The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-09-04
THE FARMERS ANNUAL PICNIC
The Speakers and What They Said
Prof. Quinn Talked of Seed Selec-
ton and Hog Raising-A Remedy
For Cotton Blight.

Prof. Quinn Talked of Seed Selec-
ton and Hog Raising-A Remedy
For Cotton Blight.
The Farmers Picnic was held at
the farm OF Mr. E. c. Haynsworth on
Rocky Bluff swamp, in this county,
on August 31st. and was attended by
forty or fifty representative farmers.
They had we'll filled baskets and a de-
lfghtful dinner was spread out in the
grove Of this place, on tables which
had been left there from previous pic
MICS. Artesian wells furnished an
abundance of cool water; and iced
lemonade and coffee were served
without cost. A. B. Stuckey, ESQ,
was requested to preside over the
meeting and to introduce the speak,
ers.
The first speaker was Mr.. F. H..
Hyatt, Of Columbia, the treasurer Of
the State organization Of the South.
crn Cotton Association. He entertain
cd tho h.arers for about one hour
with interesting and instructive re-
maks In reference to the cotton situa-
ton of the present day. Mr.. Hyatt Is
full of practical. jokes and Is very apt
In his illustrations. Mr.. Hyatt said,
In part:
After complimenting Sumter Coun-
ty on her progressive men. as we'll as
high class farmers, he proceeded to
show the advantage In the selection
Of seeds. and showed where by hy-
bridizing the wheat. oats. rye. etc, by
so doing had increased the yield from
three to four hundred per cent. He
spoke Of the importance Of selecting
not only the best seeds of grain, but
cotton as we'll. and showed by this
method, with high state Of cultiva-
ton and fertilization. they had run
the yield Of cotton from one-half to
three bales per acre.
He then took up the origin Of the
Southern Cotton Association and
showed beyond a doubt, that 1t had
proven to be one Of the strongest or
ganizations. and had done more to
cause the farmer to stop and think,
than any previous organization in the
history of the country.
Through this concert Of action had
taken cotton from six cents per
pound and carried 1t to fifteen, and
had taught the civilized world that
when God made this country, he only
made one cotton patch. and that .he
South produced about seventy-fve
per cent Of the clothing Of the world.
He showed that there are about fif.
teen hundred million people in the
world. and statistics show abou. one
third are clothed. about ona-thir.i
half clothed, ana cne-third nakeI,
showing there was but little danger
" over-productio~.
He urged the farmers to raise their
supplies at home. and in his judg-
ment, 1t was the only way they would
ever become free men and free citi-
zens. He stated that South Carolina
led all other States In the Union on
the amount of corn produced en- one
acre. amounting to, two hundred and
nifty bushels. That South Carolina led
also in the number of bushels of oats
per acre, about one hundred and
eighty, only second to Massachusetts,
in number OF spindles In the United
States
He spoke OF emigration, Of it's ad-
advantages and Disadvantages, and
emphasized the importance Of look
ing after the children and raising our
own emigrants, To use improved ma
chinery, etc.
He spoke of the wonderful progress
the country Is making-of wireless
telegraphy, the wireless tele-
phone. the flying machine, he
drew upon his Imagination that it
would ne only a short while when he
would step in his flying machine flom
his Office. spend the night in the
mountains and return the next morn
ing. with a slight effort on his part.
He urged the importance of good
roads. of keeping the boys and girls
I'm the country. OF making home at
tractive. building better school houses
and churches, and the general devel-
opment of Of the country and stressed
the Importance Of home life and
claimed that was the basis Of our
civilization.
Prof. Quinn Speaks.
The next speaker introduced was
Prof G. Il. Quinn, the agent Of the