The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-09-02
How Clemson Might Help AgrieuI.
turists More.
Thoughtful Letter From a Farm
er in Lee County Suggesting
That a Small Experiment Sta
ton in Each County of
the State,
Near the Court House, Would be Very
Useful in ImpartiDg knowledge of
and Arousinq Interest in Scien-
tific Farming.

To the Editor of The News and
Courier: I have recently fulfilled an
annual promise to myself of about six
years. standing, Of visit to the
Farmers Institution at Clemson.
They are doing big things there,
considering the Institution as whole.
Along the lines of industrial art, tex
tile and mechanical knowledge, l
think the progress made is wonderful
and should be source of great pride
to every South Carolinian.
While the experiments along the
agricultural lines are very interesting
and instructive, and reflect credit on
the management, / think there is
room for further development. Con-
sidering the great number of men now
actually engaged in farming, and the
very large majority of young men and
boys all over the State who will never
be able to take advantage Of the in
structions taught in the industrial
arts of that or any other college, but
will remain on the farm to cultivate the
soil, 1 think it of the greatest import
ance that the agricultural interest OF
the State be developed to the utmost,
and particularly in view of the fact
that we are forced to make our crops
on the worn and depleted soils which
must be done by different and more
scientific method than that obtained
by Qua forefathers, with the virgin
soil that made bounteous yields under
any system.
Thesdifferences of greatest import
ance which suggest themselves to me
are: First, that the only experiments
we have are conducted in one extreme
corner of the State, being very mac
cessible to at least 80 per cent. of the
people, and second, the experiments
made on the red clay hills, at Col
lege, are in many cases of little value
to farmers in the middle and lower
part of the State, with soil of entirely
| different character. A given amount OF
potash and fertilizer used in those red
clay hills would not likely give SINH
| lar results on the soils of Kershaw
Colleton or Beaufort, nor would sub
soiling of the soils of the low country
give same results as in the Piedmont
section.
'Tis true, bulletins are issued, and
great many are benefited therefrom,
but there are thousands all over the
State who never see bulletin and 90
not know that any are issued, and If
they did there are thousands who
would not, through prejudice against
book-farm1ng, and other thousands
who are incapable of being benefited
by such instructions.
AS for practical and inexpensive
plan for improvement, | would sug-
gest the establishment of experiment
grounds of five or ten acres at or as
near each county seat as practicable.
The same to be under the manage
ment of some practical farmer, who
would furnish the land by lease or
otherwise, and all to be under the gen
eral management and supervision Of
the agricultural manager, at Clemson
College, who would furnish fertilizers,
seeds and general directions as to the
experiments to be made. The pro-
ceeds of such experiments to go to the
resident manager as compensation for
his services Ii that should not be
enough, let Clemson College pay $500.
500 or more additional When the
amount of appropriation from the
United States Government for that
purpose besides that from State and
other sources, is considered, it would
appear small indeed.
At these county stations the differ
ent varieties of the staple crops, the
many kinds of grasses, clovers, vetch-
es and forage plants, small fruits and
many other things, the different kinds
and quantities of fertilizers, varying
the elements of plant food, thereby
showing in small but practical way
what is best suited to each locality.
There could also be used such i'm
proved agricultural implements that
are of real merit and are within reach
of the average farmer. What would