The Savannah morning news., 1904-02-09
CROP EXPERT
MENT FARM NO. |
LOCATED NEAR COLUMBIA.
WILL BE KNOWN AS DIVERsIFICA-
TION FARM.

Established by Department of Agri-
culture Under Boil WeeviI Act anG
Will Be in Operation by Early
Spring-GOvernment Will Furnish
All the Seed and Half the Ferti-
Iizcrs-Experts VIII Visit it Once
a MOnth-The Plan of the Depart
nent to Get Rid of tile WeeviI by
Growing Diversified Crops.
Columbia, s. c., Feb. S.-Fhe first
move on the part of the United States
Department of Agriculture under the
boil weevil act of Congress, which has
recently excited worldwide attention,
is to be made in South Carolina, at
point three miles from the capital
and center of the state.
A letter received from w. ]. Spill
man, agrostologist of the Department
of Agriculture by Mr.. f. H. Hyatt,
president of the South Carolina Good
Roads Association, and one of the
leading and most successful expert
mental agriculturalists of the South,
informs him that he has been selected
to operate upon his place, three miles
from Columbia, the first of the Unit
ed States Diversification Farms.
Mr.. Spillman says I'VE have just
begun this work, and think that
South Carolina is to be congratulated
since it is first on the list. The Diver
sification Farm on your place will be
known as Diyersification Farm No. l."
First of MANIFESTATIONS.
This means that the eyes of the
entire United States will be centered
upon the measure of success of this
particular farm. There are some thir-
ty other farms like this to be estab-
lished in the South from time to time,
but this will be the first to be opened
up, and will be in operation by early
spring. Mir. Spillman or one of his
principal assistants is to visit the site
within the next two weeks for the pur-
pose of making preparations to begin
the work. They desire to meet d num-
Der of the leading farmers and business
men in order to secure information
from them regarding the possibilities
of the various crops in this locality.
The Committee on Agricultural Pro-
motion of the Columbia Chamber of
Commerce will, in this respect, give the
departmental official all of the aid pos
sible.
Plan of the Farms.
The general plan of these FARMS as
decided upon by the Department OF
Agriculture, is as follows They will
require from thirty to fifty acres of
land: they are to be stock farms,
though If desired, one-fourth or a
smaller proportion of the area may be
devoted to cotton, and the remainder
to feed for live stock. The department
is prepared to conduct these farms
either as dairy farms or hog farms, or
as a combination of the two. The De-
partment of Agriculture will furnish
seed for the whole of the farm the first
vera and half of the necessary fertil-
tiers. The department will draw the
plans for the farm and one of its rep
resentatiyes will visit it at least once
a month during the growing season,
and as much oftener as time will per-
init. The department expects the own
er of the land to do the rest, and to
take the proceeds of the farm. The
crops raised are to be fed to the stock
as the department directs. and the
owner will be required to keep rec
ord of the work done upon the farm,
and the results obtained.
Excursions for Visitors.
Mr.. Spillman writes: when the
farm is in proper running order, ex-
cursions will be run on the railroads
in order that a large number of far
nlers may visit these model farms; and
on the occasions of these excursion
meetings will be held and addresses
made by representatives of the depart
ment and others, regarding the work
that is being done and the effect we
hope it will have upon Southern agri-
culturalists.
THE land for this farm should be
of good character. in order that the
farm may be a success. 1t is in no
sense an experiment farm, as we do
not propose to carry on any expert
ments there. We simply mean to run
it as a farm after the most approved
methods of farming. We hope that
these farms may be of great beneht
to the South. Our object Is not TO
supplant cotton, but TO give Southern
farmers something else to rely upon
in addition to cotton. We believe that
by devoting quarters Of the farm
to other crops and making proper use
of the manure produced on the farm
we shall IN a few years be able 70
grow nearly as much cotton on one
fourth of the farm as is now usually
grown on all Of such a farm by the
average farmer"
Advisory Board of Farmers.