The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-04-27
C0L0RED FARMERS
Those Of Caroline Hold Conference and Discuss
Practical Subjects.

Bowling Green, Va, April 10Th, 1907.
On April Is and l9th the coiOred peo.
pie ui Caroline met 1T the Bowling 6 cen
Industrial Academy T.. l.. Davis princi-
pal. ia their first Farmers Conference,
which had been arranged for by the
Board of Trustees The meeting was
called to order by the principal Oi the
school. The following officers were
elected. PROT l.. l. DAVIS. PRESIDENT v.
G. Young, secretary The president read
statistics show ing that there were owned
in the county by cOlo.ed people ~ 49S
acres of land on which buildings valued
at $llS.2jl IL were erected. The
lG .5jl acres owned by the colOred peO-
pie Of the Bowling Green District is val
ued at $53. SO7 63. these figures Were
taken as a basis Tor the urging OF young
men to stayin the country, buy more oi
the soil, improve it, build up houses and
become useful aud intelligent citizens
There Is another side OF tins property
question, said Principal Davis. There
were j63 men the mi iOrity Of whom
have childIen attending the free schools
" no failed To pay their capitation tax
wear before last, thus making a shortage
IN the county treasury of $S44 90. lie
urged all men to pay their tax and stand
square before the public. The object oi
the conference WAS TO have the practical
things of life discussed by those who are
engaged in the real work.
The following program was discussed
/. How to Improve "A Farm-M. ".
Wright.
II. How to Prepare the Land and
Cultivate a Tobacco Crop-E. l.. Hard
man, X. B. Fortune aud Others. This
subject was thoroughly discussed and
closely questioned by those interested in
the growth OF the weed"
III. How To make wheat and corn
crops pay on small farm WAS discussed
by A. T. Young and Rev. h. A. johnson.
The former put much stress on the prepa-
ration Of the soil and the selection OF
seeds. Rev. Johnson explained his
method of improving "a small part OF the
farm at a time telling how he had in
creased the yield Of wheat on 40
acres from q of bushel to lJ4 bushels.
A paper on
iY. How to Make the Girls Interested
in the Farm and Garden, was prepared
and read by Mrs. l.. l.. Graves, which
was generally commended aud especially
by Mr.. John Washington superintendent
OF schools, who said she had struck the
keynote.
A fitting paper on the same subject
was read by Miss Susie A. Wright, which
was commented on by Rev. 7. M. Allen
and Others.
The subject: How Can the Xagrant and
Idle Class be Got Rid OF as Such, but
Changed Into Usefulness, Thrift and In
dustry, was the subject OF an able ad-
dress by T. NJ. Allen, b. d., who de
clared the first way TO get rid OF this
class is by the law, that is, to require
those who are not under parental con
troll and would not work to be sent to
some place Of correction, and compelled
to work. He said he thought it crime
for any healthy young man TO be allowed
TO eat unless he worked, and those who
gave him food were guilty OF crime.
The county school superintendent was
requested to make some remarks, which
he did, indicating his approval OF much
that had been said.
The Moral Status OF the Race was dis
cussed by Rev. W. j. Young, b. d., whose
sound advice aud scsthng terms OF those
who commit crime will not be forgotter
by young nor old.
How Can we Strengthen the Mutual
Good Feelings Between the Races? was
the subject Of well thought out paper
by Mrs. NJ. u. Fortune, which expressed
the idea that if we wish for the good feel
ings OF others, we must show ourselves
friendly in all our actions.
On the last day the conference was ad
dressed by II. c. Walker. OF Gloucester
who is so well known. He urged better
living morally, spiritually and intelectu
ally. He called on the young men tc
stay South. till the soil and keep away
from the large cities His address con
tanned much good advice and and at IL
close. on motion of Rev. L. NJ. Allen, b
D.. a vote OF thanks was given.
The organization was made a perma
nent one and requested to bold its mex
meeting at the same place in April, 1908
l.. l.. Davis, President
W. G. Young, Secretary.