The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-27
FARM COLLEGE ON WHEELS
Morris K. Jesup's Unique Method Of
Instructing Negro Farmers.
Operating I'm Agricultural Wagon In
the Rural Regions Of the south
With JD-tO-date Appliances.

Prom the New YORK Tribune.
This year Morris X Jesup set on foot
an expedition about which little has been
heard Il Is not an expedition TO discover
the north pole or an enterprise 20 study
the habits Of the peoples in the neighbor-
hood Of Bering strait. On the contrary. its
field is the area Of agricultural ignorance
10 be- found in the Black Belt It carries
no sledges. no coal, no piles Of sleeping
bags, no ice-bTeaking machines. Instead
Of a ship the vehicle is a wagon. Instead
of supplies Of concentrated food II carries
samples Of choice vegetables IN the
place 81 machinery for repairing break
downs it carries plows, planters. a cuI-
tivatoT. a cotton chopper. a variety Of
seeds. samples OF fertilizers, a revolving
churn, a butter mold, a cream separator.
and a milk tester. No maritime charts
are part Of the equipment of this ex-
petition. Their places are taken by charts
of COWS with udders Of FIVE gallons
capacity at the very least and charts
showing by comparison the difference be-
tween plants grown from seeds sowR upon
Unferulized and stony ground and those
springing from seeds stTewn upon good
ground properly prepared. Instead OF
1 engines, the motive power of this vehicle
{ is a pair Of bumely mules. In fact. this
expedition is an agricultural college on
wheels. going about Macon County. Ala,
under the auspices Of the Tuskegee In
stitute. IL is a missionary enterprise in
tended 10 reach the parents who are too
much occupied in supporting the present
and future students 81 Tuskegee them
selves 10 have an opportunity 10 take adj
vantage Of the Institutes courses. 1t car
|ries 10 these the gospel Of more profitable
methods Of working their patches Of
ground.
on some fine morning an odd-looking
wagon draws up in front OF plantation.
/ over the canvas side appears the legend.
The Jesup Agricultural Wagon Seated
. in il are a couple Of neatly dressed ne
groes In the field is a negro in overalls,
undershirt. and ragged straw hat AS he
shouts at the mules and jerks on the
pillow handles his face grows shiny with
moisture. The tOiling negro stops when
he gets around near the wagon to dis
cover what il is. He watches with inter-
est. hopping his face the while. as a
modern labor-saving pillow Is lifted out
and carried into the field
What you alls gwine do?' he inquiries.
The pillow deposited in the field. the
perspiring negro is invited TO hitch his
mule TO it and use it.
That may be a good pillow for some, -
( he says. but for me, give me the old
'scutter.'
/ He is persuaded 10 use it. however, for
a few minutes. Then he is asked TO COM
pare the amount of work done. and the
character Of the furTOw with that done
and turned by his old implement He
can hardly be separated from the new
plow after the convincing test.
At another time the wagon draws up in
front of a plantation where the corn is
1 being laboriOusly plowed over. When the
possibilities Of cultivator that will make
seven burrows while one is being turned
by the old style Implement, and using only
one animal. have been demonstrated.
I there is the same difficulty in parting
I from the farmer. In substance he utteTs
[ the language of the testimonial writer:
/ If I could not secure another l would
not part with this one for five times its
cost" He resolves to own one himself.
/ and in course Of time he is the pleased
poSsessor Of a labor-saving device. Thus
/ is the lesson of improved machinery
1 taught.