The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-03-22
THE INSTITUTE
FINE GATHERING OF FARMERS
They Listen To Practical Addresses
BY Good Speakers Some Of the
Sneeches. Etc. Etc.

They Listen To Practical Addresse'
BY Good Speakers Some Of tho
Speeches, Etc, Etc.
The Farmers Institute given to th'
farmers OF the surrounding counties 10y
the Business Mems Association Uf Fred
ericksburg was held at the courthous'
saturday. beginning at lOo'clock. Capt
NJ. Il. Rowe. until recently president o
the Business Mems Association. "A mer
chant Of this city and an extensive farm
rr. presided and introduced the speakers
The weather was fine and the attendance
Of farmers from SpotsylyaDia, Stafford
Caroline and King George counties was
excellent. with affair representation from
other -ectious Many cit zens ul Freder
icksburg were present during portions OI
the seseious.
The fret speaker introduced was DR.
Dick j Crosby. Of the Experiment Sta
tiups. : Agricultural Department, at
Washington.
uR. %. i. oRosBY's ADDRESS.
DR.. Crosby had for his subject "Agri.
cultural Education" His address WAS
"A very instructive one, of which the fol.
lo wing report will give "A general idea:
la his Introductory remarks, DR.. lros
by called attention 10 a farmers bu letin
on Barny ard Manure recently published
hy the / ) Department oi Agriculture
H. exhibited tables from this bulletin
showing the Yalue ui manure produced
ia u year by different animals and also
its value per ton. Another interesting
liable showed the inAnurial value Of $40
worth Of different field crops as com
pared with the manurial value Of milk,
cheese and live cattle The showing war
decidedly IN favor OF feeding the hay, cot
toR seed meal. corn and other products,
which take large amount OF iestlliEing
material from the farm, and selling the
cattle. milk and cherre, VIII ch remove on
the average only gl cents out OF every
$40 worth of the product sold. The
bulletin referred 10 also deals with the
comparative value of solid aud liquid
manure. the influence OF food Oh manure
the management fermentation. teaching
preservation. etc.l manure, itsuse. anc
the combination Of il with other fertil
zers.
This introduction WAS used merely for
the purpose of showing what valuable
publications are available for The use O
every farmer in the land. A large per
centGge of the farmers, however, do not
know that the ; Department Of Ag
riculture and go agricultural experiment
stations in the United States are pub
fishing year in and year out such bulletins
ior free distribution. Ii islargely Tor tht
purpose of letting the farmers know
about these things that the officers IT the
Department OF Agriculture, the expert
ment stations, and the agricultural col
leges throughout the Vuited States, art
taking parts in Farmers Institutes.
There il also great need that theyOung
er generation now growing up shall
know about these things and Tor thl'
purpose agricultural colleges and schools
comprising "A complete system OF az ricul
tural education have been organized. Mr.
Crosby briefly outlined the system o
agricultural education, showing that
there are over go agricultural colleges, q
large number of secondary schools and
some elementary schools giving instruc
ton in agriculture. The colleges are main.
tained joiatly by the different States and
the nlted States Government and make
no charge for tuition TO students who
are residents OF the States where the
colleges are located. Some Of the col
leges provide not only college courses,
but high school courses, so that pupils
from the eighth grade Of the common
schools can enter and in two are three
years secure good foundation for the
practice of scientific farming
This education is not merely II matter
Of raising corn, tobacco, cotton, and
wheat, but is concerned with the whole