The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-08-21
THE STATE
FARMERS INSTITUTE.
ANNUAL SESSION AT GLEN
SON COLLEGE.

ANN UAL SESSlON AL CLENl
SON COLLEGE.
Address by Prof. w. J. Spill
man, Agrosto1ogist of tn
United States.
Clemson College is the Mecca of tn
South Carolina farmers, AMI during tn
month of August III each year the.
make pilgrimage TO tho old homo
stead Of John G. Calhoun anu for on
week arc inspired by the great worl
the interest of agriculture.
The State farmers institute OF Soutf
Carolina, held under the faculty of the
college, met in tho college chapel las
night, Professor j. S. Newman presid
ing. The exercises werc opened with
prayer by DIR. j. B. IIunnicutt, editor
of The Southern Cultivator.
Professor Newman gladly welcomed
the farmers and pointed out the many
benefits to be derived from such a
gathering of the tille1s Of the soil.
Hero 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 au uncXcolled
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 tho 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. g. Hamer responded in behalf of
the farmers and voiced their approcia-
tion of benefits derived from these in
stitutes. Prosperity will come to tho
farmer when he avails himself Of scien-
titic Investigations and adopts approx
ed, ur-to-date agricultural methods.
The first regular lecture Of the in.
stitute was delivered by Professor w.
j. Spillman, agrostologlst Cor grass
man) Of tho Unitod 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 tho department of agri-
culture.
Professor Spillman's subject was
Improvement in Southern Agricul-
ture." Ho said that there was really
but ono 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,
mere feature OF farming, was COM
pared with railroads. In 1897 poultry
and Its products aggregated in value
1897 100000 in the same year rail-
roads were valued at $273, 900, ,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 a large
eXtent curse. No country can prosper
on one-crop system. This was illus
trated by exclusive wheat growing in
cotton growing In portion Of Texas.
The results were the same in each State
--ruinatiOn to the farmer.
10 improve conditions in the South
We must encourage immigration to this
section. The next wave should and
will come to tho South and not 20 TO-
yards tho Pacific, rs that section offers
no longer such Inducements as this
Southland. In South Carolina the far.
mers must feed tho 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 fol
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 BIZ
permanently improved. On every farm
ouc acre Ill Icu buOulu 10 plduIcu IL
Bermuda grass. This is the best grass
known and is better in this section o.
the South than blue grass is in Ken
tHcky. One acre in bermuda grass il
Worth more than three acres in cotton
The Southern farmer has the fines
live stock country IN the world, ant
principally because the stock can b.
fed on cheap feeds. It is not profitabl
to rsa feed costing more than 800 pc
Z ton, as does cotton seed meal.
{ Jet the farmer grow grass on hi
Awn farW at a cost Of $b to $l5 pp
ton, feed this as hay and'sell cattle
Beef cattle today is hlgher than eve
known before, and there is no reaso
s. eyer again to expect cheap beef. Yea,
ago the Northwest was stocked u
with cattle, but not so today. Capita
ists began to GRACE cattle on tho plain
Bnd beef was produced cheap, becaue
nf unlimited ranoa The 1.-Two al no1, g,