests of horticulture by the horti-
cul tural society in connection with the
state experiment station, is at South
ern Pines, n. c. This location was
chosen because land suitable for the
purpose could be procured there at
comparatively low prices, Expert
ments are continually being made with
u view to specially beneliLting all
branches OF horticulture.
The object Of these experiments is
to determine the proper amount of the
different materials to be applied us
plant food to the various crops, and
not only TO fad the right amounts,
but also to determine in what form
each ingredient should be used. To
accomplish this end the ground is laid
out in plots of equal size, and differ
| cnt fruits and vegetables are planted
upon them, n number being devoted
to strawberries. the same number to
blaclSberries. grapes, pears, plums,
| peaches, apples, potatoes, cabbnges,
i 1,Ntg Of
any variety of fruit or vcgeta-
bles are fertilized alike. So many
different formations of plant food
are employed chat it requires some
thing like 30 plots for each vari-
| ETY. of fruit or vegetable. Different
forms and amounts of nitrogen are
used on different plots to determine
which form and amount may be best
for each different crop, and the same
is done with potash and phosphoric
acid, thus necessitating quite an acre
age of land and involving a very great
amount of labor. 1t is naturally of
the utmost Importance that these eX-
periments should be carried on with
great carefulness and intelligence;
they have, therefore, been placed un-
der the direction of slillful men who
will leave nothing to chance or guess
work
| All fertilizer materials are carefully
weighed and applied. Arecord OF each
plot is kept, showing the amodnt of
each ingredient and its form, and
when and how it was applied. The
product of each plot is carefully
weighed or measured, and u record
made of the same. In this way, by the
use of different forms and amounts of
each ingredient, and noting the results
upon the various crops, the amount
and form most profitable for each crop
can be arrived at. Now, when all
these results are tabulated and
reported and the reports dis
tributcd, they will constitute a worl,
of incalculable value, not only to the
farmers in the state Of North Carolina,
but the farmers throughout the coun.
try.
The good work of this farm goes still
further, and includes experiments for
destroying injurious insect md fungus
diseases. The state has enacted very
stringent laws for the destruction o.
the San Jose scale and other pests, and
also to eradicate peach yellows" anc
other fungi. In this respect some 9th
er states would do well to follow her
EXAMPLE.
The soil and climate OF North Caro-
lima make her eminently fitted for thu
production OF fruits and vegetables, II
> which she is encouraged by the trans
portation companies, which give ex
: cellent facilities for reaching gooC
= markets. Therefore it seems very wis
that the state should encourage horti
culturalists in their work, for this ex
perimental work would be very unlike
ly to be accomplished by individual ef
fort, as the average horticulturist anC
/ agriculturist is hardly competent u
carry on such work even If he hat
! the time and means to do it. Thel
| again, by having these expert
ments conducted in body Il
e one place aud under the supervision o
t capable men, the expense can be great
t ly reduced, and anyone who chooses
= can profit by the object lessons give,
! at the farm, 1t is far cheaper to prof
n by another's experience than for eacl
t individual to learn everything by ex
: perimcnting for himself
All it costs one to get the benefit c
= the experience of those who conduc
!. the experiments at the farm is the tim
e necessary to carefully read the report
n which are furnished free on applici
:, ton. At the same time indivldua
= experiments should by no means b
r discouraged, but rather the contrary
l. 1t is good for everyone to investigat
O for himself Gf he cam, and also TO Sc
4 what others are accomplishing.
/. would be well for everyone who ca
j. spare little time and money, to Wis
Y the experiment farm at Southern Pine
II. c., and see for himself what is b
n ing done there. Whoever does SO wi
n hardly fail to appreciate the wisdo
4 Of the state of North Carolina in Ell
= couraging and maintaining by her al
n such work as the experiment farm {
/. Southern Pines. u. NJ. White, in Farm
ers Home Journal
' MICCInM 0E THE EApM