Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-08-29
Commissioners OF AoRi-
CULTURE.
AN ADDRESS BY SECRETARY OF
AGRICULTURE WILSON.
{By Telegraph to virglnian-Pilot.)

~
Raleigh, N. c.. Aug. 2S.-The Com
missioners OF Agriculture of the Cot
ton Suites held their opening session,
beginning at noon, to-day. The SEES
sion was held in the new auditorium
or the Agricultural Department.
The meeting was opened with prayer
by Rev. DR.. Marshall, of this city.
Governor Russell then welcomed the
visitors on behalf of the State. He
said 1t was always pleasure to him
10 welcome any one to the State and
he welcomed the visitors in the most
cordial terms. He especially welcomed
ANY people or association which had
Tor Its object the betterment of the
farmers, who were the basis of pros
perity. The welfare of the farmer was
the welfare of all. Years ago. he soid
the farmers believed that cotton was
King. and cndcavored to subject the
world to the idea by the raw material.
put they Fave learned that for cotton
to be King they must manufacture it Iii
inc section In which 1t is grown, as
they are now doing. Instead OF sell
ing 1t at six cents, as then, they are
now sending 1t out as a manufactured
product worth twenty cents a pound.
MIR. Il. N. Simms. of Raleigh, then
welcomed the visitors on the part of
the city.
Commissioner Patterson. of North
Carolina. stated that Colonel Cunning
manu- WIZ WslS u NAVE WeICOfncu tne
association in behalf of the Agricu-
tural Department, was unable TO be
present on account OF death in his
family. Mr.. Patterson made a few re-
marks.
There were several responses to the
address OF welcome.
Tonight Secretary Wilson, of the
Agricultural Department. Washington.
D. c.. delivered tho following address,:
MIR. WILSON'S SPEECH.
Secretary Wilson said there was no
agricultural product that. the Depart
mcnt OF Agriculture makes greater
effort to report upon accurately than
the cotton crop. Detailing the organi-
zat'on of this service. he pointed out
that there were in all 1900 regular
correspondents in the cotton-growing
States largely as the result of the
special measures put in operation. the
department was able last December to
publish an estimate of the crop that
has proven to be within one-tenth of
l her cent. Of the figures shown by it's
subsequent movement. From the de-
partments latest sources of informa-
ton. he said, there were now in North
Carolina 16S mills, .22.17S looms. .003 PCS
spindles. which consumed $50, 232 bales
of cotton in 1899. The total consump-
ton in the Southern States for the year
was 1.40o,02G bales The Secretary es-
tiinated that one-fifth of the crop OF
featured within the South's borders.
FIGURES OF EXPERTS.
Pointing to the figures of exports of
raw cotton manufactures, Secretary
Wilson said: when we found the
United States loaning money to sew
eral foreign countries. and certain
lines of manufactured cotton goods be-
ing bought in the United States by
dealers in Scotland, it indicates very
emphatically the position now occupied
by our country among the nations OF
the earth" He referred to the fact
that the Southern States have much
heavier rainfall than the Northern
States. and that the Southern States
suffer much more from the drought
than do the States of the Mississippi
valley. The cnuse, he said, is to be
found In the condition of the soil. In
there Isl a deep soil full of humus,
much less rainfall will mature crops.
The Southern States have been under
cultivation for long time. Humus.
decaycd vegetation. Is becoming scarce
in the SOIL When the soil is we'll
stocked with humus 1t is able to re-
tain moisture. He suggested the prac-
ticability of Southern cultivators re-.
placing the humus in their soil by
growing grasses and logumes, because
there is great demand at the present
time and probably always will be for
ilTSl-ClaSS nOTScS, cattle. SneeD ana
other grazing animals. The Southern
cultivntor, he added, is famed for his
excellence as flock master.
THE SOUTII'S COTTON CROP.
THE cotton crop of the South" he
said, has been suffering on account
rains. There are, of course, methods
by which the bad effects of heavy
rains on bottom lands can be avoided
that no doubt are well-known to in
telligent cultivators in the South. a
granler problem Is the loss of crops
from drouth and the necessity Of
adopting systems OF management that
will prepare the soil to resist to as
great extent as possible. 1t would be
long continued drouths. 1t would be
entirely practicable on your billy lands
to double the amount of cotton grown
by putting the land into grazing pas
lures or even meadow condition. where
the cotton is taken off by the @lower
or by green manurng.'
DEMAND FOR HORSES.
The Secretary pointed to the great
demand abroad for first-class bred
horses, and especially such horses as
arc more common to the South than
anywhere else. 1--WE can produce" he
said, such cattle and such meats as
are wanted in foreign countries. and
FIRING the best prices there, cheaper
Than they can be produced elsewhere.
Two influences" he said, in conclu-
sion, are at work to help the Southern
farmers. One is n better home market
and the other is less competition from
the great West. The former. he said
will come largely from the large per-
ccntasc of Southern workers. who in
future will devote their lives to man
ufacturing and the latter from the
production of the great Mississippi
valley turning westward more and
more to find markets in the mountain
States, the Pacific coast and the far