St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1908-02-22
WHAT THE NEW ROAD
MAY BRING.

to be run over the Just-cor1l-
pleted Baton Rouge, Hammond
and Eastern Railroad, but the
soft condition of the new road
bed is supposed to have prevent
ed it. The first regular train
will be run from Covington to
Baton Rouge next Wednesday
morning, February 26. It
is generally believed that this
road is a part of the Illinois
Central system, one of the very
rich railroad companies of the
United States, and it is we'll
known that they take an active
interest in developing the coun-
try along their road and in MAX
ing business, not only for them
selves but for the farmers and
merchants. That this road will
create opportunities for the de-
velopement of the trucking in
dustry is very probable, and
those farmers who have land
within reasonable hauling dis
lance of the railroad, say two
or three miles, will find this oc-
cupation much more profitable
than the cultivation of field crops
or cotton. But the growing of
truck is much more expensive,
requires closer attention and
richer soil than ordinary farm
ing, and, furthermore, thorough
drainage.
There will be nothing lost to
the farmer who has a piece of
land suitable for trucking to
commence this season to supply
it with humus and put it in
proper condition for growing a
profitable crop of vegetables.
If it is not used for this purpose
it will pay for the trouble, no
matter in what it is planted.
Each succeeding year is bring
ing to the farmer of the South
a fuller knowledge of the posi-
bilities of his life, and he is be-
ginning to recognize that he is
largely responsible for the fact
that many of the comforts and
pleasures of life have been
barred out from his home by
his stubborn disapproval of ev-
erything that was not handed
down by grandfather, and his
dislike Of all innovations.
But the development of the
country, contact with strangers
and practical demonstration of
the value of new methods is
working wonders, and we ex-
pect to see the time when the
home of the southern farmer
will be fitted with most of the
conveniences of city life, and
when the library will dispel the
gloom of rainy days and add
pleasure to the long winter
evenings.
The following from the Plea
yune's Baton Rouge correspond
ent is illustrative Of the interest
that is being taken in agricul-
tural progress, both by the State
and the United States Govern
ment:
Elementary agriculture will
be taught in the nine summer
normal schools that are to be
held for the teachers of Louisi-
ana during the summer months.
State Superintendent AsWell has
secured the services of two ag-
riculturists of the United States
Department of .Agricul Il re,
Washington, D. c., who will
devote the summer to giving in
struction to the teachers of Lou
isiana on how to teach agricul-
ture to the pupils of the public
schools. Letters have been re-
ceived by Mr.. Aswell from Hon.
James Wilson, Secretary of the
Department Of Agriculture, and
from S. A. Knapp, Special Agent
OF the Agricultural Department,
giving their hearty Endorsement
to the movement. Secretary
Wilson offers to cooperate in
any way with the Department
of Education in giving this in
struction to the public school
teachers. DR.. w. r. Dodson,
Director of the Louisiana State
Experiment Stations, and Prof.
Kidder, of the Louisiana State
University, will also take an ac-
tive part in the Summer School
work, and with the