The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-07-28
SOME FINE PAPERS READ
Prof. Stevens, Mr.. Dunn, Mr.. Black
nall, DR.. Kilgore, Mr.. Daughtrldge,
Mr.. Colt, Prof. Kendall. Prof.
Bnrkett and Prof, Butler.
From News and Observer. July p.

From News and Observer. July p.
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 L.
Winston, and spoke on Some Easily Pre-
%yentible Plant Diseases"
Among other things he said that the oat
smut alone does about SIS, DOC, 900 damage
yearly to the crop of the United States.
In North Carolina amounts to about
IS per cent of the crop. The yield or oats
for 1899 was 1891, 900, and the loss to this
crop Appropriated s247, 900, or the interest
on about $4,000, 900. This loss is abso-
lutte to the farmer, and can be prevented
completely at a cost Of about 4 cents per
acre.
Another preventible disease is potato
scab, in which an outlay OF 10c per acre
will oitentimes increase the profits by 90
per cent.
The rust on the apple 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 1915, and
which is frequent in this country, can
be prevented by spraying, often raising
i the yield as much as 440 per cent.
All of these diseases are direct losses
to the pocket of the farmer, and a little
wide spread knowledge as to the method
CT prevention, followed by the active prac-
tice. Will result in large saving to the
State. We often hear the farmer saying
there is now an overproductlon. and that
an increase IN the amount OF the crop Is
a damage. This argument Is tallaclous,
however, inasmuch as we cannos prevent
our neighbor from raising full crops, and
that farmer who can raise the largest crop
most cheaply will succeed best. Farmers
must take advantage CT every advance or
science, just as men in every other voca-
ton 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 salc
in part.
lone of the chief objects to be kept II
view, is early production, to reach mar
ket before sections lying further north;
For example, first comes Bermuda, theI
Florida, followed by Savannah, then Char
lesion, then Eastern North Carolina, FOL
lowed by Norfolk, etc. II the season b.
just right, each section Will have abou
two weeks in which to market each crop
The intensive method, as practlced witt
us in the trucking section, and which ha
been in vogue for a long tlme,s Is, b.
thorough cultivation and preparation 0
~ 1o1 1,+J 4, WY annlootlnn of forth
yer, to obtain, in favorable seasons larg
results: For example, the average yiel
of the potato crop on good soil with mod
crate cultivation and fertilization is fort.
barrels per acre. Better cultivation witt
a larger application Of fertilizer, provides
the season be favorable, will produce s
barrels. On extra good soil, with $50
pounds of high grade fertilizer, | hay
known 120 barrels, and even as much a
14O barrels from choice land, obtaine
per acre.
This subject of irrigation is one of IL
tense interest, but it Is one which l ar
not prepared to discuss in all its phases
The difference in the texture of soils
makes different methods of irrigation &C
visable and applicable; for instance, o
sandy soils such as we have IN the east
the s%prinkling or spraying application c
water to the crops, while the most ez
pensive is III reality the only feasibl
method and the one adopted by a few c
the most progressive farmers.
THE system is carried out by a ne
work of iron pipes, about 40 feet par
with spray nozzles at equal distance
apart, placed on short pieces of pipe, COZ
nected to the lines of pipe in an uprigt
position. This pipe is connected to
stead pump of sufficient power to CIV
the required pressure.
Again, a few more blades of grass ma
be made to grow, by the application
steam heat, for winter farming.
Il will endeavor to give a brief on
line of the plan of erection of a plan
Beds are arranged any desired lengt
with room between to walk, the beds al
about IL feet wide, a line of pipe throug
the centre of each bed, on the north sic
board 8 feet high are placed, on the sout
side one board II inches wide, the bee
covered with white cloth, which may /
rolled up on every bright day, and I
placed at night.
The crops that are usually grown
these beds are half varieties of veg
tables requiring a temperature anywhel
above freezing. ct is preferable to kce
the temperature above 40 degrees. such
lettuce, Strawberries, celery, etc. Any
the more tender varieties, such as tt
matoes, would require glass instead
cloth covers.
"A steam pump Is connected to IL
same pipe, so that when moisture is L
CURED, a valve shuts off the steam fro
the boiler and another valve turns c
the water from the steam pump, whit
gives a sufficient pressure through IL
pipes. and the spray nozzles, which a
already In place, but closed, by valv