The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-09-04
WORK OF THE COMMISSIONERS.

The Cotton states ASSOCIATION OF
Commissioners of Agriculture held
it's second regular session in Raleigh
last week. This Association was or
gained in Atlanta in October of last
year, and a meeting was held in New
Orleans, january, 1900, when by the
efforts of Commissioner Patterson
Raleigh was selected as the place for
this meeting.
The Association held a very
profitable session here. We regret
that a larger number of North Caro-
lima farmers were not present. Very
many papers of interest and value to
the average farmer were read and
discussed.
The Association met Tuesday and
was happily welcomed on behalf of
the State by Governor Russell, him
self a f~rst-c1ass farmer with rice as
a speciality, and by Mr.. r. N. Simms,
one of Raleigh's most promising
young men, on behalf of the city.
The annual address by President
Stevens contained many stubborn
facts, presented in an entertaining
manner. Wequote a few paragraphs +:
''The possibilities of the soil and
climate of the South are such that
ours ought to be the richest section
of the Union. Considering the over
whelming disasters that were the
outcome of the great civil war, and
the difficulties that have beset our
people since it's close, the farmers of
the South have done we'll. For their
long and heroic struggle of thirty
five years, and for the difficulties
which they have overcome they de-
serve all praise. But the success of
some up-to-date Southern farmers,
where the best methods have been
employed, has been hardly less phe-
nomenal. This is a day of progress
on all lines. The farmer cannot
afford to be behind the manufacturer.
| Old methods must give way to better
and newer ones.
I'm view of the fact that the per
capita production of the farmers 9of
the South is only $177, while in New.
England it is $317, and in the West
1919, we venture the suggestion that
there must be something in our sys-
tenn which needs improvement.
Might not some changes in III farm
ing methods bring about the raising
of more grain and grasses, more
vegetables and fruit, more and better
beef cattle, more milk, butter and
cheese, more pigs and sheep, more
ready money in the pockets Of our
farmers, more property to the agri-
cultural classes hence more plenty,
oontentment and happiness among
all classes of u population?
"Let us urge the farmers of our
respective States to work upon
strict business principles, to live
within their means, to shun debt as
the open door to ruin, and to feel
that it is their duty to their families,
to their country and to their God to
improve the opportunities given
them. The farmer serves his gen
Grafton best who brings his land to
the highest state of fertility and pro
ductiveness, and will be praised &C
cordingly as hemakes in yield thirty,
sixty or a hundred fold. Let us inn
press upon them also the important
truth that variety of products means
increase of wealth. In the greatcot-
ton belt especially do they need to be
warned against putting all their
trust in one crop and ~neglecting
others"
On Tuesday night Hon. James Viii
son, our National Secretary of Agri-
culture, delivered an address on
Southern farming, which for thor
oughness and breadth has been sell
dom equalled. Mr.. Wilson is per
haps the most efficient Secretary of
Agriculture the country has yet had,
and one of the most popular mem
bers of President McKinley's cabi-
net. His deep interest in Southern
agriculture is appreciated by our
people. Just here it may not be out
of place to say that the head of our
State Department of Agriculture,
Commissioner Patterson, is by. no
means the inferior of any man who
has occupied that position since Col.
If is fortunate that tho hnoar