The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1900-08-17
The Farmers Institute.

As previously announced in the co
umns of the herald, this body m,
IN the Courthouse at Farmville, on la,
Friday at 10 a. m, and was prompt
organized 10y the selection of Mr.. j. y
Morton, as Chairman, and MI inc
Gillian, as Secretary.
There were present from dstanc
Commissioner of Agriculture G. w
> koner, Prof :. Heiges and Mr. :. +
Barber, of Pennsylvania, and Mr.
Barker, of Henry county, Va.
: Judge Crute in a few well chosen
words, made the speech of welcome
to which Commissioner Koiner appro
priately responded Without further
preliminaries the business program
was at once taken up, and Mr. l.. b.
Nalthall, one of Prince Edward
most successful tobacco growers, read
an interesting and instructive paper on
the culture and curing of that, to this
county, most important crop. He
! spoke from experience, was atteutively
listened TO and no doubt gave useful
suggestions to his brother farmers. He
prefers to plant from the LIST to 10Th of
June, from Is to s inches above the
level OF the ground, in rows running
North and South, TO house promptly,
TO cure carefully, handle thoughtfully,
and from start to finish to manage
well.
lie was followed 10y Mr.. Barker, one
of the large and prosperous farmers of
Henry county, who, though introduced
TO talk with special reference to the
growth and management Of bright to-
baccO, took occasion 10 discuss the all
round duties of farmers, and offered adj
vice Of most practical and useful kind
He laid great stress on the necessity
and value of diversified farming; said
he never bought bushel Of corn or
bale of hay in his life and that the
most effective method for the farmers
to flight trusts was to he sure to have !
enough to eat at home for man and |
beast" He emphasized the impor-
lance of the corn crop and boldly af-
firmed, that which the HERALD has so |
persistenty contended for, that AS
good crops Of corn can be raised on |
Prince Ed ward lands as on those Of the |
valley. Deep breaking up and then
reasonably shallow plOwing for the
corn crops he impressed on his audi
ence. Mr.. Barker has only grown
bright or fancy tobacco, and his sug-
gestions were on that line, though III
many particulars he agreed with the
views Of Mr. WalthalI
This Henry county farmer looks like
a prosperous one, cheerful hopeful,
genial and a worker. He has no re-
spect for the farmer afraid of cold or
heat, too fond Of the goods box in front
of the store or of politics, nor for the
man who doesn't tighten the house
hold burdens Of the good wife.
lie believes in home canning, but
has contempt for the man who won't
gather the fruit and put it in reach Of
those who are to do the rest of the
work.
The talk Of Mr.. Barker, (he more than
once said, al am no speaker,") was a
valuable contribution to the farming
literature Of our day.
At the close of his address, Major n.
r. Venable expressed the thanks OF
all present, and then offered resolu-
ton asking that Prince Edwards
claims for an Experimental Station
with special reference to tobacco cul-
.ure should be properly considered by
he committee having charge Of the {
matter of its location. Mr.. Barker, as {
member of that committee, gave as
,urauce that tins would be done. {
After dinner Prof 5. b Heges, OF
Pennsylvania, a scholar and a farmer G
# practical experience, addressed the c
Meeting on the mode of planting and c
airing for the orchard. a
As to position M prefers upland to 5
owland, and recommended a South 1
IN exposure until Major Venable re- t
minded him that the Northern was z
,est for this section, and having heard I
he reasons of the Major agreed with a
lin. lie recommended land not too Y
ich, but believes in keeping the trees il
veil worked and well MANFRED, prefer a
ng barn yard manure, and not placed t
around the body Of the {
rec. but i'm circle covered by the
Iroopiug limbs. Trees should not be p
flowed to be broken down with fruit, il
,ut the fruit should be thinned by
,ulling. Forty apple trees to the acre, &
cultivated every year, but not IN corn, {
We. or any tail growth, and hereshould :
,e crop well nigh every year. Frost
will sometimes kill, and rain will some
ines drown out, but with these eX-
options the crop should be certain, and t.
10 "ofi years"
Mr.. >. f. Barber also Of Pennsylva- .
Tia. then took up the subject of dairy h
ny, making "A most sensible, practical {
nd interesting address.