The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-24

geia Hotel at Old Point Comfort TO en-
gage in the production of vegetables,
milk, poultry, etc, for the hotel, he re-
moved to Old Point in 1885. This enter
prise was proving very successful ana
profitable until the sudden death OF MI
Phoebus. Finding that no satisfactory
arrangement could be made with the
heirs, he accepted an offer made by &he
Board of trustees of the Miller School
of Albamarle to organize an Agricultnr-
al Department in the school After max
ing Il tour of investigation through the
various agricultural colleges of the
South, he organized the department ana
undertook the improvement of the farm
of twelve hundred acres, and the deve!-
opment of the live stock interests. This
he did with such success that the crops
grown on that farm under his care were
the common talk of that section for
years. The experience gained in the cui-
tivation of the soil both in general agrl-
culture and horticulture from northern
Maryland to Virginia and south had
given him stock to draw upon when,
although he has had but few facilities !.t
Raleigh for work, has certainly enabled
him to help the farmers of this State.
In the summer of 1883 the Executive
committee of the Virginia Agricultural
College, consisting of j. Hoge Tyler,
the present Governor, and DIR. Bucha-
nan. Superintendent of Public lnstruc-
ton at that time, and Capt Nawter
who was Superintendent of Miller's
School, unanimously offered Prof. Mas
sey the chair of Agriculture in the V1r-
ginia college. He declined this at once
because he had no intention of leaving
Miller's school at that time The follow
ing summer he had concluded to seek
lighter work, and the same board re-
newed their offer. He found that the
Virginia College was in a state of tur-
moil and the faculty likely to all -
out, and SO he declined a second time Ii
the meantime he was in correspondence
with Mr. Primrose in regard to the chair
he now occupies. He accepted the chair
of the Department Of Horticulture and
Botany. and was at once elected.
In 1890 the University of Georgia Of
fered him the chair in their Agricultural
Department at salary of $500 per
annum, and urged HIM to accept. He
declined soley because he had just come
to the North Carolina college, had been
well received, and feared it would look
MS though he was always up to the
highest bidder.
lie has constantly endeavored to bring
the work of the college and stations home
to the farmers of the State, starting in
the beginning to encourage the farmers
TO write to the college on every topic that
interested them. They have done so %
Il greater extent than in any other State
of the Union This is shown hy the
fact that the postage account is the
largest of amy Experiment station in the
United States. lie has also been cngag
cd in agricultural journalism and has
been for Il number of years one of the
editors Of the Practical Farmer, pub
lished in Philadelphia, which they have
been trying 10 make Of special value to
Southern farmers, and as evidence III
this fact the paper has more subscribnss
in .,orfh Carolina than the whole Est OF
subscribers when he took hold of n Il He
also does work for the Southern III after,
a monthly farm paper publish ID Rich-
mond, Va, and also for the He 3 aul
Farm, semi-monthly PUBLIC On in
Louisville. Ky. In addition he y ftes oc-
casional letters when desireB for the
American Agricultural anH Country
Gentleman, and other agricultural pa
prs. The Limited time 1T his disposal
makes it impossible for him to accent
propositions made to him. All this COR
respondence, as well as that OF his d.
partment, is done mt night on typewrit-
er by himself He is member of the
American Pathological Society and chair
man of the Fish committee of the State
of North Carolina, also of the State Hor-
ticultural Society, and has belonged 10
the Maryland Society of American Flor
lists. He is Mason, and member Of the
Royal Arcanunl. In politics he is an
ardent Democrat. In religion he is
Methodist.