The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1909-05-13
To the Honorable Board Of supel

VlSOISs
The law authorizing the establish
ment of county department of agri
culture makes 1t the duty of the
commissioner to keep in close touch
with the United States Department
Agriculture, the Mississippi A. &
4. College, the State Experiment
stations, the State Department ol
Agriculture, assist in organizing
agricultural clubs, and advance IN
every way possible the farming in
terests of the County.
Since I was appointed Commis-
sioner by your honorable body,
l have visited Washington and met
many of the officials OF the Depart
meut of Agriculture and obtained
literature for distribution, and many
valuable suggestions. I have visit
ed the State Department of Agri-
culture several times and placed
names on the mailing list. While
I have not as yet been able to visit
the A. and M. College and the
State Experiment Stations, | have
kept in close touch through CORES
pondence and bulletins. have as
sisted in organizing one agricultur-
al society and one boys corn club.
/ have made ten talks to the farm
ers at different times and places.
I have visited about one hum
dred farmers in the boil weevil dis
tricts of Louisiana and Texas and
obtained their experinces and ad-
vice for the guidance of the farmers
in this county.
The paramount issue in this coun-
ty at this time Is the boil weevil.
When arrived in this county as
your Commissioner, I began to in
treat the negroes to remain III the
county and the farmers and mer-
chants to put forth every effort to
prevent the laborers from leaving
their homes. I have urged the
credit merchants and the bankers to
supply the farmers the actual ne
cessities ofglife. l have urged all
classes OF people to practice the
most rigid economy this year.
I have never advised the farmers
of the county to supplant cotton as
their leading crop on account OF
the boil weevil, but | have unceas-
ingly importuned them to supple
ment the cotton crop with good
pastures, good gardens, enough OF
every food crop necessary for home
consumption. and enough good
stock to consume the leguminous
hays that must be grown in order
to economically maintain the pro-
dnctiveness of the soil.
I have established at the places
designated by you. thirty-two de-
monstration farms. The demon
stration farmers have agreed to eul-
tivate 167 acres of cotton and III
acres of corn according to Govern
ment Instructions. / have made
10 visits to these farms. That Is,
have averaged about four visits
to each demonstration farm.
I have not kept an account OF
the visits that / have made to 9TH
er than demonstration farmers. |
am satisfied that / have made at
least one-hundred visits to farmers
in the county.
| Discuss the following funda-
mental requirments for good farm
ing with the farmers of the coun-
ty.
I. A through pnlverization ol
the soil a little deeper than 1t has
ever been before.
2. The use of seed of the best va
.riety as shown by the records OF the
experiment stations.
a. The width of the rows and the
distance apart of the plants 10 th'
COWS to suit the plant and the soil
q. Frequent and shallow cultiva
tion during the growing period o
the crops.
s. Filling the soil full of bumu
by the rotation of crops, the as
of peas and other legumes, an'
the use Of barnyard manure.
S. Systematic crop rotation will
q winter cover crop.
7. The accomplishing of NOR
work In a day by the use OF NOR
horse power and better farm imple
v~eossse