The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-23
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The first address of the day was at 8
O'Clock in the morning, by Prof F. l..
Stevens, of the A. and NJ College. He
was introduced by President George T.
Winston. and spoke on Some Easily Pre-
yentibie Plant Diseases"
Among other things he said that the oat
smut alone does about $1S,Oo0. 900 damage
yearly to the crop of the United States.
In North Carolina amounts to about
IS per cent of the crop. The yield of oats
for 1889 was 1891 900, and the loss to this
crop approximated $247 900, or the interest
on about $500 900. This loss is abso-
Lutte to the farmer, and can be prevented
completely at cost of about 4 cents per
acre.
Another preventible disease is potato
scab. in which an outlay of 10c per acre
will oftentimes increase the profits by SO
per cent.
The rust on the u Pc tree can be pre-
vented by cutting out the cedar trees IN
the neighborhood. The peach curl can be
prevented by spraying, and the fire blight
of the pear by proper. trimming.
The late blight of the potato, which
caused the famine in Ireland in 1345, and
which is frequent in this country, can
be prevented by spraying, often raising
the yield as much as 40 per cent
All of these diseases are direct losses
to the pocket of the farmer, and little
wide spread knowledge as to the method
cf prevention, followed by the active prac-
tice. viii result in large saving to the
state. We often hear the farmer saying
there is now an oveTproductions and that
an increase in the amount of the crop Is
a damage. This argument IS fallacious,
however. inasmuch as we cannos prevent
our neighbor from raising full crops, and
that farmer who can raise the largest crop
most cheaply viii succeed best. Farmers
must take advantage of every advance of
science. just as men in every other voca-
tion have done, in order to secure the
greatest measure of success.
Mr.. WILLIAM DUNN.
The next topic discussed was Intensive
Farming" First Mr. William Dunn, of
New Bern, spoke of Trucking. He said
in part.
lone of the chief objects to be kept in
view. is early production, to reach mar
ket before sections lying further north:
For example. first comes Bermuda, then
Florida. followed by Savannah, then Char
lesion. then Eastern North Carolina, fol-
lowed by NOTlOlk, eO-. II Shc SSooOh DN
inst right. each section will have about
two weeks in which to market each crop.
.oThe intensive method, as practiced with
lis in the trucking section, and which has
been in vogue for a long time. is, by
thorough cultivation and preparation OF
the soil with heavy application OF fertil-
yer. to obtain, in favorable seasons large
results: For example, the average yield
of the potato crop on good soil with mod
crate cultivation and fertilization is forty
barrels per acre. Better cultivation with
larger application of fertilizer, provided
the season be favorable, will produce 80
barrels. on extra good soil, with $500
pounds of high grade fertilizer, have
known 100 barrels, and even as much as
40 barrels from choice land. obtained
per acre.
''T'his subject of irrigation is one OF IN
tense interest, but it is one which | am
not prepared to discuss in all its phases.
The difference in the texture of soils,
makes different methods of irrigation adj
visable and applicable; for instance, on
sandy soils such as we have in the east,
'he sprlnklng or spraying application of
water to the crops, while the most ex-
pehslVe Is IN reality the only feasible
method and the one adopted by a few of
ene most progressive farmers.
ne system is carried out by a net
work OF iron pipes. ahout An CO. art,