The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-11-04
THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY AND T
DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS.

twenty-third annual meeting of the North Caro-
lima State Horticultural Society Wednesday
night. The sessions are always interesting, but
that of this year was made especially noteworthy
by the presence of two of the most distinguished
horticulturists in the New World-Col. G. B.
Bracket, Pomologist of the United States De-
partment of Agriculture, and Prof. Liberty 81.
Bailey, of Cornell University, editor of Country
Life in America and author of "The Cyclopedia
of American Horticulture" These men came
not only to address this meeting of fruit-growers,
but also to act as judges of the exhibit of Western
North Carolina apples shown at the State Fair.
The ability and high character of the speakers,
and their knowledge of apple-growing in all parts
of the country, gave great weight to their utter
ances regarding the possibilities of this industry
in North Carolina.
DR.. Bailey spoke first, and in recognition of
the fact that his audience was composed of gen.
eral farmers as we'll as fruit-growers, touched
on a number of subjects not strictly horticul-
tural. He did not use manuscript, and the fol-
lowing report is made from notes taken by the
writer. Referring at the outset to the apple
exhibit at the Fair, he said that he had known
something of our mountain apples and had ex-
pected to see a good exhibit, but it surpassed
his expectations. "With such advantages, the in
QuSCry IS DOuQQ TO grow. L on u00u 10 duV0rG1S0
them. and let it be known in the North that you
can produce such fruit.
Nevertheless, the apple industry is only one
of the interests-and not the greatest-that are
to carry your agriculture forward. We in New
York, I know, have been too much welded to old
ideas, and I think the same thing is true of your
cotton farmers. A general mixed husbandry, a
variety of crops, is essential. Over in Arkansas
a few weeks ago l was introduced as knowing
everything about bone phosphate. AS a matter
of fact, [ know very little about the bone phos-
plate put up in bags, and my opinion is that the
bone phosphate that will do most for Southern
soils is the bone phosphate in the arms of your
farmers. Instead of buying so much plant food,
you need to treat your lands by Investigation
and rotation. It is astonishing to see what guam
titles of agricultural products consumed in the
South are grown in other sections.
"To make Southern agriculture prosperous,
there must be CD crop Investigation and rota-
ton; % more stock, and 60 some crop that will
add fertility to. the soil. The growing of the
cow-pea for the lands sake will do more for your
economic independence than any act Of Congress-.
Grazing and stock-raising need more attention.
It was the old idea that land should be rested;
now we know that it is best to keep it busy-if
we use the right kind of crops. Grass is the
crop you have most neglected. l have even
wondered if the much-abused Bermuda grass may
not be the salvation of many sections of the
South.
But now something more about your apple
exhibit. It has interested me greatly. Some of
you seem surprised that the judges to-day threw
out some large and well-formed apples because
of scab. But you must bear in mind that any
marking of scale or scab is a blemish, whatever
III o+bor -oo.;+a of 4ho fr71+ T bo11ovo -o,1 o~o
coming to spray; you'll have to do so. Your