The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-08-20
THE STATE
FARMERS INSTITUTE.
ANNUAL SESSION AT GLEN
SON COLLEGE.
Address by Prof. w. J. Spill
man, Agrosto1Ogist of the
United States.

Clemson College is the Mecca of th
South Carolina farmers, ami during tn
month of August III each year the
make a pilgrimage to the old home
stead of John G.. Calhoun and for on
week are inspired by the great wor
now being done by this institution il
the interest of agriculture.
The State farmers institute Of Soutl
Carolina, held under the faculty of tn
college, met in the college chapel las
night, Professor j. s. Newman presid
ing. The exercises were opened witt
prayer by DR.. j. Is. Hunnicutt, edlto
of The Southern Cultivator.
Professor Newman gladly welcomed
the farmers and pointed out the many
benefits to be derived from such
gathering of the tillers of the soil
Here farmers can both teach and learn
and such interchange of ideas is edu
eating and very profitable.
During the past decade there has
been an advance in agriculture in the
South and this section should become
the greatest agricultural region on the
globe. Here is found an unexcelled
climate, and here can be grown not
only the crops common at the North,
but also those that belong peculiarly to
this section. Here the wheat overlaps
the cane, and during most months of
the year the farmer can furnish his
table with fresh vegetables and fruits
grown in his own garden and fields.
Let the farmers improve their methods
and thus aid in the development of our
common country. The purpose of the
experimental work at Clemson College
is simply TO ask questions of nature
and then by bulletins give her answers
and report results.
II. Q. Hamer responded in behalf of
the farmers and voiced their apprecia-
tion of benefits derived from these in
stitutes. Prosperity will come to the
farmer when he avails himself of scien-
tific Investigations and adopts approx
ed, up-to-dat agricultural methods.
The first regular lecture of the in.
stitute was delivered by Professor w.
j. Spillman, agIostologlst (Or grass
many of the United States department
of agriculture. Professor Spillman is a
native of Missouri, where he was edu-
Gated and where he taught for four
years. He then taught two years in
Indiana, three years in Oregon, seven
and one-half years in the State of
Washington, and since January L, last,
has been with the department of agri-
culture.
Professor Spillman's subject was
Improvement in Southern Agricul-
ture." He said that there wac really
but one industry in America, and that
was agriculture. In comparison all
other enterprises were mere side shows.
The invoice of agriculture footed up
twenty billion dollars. Poultry raising,
a mere feature of farming, was COM
pared with railroads. In 1897 poultry
and Its products aggregated in value
1927 ,000,0 {; in the same year rail-
roads were valued al $273 600, ,000-
showing an advantage OF $24 900 900
in favor of the hen.
In the South farmers endeavor to
produce an exclusive crop, and hence
fail of attaining permanent success and
profit. Here cotton is an almost uni
versal crop and has proven TO large
extent curse. No country can prosper
on one-crop system. This was illus
trated by exclusive wheat growing in
Oregon in the past and at present by
cotton growing in a portion of Texas.
The results were the same in each State
--ruination to the farmer.
TO improve conditions in the South
we must encourage immigration to this
section. The next wave should and
will come to the South and not go to-
wards the Pacific, as that section offers
no longer such inducements as this
Southland. In South Carolina the far
mers must feed the operatives in the
mills, and to do this must engage in
trucking and gardening.
The Southern farmer must diversity
his crops and engage in feeding live
stock. Other than live stock farming
no system of agriculture is possible for
any great length of time. Everything
grown should be fed back TO the land
either directly or indirectly, through
live stock, and thereby land can be
permanently improved. On every farm
one acre in. ten should be planted In
Bermuda grass. This is the best grass
known and is better in this section of
the South than blue grass is in Ken
lucky. One acre in Bermuda grass ii
worth more than three acres in cotton.
The Southern farmer has the finest
live stock country In the world, and
principally because the stock can be
fed on cheap feeds. 1t is not profitable
to usa feed costing more than 800 pei
ton, as does cotton seed meal.
Let the farmer grow grass on hi
own farm at cost of $3 70 $l5 pc
ton, feed this as hay and sell cattle
Beef cattle today is highor than eve
known before, and there is no reason
ever again to expect cheap beef. Year
ago the Northwest was stocked vi
with cattle, but not so today. Capital
lists began to Craze cattle on the plain
and beef was produced cheap, becaus
OF unlimited range. The live stock II
sections of the Northwest have cor
seguently been reduce so per CEN
The Western range on the plains
now being exhausted, and it takes II
day so acres, where few years ago
took but 10 acres, to Craze COW for
year. The Southern farmer can eve
find sale for his beef cattle and ,
profitable prices. To grow beef gu
cessfnlly, two things are essentia
first, never let the steer get hungr
and, second, the steer must be ft
cheap feed.
- Dairying is most certain to brir
profit, but requires constant work al
study. Dairying around the cottt
mills, which are springing up all ov
the South, should become very prof