The Caucasian., 1907-01-27
ADVANTAGE OF PRACTICAL EF-
FORTS OVER THE OLD WAY.
CONGRESSMAN WATKINS
His Emergency Bill-Has Asked for a
FIFTY Thousand Dollars Appropriation
for Demonstration Farms in the Mex
lean Boil Weevil Territory
Washington, d. c. Jan. l.. 1907.

TO The Caucasian: On December II
filed II. K. 22,672, asking for an ap-
preparation of fifty thousand dollars to
conduct demonstration farms in the
Mexican boil Weevil territory, as an
emergency fund, to be Immediately
available.
AS a hearing was set for January IS,
and DR. Knapp OF Louisiana, who has
charge of this work, was notified to ap-
pear on that day, | expected to appear
with him before the committee and urge
the appropriation. Dr. Knapp having ar
rived on the 18th, and for his aCcOnmO-
dat1on the hearing having been re-hNed
for that day, as Dr.. Knapp. Dr. Gallo
way and others presented their views
now wish to emphasize my claim for the
appropriation
Unless these demonstration farms are
enabled to be operated at orce, the de
sired results can not be accomplished.
10 conduct d successful demonstration
farm there must be first, thorough pre-
paration Of the soil Second, early plant
ing, Third, rapid and thorough cultiva-
| tlon, Fourth, the rows must be wide
apart Fifth, the crop must be highly
fcrtilized. Sixth, an early variety Of
seed must be planted: and seventh, all
the stalk, and rubbish in the field must
be destroyed after the crop is gathered
! You will readily see that this pro
granme requires early preparation,
which must be made before the general
agricultural appropriation bill goes into
effect. If this appropriation is made I'M
mediately available. and the demonstra-
ton farms are sufficiently numerous and
properly conducted, the boil weevil can
be choked off and killed ont III Louisiana
before it reaches Mississippi.
That the people are in earnest is evl-
denced by the fact that am daily re-
ceiving large number of letters, be-
sides petitions and memorials signed by
farmers. merchants, bankers and people
OF all avcoations i'll my district.
That the demonstration farms will ac-
conlplish the desired results is shown
not only by the statements made to your
committee by Drs Galloway and Knapp
but by the statements of Col. Charles
Schuler. Secretary of Agriculture for the
State of Louisiana. He says:
>"In DeSoto parish there are 1870 de
monstratsn farms They do more good
than schools. They are supervised by a
man paid by DIR. Knapp, and they will be
in every parish in which cotton is raised |
before long. 1t is very important that
the demonstration farms be established |
One planter planted forty acres and |
made four bales His neighbor put seven |
acres in cotton and made five bales"
The first man planted and cultivated
in the old way, and the last used the de-
monstration methods.
\ negro living on Colonl Schuler's
place raised 10 bales of cotton on "a
acres OF top land, following the demon
stration plan; a neighboring negro on
the same kind of land, not adopting the I
demonstration plan, made only 364
pounds of seed cotton on 27 acres He
proceeds to give a number OF illustra
tions Of similar kind.
While the white farmer greatly bcne-
fits by these demonstration FARMS the
negro is more particularly benefited.
He is great imitator, and when he
sees thing done and knows that it can
be accomplished by the white man, he
goes about doing the same thing for
himself
There are about as many negroes de-
pending on agriculture for living in
Louisiana as there are white people:
and they will be the greatest sufferers
from the ravages Of the boil weevil. as
they can not put their talents to work
o advantage in any other line than rails {
ing cotton.
If this fifty thousand dollars asked
for IS appropriated to be Immediately
available, it will do more good than
twice the amount after the crop has
been pitched for the season.
Earnestly requesting that the appro-
oriation be granted to be made mme-
1iately available, | am. Most respectful
V, J. T. WATKINS, NJ. c.