The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1898-11-12
FARMER AND PLANTER.
THOUGHTS FOR FARMERS.
ASdei Farms and Experiment. stations
Local Fsrmers' Clubs, Farmers'
Institutes

In each and every county through
out our heaven-blest sunny southland
there should be at least one farm tina
should be recognized by every rura
resident of that individual county a.
q model farm; a farm conducted OF
economical and comon sense princi
pies, and that should serve as an OBJ
ject lesson for the farmers of that
county.
This model farm should not be sun.
ported by an annual appropriation
from either the state or nationals gov.
ernments, but should be made self
sustaining from its very inception
with this single exception-that a
skillfui and progressive farmer should
be in charge of it, and fertilizers
should be furnished to him free of
cost for the first, second, and possibly
the third year, and salary paid the
farmer himself commensurate with
the Importance of the work in which
he is engaged.
This model farm should be an ex-
perimental farm in the most compre-
hensive meaning of the term. vet
everything about it shoul be intensely
practical. Mr.. John M. Claiborne in
the August 10 issue of Texas Farm
and Ranch, says there should be an
experimental station in the coast coun-
try, in the Panhandle, in east Texas
and in north Texas. We will go far
Their than that gentleman, and saw that
an experimental farm mot stationN
should be brought into being in each
and every county in the state. As
That gentleman says, object lessons
are the best mode of instruction.
hence the necessity for an object les
son IN every county, SO that all can
see. We don't need any more expert
mental stations, but we do need and
need them badly, more experimental
farms, where the more scientific teach.
lngs OF the stations may be reduced tn
practice.
Next In value. as source of educa.
tlon Tor the average farmer. we will
place local farmers clubs, and in con-
nection with said clubs, prize crons
Nothing is better for any farming
than the promotion of
friendly rivalry, a wholesome spirit of
among the farmers of that
community; and we know of no better
way OF bringing about this friendly
lvairy than for the farmers them
eives to meet together at regular
tated intervals and devise WAYS and
means whereby little money can be
aised for the special purpose of Of
erng prizes for the best acre, or five
ores, or ten acres, of corn. wheat.
ats, grass, hay, rye, Irish potatoes.
weet potatoes, melons, peanuts, or
ven cotton.
Next to farmers clubs, as an educa-
onal feature, we would place the agri-
altural press of the country. We con-
lder 1T superfuous for us TO state
hat 1t is just as important for the
'rmer to read up and study his bust
ess as 1t is for doctor to study his
edicine, the lawyer TO study law, the
reacher to study Gods Word, or our
magnates the laws govern
g supply and demand, exchange. etc. {
his study on the part of the farmer is
ot only just as important, but it is S
SO just as profitable and just es in Q
'itably essential. Ii
Next to farm journals, experiment ?
alton bulletins and farm literature
NEARLY fill quite an important niche [
the educational superstructure. t
tier raising one or two prize crops. f
e county fair will follow as matter il
course. 1t will be found one of the
a
Last on the list we will place farm g
3 Institutes. We wish we could v
ace it first, but, unfortunately t.
can not. Why not? Because farm
; institutes rarely reach the ones it N
especially desirable that they should p
ach, viz, the average farmer. The W
me is true of the agricultural press. a
e average farmer is difficult to
lch by these means. viii the model Il
experimental farm reach him? Yes. ca
mutually. Win the local farmers OF
lbs reach him? Yes, right at once. W
ere is no manner. of doubt about Sc
8. This is our honest opinion. Now. oil
8 hear from you. &C. II. Turner, in
rm and Ranch. ia