The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-05-15
WILL DO MUCH GOOD.
DEMONSTRATION ON FARMS IN
THE SOUTH.
Farmers Cooperating With Agricul-
tural Department on Selected Areas
to Stimulate Effort on All.

to Stimulate Effort on All.
Congressman Lever has recently re-
ceived letter from S. A. Knapp, spe-
cial agent in charge of Farmers Co.
operative Demonstration work, stat
ing that the Department of Agricul-
ture has started the work in the 7th
Congressional district, South Caro-
lima, and that they hope to do a
great deal more next year. Fifteen
demonstration farms and ninety CO.
operative farms have been establish
ed in Lexington county; thirty-five
demonstration and ten cooperative in
Richland county; ten demonstration
and forty cooperative in Orangeburg,
and five demorstrative and twenty
co operative in Calhoun.
DR.. Knapp in his letter said, "a
valuable practical feature of this
work is that all the field agents are
Southern men and residents in the
States in which the demonstrations
are made. They know the people
and the conditions
DR.. Knapp has very briefly outlined
what is to be accomplished by this
Farmers Cooperative Demonstration
work in the following:
"The object of the work is 'primar-
lily to greatly increase the net earn
ings of the average farmer, by the
improvement, of the soil, by the use
of the best seed and by the adoption
of better and more economic methods
on the farm. :?
"This is accomplished by farm de-
monstrations of an acre or more made
by a farmer in every neighborhood,
if possible, under instructions from
our central Office and supervised by
field agents, who visit these demon
strations monthly.
"Thus the crop on an acre under
the best management is contrested In
every neighbornood with the crop OF
the average farmer. The effect is
immediate and the results are as
tonishing,
"In 1903 tn first. cooperative farm
was established at farrell, Texas,
and the farmer, w. c. Porter, was
guaranteed by the citizens against
lost, if any should occur in following
the department instructions. The
work was success.
"From this small beginning the
Farmers Cooperatice Demonstration
work has increased in five years from
one locality to ten States, and from
one field agent to 141, from one farm
to thirty two thousand directly in
structed and possibly half a million
aided through observation.
"The funds appropriated by Con
gress are used only in boil weevil in
tested territory: to wit, Texas, Louis
lana, Oklahoma, Arkansas and one
district in Southwestern Mississippi
Cooperative Demonstration ork II
the remainder of Mississippi, Alabama
Georgia and the two Carolinas ano
Virginia is done by funds from other
than government sources. The grea1
yalne of this work is shown by the
successful production Of cotton BY
the average farmer under boil wee
vii infestion.
N"Our instructions are also directed
to the more profitable production OF
the standard crops, because rotations
necessary to he best success in cotton
production.
aside from the demonstrations
the educational features Of the WORK
consists mainly in reducing the
science of agriculture ito a few prac'
tical problems, easily understood by
the common farmer, as the following:
Better drainage Of the soil; a deeper
and better seed bed; more humus;
the best seed; thorough tillage; more
Horsepower and better tools; more ano
better farm stock; these are taugnl
bv letters, circulars, lectures and de-
monstrations.
THE cooperative feature of our
work gives to it elasticity ana ad'
iustment to conditions. Farmers CO.
operate in furnishing land and work
ing the demonstration.
Bankers and merchants cooperate
in furnishing, free Of cost, the best
seed for the demonstrations and in
refusing to advance less the tenant
works the crop under our instruc'
tions.
"Business mems clubs and boards
of trade organize farm demonstra,
tions under our agents and pay al
expenses. The Business Mems CluE
of Helena, Ark, has 1000 sucf
farms. The Farmers unions are CIV
ing great assistance by organizing de-
monstration farms in cooperation
with us.
"Some 1000 women in the Souti
are organized in clubs for the better
ment OF the conditions rura
ihomes. They are actively ASSISTING
us by urging the general adoption o
our demonstration work.
"These women are practical ahe
urge not only greater earning capac
itn for the farmer, but greater econ
omI and more comforts in the home
| nIn.... Nnnna nraSilpnI OF Ilt