The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1901-1982, 1908-11-26
BETTER FARMING
URGED BY EVANS
nEEP PLOWING IS VALUABLE.
Selection of Seed and Prepare
ton of Soil Important.
Good Advise Given by Government State
Agent in Speech
Yesterday.
FROM WEDNESDAYS DAILY.

What was probably the best
practical talk ever made to farm
ers in this county, according to
many who heard it, was the speech
of State Agent ]. A. Evans of the
United States department of agri-
culture at the courthouse yester-
day afternoon.
Mr.. Evans was introduced by
Governor Elect Geo. w. Dona-
ghey, who preceded the introduc-
ton with short speech on agri-
cultural lines. Mr.. Donaghey
emphasized the need of agricultu-
raj colleges, and said that he be-
lieved the principles of farming
ought to be part of the curriculum
of our public schools.
In opening his speech Mr.. Ev-
ans referred to this point and
agreed with Mr.. Donaghey, saying
that textbook study of agricul-
ture was not only valuable for the
practical learning the pupil &C
quired but that there was nothing
better for mental training and de-
velopment. The demonstration
work, Mr.. Evans said, was to the
grown men who could never enter
a school what the schools them
selves were to the the pupils who
attend them-a sort of night school
of farming, as it were.
The great consideration with the
farmer, according to Mr.. Evans, is
how to make the farm make more
money. There were two methods,
higher prices and increased pro
4duction. The first method Mr..
Evans did not discuss, but confined
his remarks to the best means by
which the production of the farm
could be increased. This could be
done, he said, by Ist, better soil;
end, better seed; 3rd, better cultiva-
ton.
Taking up these three methods
of increasing production in the or
der named, Mr.. Evans discussed
first deeper blowing to improve the
soil. 1t is not advisable, he says,
to increase the depth OF blowing to
the fullest extent the first year, but
the soil should be plowed about an
inch deeper each year. A larger
store of plant food is furnished by
deep blowing, and more air is also
given the plant in that way
Deep blowing is not so necessary
in the north, where the deep freez-
es pulverize the soil. More horses
and better machinery are also in
valuable in the preparation of the
soil. Ordinarily, said Mr.. Evans,
it pays to use commercial fertilizers
but not in large quantities. Humas
however, must be kept in the soil,
to be benefited by commercial fer
tilizer. Glover, cowpeas and altal-
ia add much nitrogen to the soil
and are cheaper than bought fertil-
izers. Barnyard manure is full OF
OOtu uuLuuS dud HiliOSSh aim
makes excellent plant food.
Crops may be greatly increased
by a careful selection of seed, said
Mr.. Evans. Seed corn should be
selected from the field, where the
best stalks are found, rather than
to choose the best ears from the
crib. 1t is better still, in the case
of both cotton and corn, to grow a
small patch of we'll adapted land
especially for seed.
In cultivation Mr.. Evans said
that the blowing should be shall
low but often. Pillow deep to
prepare the soil and shallow to
cultivate the plant" he said.
Deep blowing after the roots OF the
plant are developed will injure the
roots and do no good.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Evans