The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-01-30
FARMERS GATHERING
The Institute Held Here a zine
Success
MR.JH. G. BEVERLEY PRESIDED
The Speakers We're Messrs' Koiner'
Waite, spillman and Heiges.
IMPORTANT TOPICS DISCUSSED
Fertilizer and Soil Improvement,
Sweet Potato Culture, Diversified
Farming, and Poultry Raising
Large Attendance, interesting Pro-
nramnnd SatisfaetorY Sessions.

Farming, and Poultry Raising
LARGE Attendance, interesting Pro-
gram. and Satisfactory Sessions.
The Farmers Institute held in the
courthouse here Thursday was the most
successful meeting of the kind that ever
occurred in this city.
The farmers turned out to their own
meeting. many business men OF the city
listened with Interest to the proceedings,
the speakers were entertaining, instruc.
tive, thoroughly informed in their par.
ticular lines, and the subjects treated
were practical and of interest to every
farmer present.
Considering the weather, which was
threatening in the forenoon and deVel
opsd into a heavy fall OF snow In the
afternoon, aud thecondition OF the roads,
which have been very rough since the
thaw. the attendance was excellent. be
aides q great many others, most OF those
who had endorsed the holding OF the in.
stituts through The Free Lance, and ex-
pressed desire to attend, were present,
some being detained by unforeseen cir.
cumstances The fact that no steamer
had been up the river TO fredericksburg
for over three weeks on account OF ice,
kept number away who had expected
10 come up from along the Rappahan-
mock. The court house WAS com
fortahly filed most Of the day AND
Spotsylvania, Caroline, Stanford ana
King George were largely represented,
while there were some from other coun-
ties and more distant points IL was
matter of general regret that MIR. b. II
Warner. of Washington, who had taken
so much interest in The holding OF the In
stitute and was expected TO make an nd
dress. was unsvoidably absent.
THE PROCEEDINGS
The meeting was called TO order at
1910 O'Clock by Mr. J. II. c. Beverley,
81 Chance. Essex county, who is mem
her of the State Board OF Agriculture
from the First district and PRECEDENT oi
the board.
MR. EolNERs SPEECH.
/ Mr. Beverley introduced ~ thu first
speaker Hon. q W kOiner, State Com.
/ missioner OF Agriculture, who discussed
the general subject OF improvement oil
/ the soil and the proper way to use Ter
tiliEer. Mr.. koiner being . practical
farmer discussed this important subject
in practical way, 80 that the farmers
thoroughly understood bin. lie said the
subject of fertilization and improvement
of the soil is one OF the most difficult the
farmer must meet. The farmer should
Look mon his soil as his bauk and pursue
a course that will continually add 10 the
fertility OF his land: but, said be- many
farmers have pursued the opposite course
lie explained the use OF commercial Ter
tilizers. how 90 use them 10 the most re-
muneratiye manner. lie advised the
farmers to make their own nitrogen as
Jar A. possible. This. he said, they could
DO al a cost OF about one cent per pound,
while nitrogen cost in commercial Ter.
tilizer about fifteen cents per pound
rbe farmer can make his own nitrogen
by growing the leguminOus crops. such
a. cow peAs. clover. vetiches, &c lie
said there were over 200 plants that
ronld draw their nitrogen from the air,
feed on il. aud hen the crop decayed III
rho anil the farmer had il ready 10 bis
oil for other crops He explained The
Depef,ia effec, from growing these KINGS
~ crops He also explained the benefit
TO the soil in supplying it with humusi
which. he said il decayed vegetable mat
ter He stated that humus improved the
nbvsiral condition Of the soil and that II
increased the capacity Of the soil to re
tain It's moisture lie spoke OF the great
draught of crop on the moisture u
growing; that homus held its nitrogen ll
the soil' and furnished food for the bac
. terra 10 the soil that dissolved the insolu
HE plaut 10 d that is abundahtin nearly
all soils. Sir. KUiner's speech was prac
teal and foil OF valuable Information and
y was heard with the closest attention
Mr.. wAlTg's TALK Of SWEET POTATOES
The next speaker was Mr.. NJ. Waite
/. of the L. s. agricultural Department a.
J Washington. Mr. Waite took Tor hii
t subject sweet potato culture, and, among
= other things, said:
} According to bOtanists the sweet pc
D tato is a species OF morning. ~. Some
Q times the sweet potato blossoms. ii
e onr climate they blossom quite rarely
: The blossom is like morning glory
D The sweet potato is a tropical plant
native in tropical climates. Its cultivA
8 ton I'm northern climates is entirely arti
r fetal. There are two main types. Th
e .Iersey type consists of q yellow skin pc
tato with dry yellow flesh. Some
times, however, this type has white o
red skin. The other Is the am type
mostly white or pinkish potatoes, will
~ a flesh which cooks soft The Yam typ
much sWeeter than the Jersey. Tn
northern markets prefer the Jersey typ
v OF potato and the prices are nearly dou
Y HE that of the Yam. The variety whic
; have found most prof in my OpeI
J. ations il the Big Stem Jersey. Eigh
d wears ago purchased farm in Ann
Arundel county, Md. | tried sweet pc
II tstoes as q crop to grow in the orchard
After planting seven acres the first yeaI
increased to . acres and have increa'
ed annually until now 40 acres are grow
and a crop OF 6 900 bushels is produced
The sweet potato likes light, dry 80
s. and warm climate The norther
g. limit OF commercial production on th
te Atlantic Coast is New Jersey. They al
h grown from New Jersey and Mary Ian
ID TO Southern Illinois, Kansas and soutl
% ward. Land should be thorough
is plowed six inches deep and harrove
ID soon after blowing. Land which hs
he been in COW peas or crimson clover Is e
pecially suitable Sweet potatoes gi'
their best yield and finest quality on Ian
which is too poor to grow corn an
m grass. although some sandy land, ma
n. urally fertile, will grow big yields
Al sweet Dotatoes The fire hot heds CO
I'd sist OF a raised f. )or with brick ar
'is and tile fues. Tnese give the best Re sul
4. in producing the plants. 10 setting Of
n the plants, il planted by hand, they mu
n he planted alter rain or by dipping
v mud batter. They can be set out IN
,s. reasonably dry time. provided the soil
condition nn6arnpQfh