Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-03-07
Valuable Report to Farmers by
Commissioner Koiner

The annual report of Commits
sioner Of Agriculture Koiner to
the Governor for the year 1905
has just been issued and is one OF
the best publications he has yet
sent out, embracing much valuable
information with reference to the
agricultural interests Of the State.
The report comprises 1893 pages,
and is illustrated with fifty half
tone engravings. Tbs cover page
is in three colors,on which is re-
production of the famous painting
1.-THE Reaper, a compan o n
picture to "The Sower," which
appeared on tue cover page Of Mr..
Koirer's report for 1904. While
the book is quite attractive in lta
makeup, its value to the farmers
of the State hes in the vast amount
of helpful it formation it contains.
There are articles on alfalfa, fruit
growing, live stock, tobacco grow
ing. wheat breeding, ponltry rails
ing. manual value Of farm pro-
ducts, melon culture, strawberry
culture, vegetable gardening, fer
tilizatiOn, land Improvement ano
great variety of topics that are
out of the ordinary line of subjects
usually found in agricultural Re-
ports, such as "How to Lay q
Cement Floor in the Cellar, " "Tte
Home Grounds Of the Farmer"
"Growing Roses, ""Peculiarities of
the Peanut Plant" "Pecan Cul.
ture," Road ImprOvem 1t"
"Vinegar Making vt Home" etc.
Some idea of the value of the
pure food work is given in the
table showing the analysis of bsk-
ing powders, molasS0s and syrups,
-four. meal and commercial feed
ing stuffs. The analytical WORK
was done in the laboratory OF the
department. A table which APP
pears in the report, giving the
average composition of commercial
stock feeds, and their analysis, is
of great value to the farmsr.
Commissioner KOiner in his re
port says;
sit is apparent to every OBJ
server that the agricultural con-
ditions in Virginia are moving for
ward year by year. The past year
has been one Of the most prosper
GUS; our lands are increasing In
value; in some sections the in
crease has been fifty per cent. and
more in few years. The formers
are improving their system 10
farming by studying and applying
modern methods in agriculture,
and are growing larger crops, and
are keeping more live stock.
"In horticulture the advance is
very gratifying, in very many In
stances the sale Of the apple crop
amounted 10 three or four times
more than the entire income from
the other crops. Virginia Is be
coming great fruit State. Our
farmers write that the bulletins,
reports and farmers institutes
have given them much valuable
inform alton. One hundred and
sixty-five thousand Of these publ
cations have been sent out durlrg
the past year. New farmers bull
letins have been issued by the de-
partment this year, on raising
sheep in Virginia, Virginia as
horse and mule State, fruit grow
ing in Virginia, corn-growing in
Virginia, poultry-raising for profit,
cattle. raising in Virginia and lead
and zinc dep)Gits in Virginia. 4
large number of bulletin giving
Information to the Home seeker
and Investor has beea distributed
outside the State during the Fast
year.
"The fertilizer inspector ard
gives the farmer the true
contents of the fertilizer he uses
and the commercial value per ton,
go that he may not be overcharged
for " hat he buys. This fertilizer
law in its operation has ssyed the
farmers of this State at lsast half
a million dollars every year since
its enactment. For without this
protection the farmer is at the
mercy of the manufactures. There
is nothing easier than to defraud
in fertilizer il the manufactures
desires to do so.
"a new hand book ls In press,
giving the resources of the St7te
in the various lines for agrlcul-
tural and industrial development,
which will be sent out beyond the
borders of this State.
"Immigrstion into the State has
increased more within the PAST
year than in any previous year.
About twenty five hundred farms
were bought last year by people
FROM outside the State, which
brought into the State at least
eight million dollars.
"The splendid business exhibit
made by the State at the Worlds
Fair is now yielding good results.
The appropriation made by the
for that purpose has
proven to have been wise one.
There are 100000 idle acres Of