The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-01-30


planting can proceed in dry weather 10
cultivation OF the crop n narrow tooth
should be used on the cultlvAtOr next To
the plant and the soil should be kept
light and loose until the vines cover the
ground A fixture called vine turner
can be used on ordinary I've tooth Guilt
yators and will enable the cultivation TO
proceed after the vines have begun To run
so that three and four civilizations may
be given. Preceding the second cultiVa
ton. the crop has t. be hoed by hand
The weeder may be used early and save
some of the expense Of hand hoeiDg A
machine digger Is used to throw the po'
tatoes out of the ground. This Is some
thing like a pillow, which cuts the vines
and leaves the potatoes IN better shape
II the potatoes are mostly Tor winter
market. they should be dug late, say
about October 10th to the goth, and
after they are dried they are stored 81
OF re in the storehouee. IA,
This should be IA tighs, warm building
either partly underground or entirely
above the ground, especially constructed
for keeping out the cold. WOOD stove
NAV be used TO warm the building, the
ire should begin three or iour days De,
fore digging and the temperature should
be run up to SOor 80 degrees. This high
temperature should be kept up during
the storage and from ten days to TWO
weeks thereafter. Ventilation should Dc
arranged by trap doors or otherwise,
and the ventiIators should be kept
open according To the heat and warmth
in the house. This process IL called mr.
ing" the potatoes and the productions
an handled sell on the market a. kiln
dried" sweet potatoes. After firing, the
temperature may be lowered first to
- then to about 80 degrees aud TINS
temperature maintained constantly
throughout the winter. The potatoes
may be dug and shipped direct from the
field. Asa rule potatoes bring higher
price I'm the winter time, but they are oil
acult TO ship long distances. Potatoes
NAV be shipped in three grades, the &C.
leets which are the most desirable grade.
not yer y. TO 3 inches In diameter down
TO Is inches, and every potato should be
suitaple for baking The seconds are
small POTATOES aud the large potatoes,
the latter bringing the same price AS the
ANAL ones. 81 30 and 81 per barrel is
the selling price usually for selects ana
81 80 for the seconds.
Attbe conclusion OF Mr. Waite's speech,
a recess Of one hour Was taken for dinner
AFTERNOON SESSION
The meeting reconvened at 2 o'clock
and MIR. j W. Spillman, OF the u. Ag-
ricutursl Department, was introduced
HIS subject was an attractive one, VI
yersifed Farming and Mr.. Spllim an IA
an exceedingly interesting lecturer, The
following is synopsis OF his speech
MR.. sPILLNANs LECTURE.
For several generations the typical
/ American farmer has been a soil robUer'
partly because land Was cheap and plen-
/ tiful and IL was not necessary To adoP'
intensive methods, and partly because
we knew very little about the principles
involved in crop growing. Since the e.
tablisbment Of the Agricultural Colleges
/ in 1862 and particularly since the state
e1Deriment stations were established ID
1887. all this has been changed We
now understand q great deal about the
principles of growing crops. We fno"
how TO feed stock to get the best result,
We have learned the value OF plants such
as clover, peas, alfalfa, etc
IL has sometimes been asserted that
the teachings OF the Agricultural COlleg'
are theoretical This may perhaps have
been true 10 the early days, anu doubt
less WAS 70 considerable extent, bat II
IL NOT true today. TO show the appre
citation on the part of the farmers OF th'
work dore In these institutions, woulC
cali attention 20 the work in corn breed
ING bg the Illinois College. AZ the result
If that work there II now an organiTa
ton among the farmers OF ths Stat
known a. the Illinois Corn Breeders As
sociation. Last year one oil the mem
hers of this organisation, 10y using meth
DDS If breeding and selecting seed Learned
at the college, sold - 600 bushels oil nm
aeed corn at fancy prices Those "h'
have bought and used this Improves
corn find that it pays them TO buy II
even at the advanced prices IL IL est
mated that last year the average yiel'
of corn. where this improved seed wa
nsed WAS increased eight bushels pc
acre Similar work IL in progress II
Iowa and other States During the pres
,nt winter 900 farmers gathered a
Ines Iowa, TO take the course IN corr
ind0ing This shows the farmers sppre
ciate the instructions given at these col
leges.
During the past two years the Depart
ment Of Agriculture at Washington ma
undertaken study Oh the subject O
Farm Management In the United states
This work has been extremely interest
ing. In it's first beginning IL consisted o
! hunting up the best farmers all over tn
, country and making careful report O
, their methods OF farming, and we occo
slonally publish a pamphlet, In While
their methods are fully discussed. L
. this work we have learned number
D important things In the first place "
Add that in the region where the farmin
IL of a diversified character, particular
/, where it is devoted to trucking or TO Nv
, stock raising. the farmers areprosperou
!. and there is but little abandoned land
E particularly In the live stock regions, th
). soil 10 growing richer and the crop
). larger. On the other hand, where cir
r Gle crop system prevails, such a. isioun
!, In the cotton States and n some OF tn
\ tobacco districts, as well as In some se'
e tIons where wheat 10 grown exclusively
e the soil is worn out.
e The original farmers have been di
!. placed by tenants and the land 10 owne
b by the store-keepers, who furnish Ii
:. tenants their food and clothes. 1t
{ plain that one OF the most importar
. changes to be brought about In tn
}. country Is diversiiying the farming
tho.e districts where the single GRO
?. system prevails. In our study, we ha'
|, found some farmers who were doing r
n markable things One in particular u
/. terested US. He had taken IL ac
il farm % years ago, with soil wot'
n threadbare by two centuries OF unscie
e tiic farming, converted it into a dali
e farm. by using the system OF cuttin
d green feed for his cows in the barn /
d. stead OF pastyring them, aud .giviI!
y them properly balanced rations OF graz
d hay. and succulent material; had bui
Is his farm up until at the present time
II aAocE nm ~ He FalaI