Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-01-12
FARM DEMONSTRATION WORK.
Colonel Watson Receives Report Of Dr.
Goodrich.

DR.. Goodrich's report on the work OF
the Federal agricultural departments
farm demonstration work in this state
has just reached Commissioner Watson
to be incorporated in the latter's re-
port to the legislature. The report Is
Of great interest to the farmers, not
only on account of showing in an in
teresting way what has been accom-
plished, but as indicating what has
been blocked out to be completed In
the future. The Federal departments
workers in this state all speak most
pleasantly Of the great interest mani
tested by South Carolina farmers In
the improved methods being demon
strated, and they are ali personally try
ing to do all in their power to extend
this work in South Carolina. The ex-
perts have found a very effective in
strument in the Farmers Union
throughout the state as a means OF
reaching the farmers, and for this rea-
son the experts are personally doing
all they can to keep up interest in the
Farmers Union. For this reason the
Union promises to become a much
stronger and more useful organization
than former associations Of farmers in
this section.
DR.. Goodrich's report follows:
The office Of farm management in
vestigations, of the United States de-
partment of agriculture, in its work in
South Carolina is endeavoring to get
In close touch with the farmers Of the
state for the purpose Of: O Studying
their methods. (2) Finding out their
problems and solving them so far as
possible. 60 Advising with them and
assisting them in the introduction Of
new systems Of cropping and better
methods of crop culture; in short, as
sisting them in every way possible and
advisable to improve their methods OF
farm management; and, (D Teaching
them the fundamental principles which
underlie successful farm practice.
The method Of work is: % BY
personal visits to the farms. (2) BY
correspondence. (3) BY sending out
farmers bulletins and other literature.
(4) BY holding farmers Institutes, and
60 BY using certain of the more pro-
gressive and successful farms Of the
community for the purpose of illustra-
ton and investigation.
This later line of object lesson farm
work has been in progress barely four
months, having been started during Au-
gust. We have been more than graf
flied by the cordial reception and hear
ty cooperation we have received from
the farmers over the state, and also by
the number of progressive farms that
nave been offered for the purpose OF
carrying on our work. We have Sc
lected several of these farms in various
parts of the state, and have the permis-
sion of their owners to use them as
object lessons and for the purpose of
investigation.
The following line of work has been
planned:
/. To illustrate the value Of winter
cover crops and to find the best time in
the late summer or early fall when
winter cover crops can be sown in the
cotton crop to insure: First, early ger
mination; second, a well developed root
system as a safeguard against winter
killing; and third, the maximum
amount of growth by the time neces-
sary to turn them under as green ma
nure for the succeeding crop. For this
purpose bur clover, crimson clover,
red clover and the vetches will be
tried.
.. In some sections where certain
legumes have never before been grown,
inoculation of the soil is necessary. Ex-
perience has taught that it takes two or
three years persistent growing OF a
crop in order to establish it under such
We wish to determine
whether it is possible to so inoculate as
to insure a full crop the first year. In
order to determine the quickest and
soil crimson clover will be grown as
follows
a. By using U. S. department Of agri-
culture incubation.
b. By using soil taken from an old
clover field, in varying amounts
from 500 to 1000 pounds per acre.
Red clover has been found in vari-
Gus sections of the south under cir
which would lead us to be-
lieve that the area in which 1t can be
grown profitably is not yet known. AS
a soil builder it has few equals, and
as compared with crimson clover and
bur clover, it is no doubt superior. This
we want to determine, and for that
reason 1t will be tested alongside Of
crimson clover by planting in the fall
or late summer and inOculating with