The free press. (Southern Pines, N.C.) 1898-19??, 1898-12-30
EXPERIMENT FARMING.
What is Being Done in Behalf of Prac-
ticaI Agriculture by Agricultural
Colleges and f pertinent Stations.

What is Being Done in Behalf of Prac-
ticaI Agriculture by Agricultural
Colleges and Experiment. Stations.
The beginner in every trade or pro
fesson is compelled to draw his wis
dom from the accumulated experience
of others. These experiences are tab
ulated and published in convenient
forms for students of all kinds. Young
lawyers with their first case consult
standard law books and learn Just what
has been done under similar circum-
stances. Medical students at the be-
ginning Of their professional career
have before them in convenient forms
as guide the experiences of the
worlds greatest physicians and sur
geons; aud so it is in all the so-called
learned professions. The profession OF
farming, however has been rather
backward along these lines, and only
during the past few years have any
great strides been made. The estab-
lishment of Agricultural Colleges and
Experiment stations has led to Won
dertul improvements and it is now con-
sidered as necessary for young man
who expects to follow farming to re-
ceive training in the special schools Of
agriculture as for the young doctor or
lawyer to 90 through the school Of
medicine and jurisprudence.
Another gratifying evidence of the
elevation Of the profession Of farming
is the tendency of those who follow it
to "speciaIize,' This is as it should
be. The range OF farming is broad, it
covers many special lines, and the man
who concentrates---thu giving his time
and labor to a particular branch---usu-
ally makes the best showing. This fact
is evidently recognized by the expert
ment stations because no one Of these
institutions attempts to deal with all |
the problems which confront the gen
era farmer. We see, for example,
one station directing its main efforts
towards Improvements in dairying |
matters. In another various tests
with fruits aud vegetables absorb the
attention of the experts. while an
other may concern itself with the i'm
portant question of plant feeding. This
is one Of the most serious questions |
which confront the farmer to-day, how |
to feed his crops so as to get the great |
est returns FROM the smallest invest
ment. Prices of agricultural products
are low, marsius between the profit
and loss are almost indisCernible, and |
no small amount of ability |
10 put the balance on the right side of
Ge ledger.
An institution established about
nhree years ago TO work out important
problems in plant-feedng and which is
wv becoming well known Throughout
- co"rt"v Is tho FvpnrinnNt Farm
of the North Carolina State IornguI- |
tural Society at southern Pine. North |
Carolina. The land upon which the
farm is located is ideal for experiment
al work 1t is of a light, sandy nature,
very uniform in composition and quite
level. There are two divisions. one
devoted to experiments with fruits and
the other" TO vegetables. The plots
are laid off with mathematical accuracy
and the three recognized essential in
gradients of plant food, phosphoric
acid, potash and nitrogen, are applied
in various combinations and forms so
as TO afford farmers and fruit growers
an opportunity to become thoroughly
familiar with their action The de-
tailed work of this institution is under
the supervision Of trained experts.
Regular annual reports giving an ac-
count of what has been done during the
year are issued and distributed among
farmers. The Supervising Committee
Of the Farm also issue bulletins on
topics Of interest TO farmers, and give
hem to all who are interested. The
writer recently received set Of these
books from the Superintendent and
ound them to be of great practical
,alue.
The work being carried on at this
Farm is probably the most thorough
n this line in the United States and
will be of untold value to the agricul-
ural and horticultural world. Every {
me who derives living from tllng
he soil would do well to study the
work Of this Experimental Farm and :
likewise of every other Experiment '
station in this country. a
BRYAN TYSON.
Long Leaf, n. c. +