The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-01-05
BY W. \. GRAHAM.
COMMISSIONED of AgrIcuItufC.

BY W. \. GRAHAM.
Commissioners of Agriculture.
The agricultural conditions and re-
turns for 1908 varied widely in differ
| ant sections of the State The oat
crop was about the only field crop
rom which the yield was generally
normal. This crop is receiving more
attention thar formerly from ou1
larmers and is proving TO be remun
| erative. Wheat was not up TO the
average, was probably 70 per cent.
short. While in many sections OF
| he State very fine cotton crops Were
made, as a whole, the crop was proba-
oily 16 per cent. short. With an IN
creased acreage in cotton, the Statt
did not produce as nan bales as We're
made in 1907. Corn on the uplands
was a full crop, above the average,
out the long, midsummer, continued
rains materially reduced the yields on
low lands. where great quantities o.
| .Orn are usually raised, and also
damaged the quality m -uplands.
The hay crop, including pea vines,
was the largest ever harvested in the
State. The apple crop in the
mountain region was also the largest
n several years. There is a growing
interest. in the apple industry in tina.
avored section, and with proper cul-
~1NdlIoII anu Ildlh lIiC CloC 80
prove to be very profitable if the rail
Dads will only give proper attention
20 transportation and make freight
charges reasonable. In this event
he apple industry will be profitable
alike to the orchardists and the rail
Dads. At present, apples of the same
Grade are selling at so cents per
)ushel in Marion. n. c.. and $40 in
Wilson, N. Cor 20 and 60 cents a
peck, respectively.
With the strawberry growers it has
been a prosperous year. The Fruit
and Truckers Journal, of Wilmington,
n. c., gives receipts along the Atlantic
Coast Line from Strawberries aggre-
eating 1904 cars, containing PSI. $40
crates. valued at $919,195.2O. This
was an increase in shipments over last
year of 43.580 crates or 1913 car loads.
Receipts from other vegetables ship
ped over the Atlantic Coast Lin were
$468,904.50, making total receipts
from berries and other vegetables
shipped over hat line, $1,38S,O99.7 20.
From other sections of the State It is
estimated that there was as much or
more truck shlpDed in value, running
he receipts int the State from this
source into millions of dollars. IL is
estimated that there are shipped from
what is termed the Wilmington dis
trict enough strawberries in a year
~ SA'o Sf1AS ~ II LAX HlllC1A 81
sauce full.
There We're shipped over the Nor
folk and Southern from it's territory
in North Carolina, for thesyear ending
June 80. 1908. 65,717 tons of truck
and vegetables. the value of which it
is impossible to give anything like an
accurate estimate. The above ton
mage over the Norfolk and Southern,
represents an increase since 1898, Of
tSo24 tons or 9TE x nar cant tpI |
the end is not vet. Much of that great
section Of rich land in the eastern
part of the State is Just beginning to
be opened up, and it's possibilities for
better paying crops than have hereto |
tore beer grown there, developed. !
The above is a brief statement of
the present agricultural conditions in
North Carolina. The future is. how
ever, holding out to our farmers still
greater promise, promise of increased
interest IN agriculture, promise of
larger yields per acre, consequently. |
promise of better cultivated farms
and larger profits from them.
The correspondence that comes into |
the State Department of Agriculture
is a barometer to the AGRICULTURAL
condition of the State. This CORE
s~pondence is growing with each year.
and the questions asked cover every
crop grown in the State, and show
a desire on the part of our farmers To
know more about these crops, and
how to grow them better than thew
formerly grew them.
Another evidence of a growing in
terest among our farmers is the in
creased attendance at our Farmers
and the increased interest
manifested in the subjects discussed
at these institutes. Where a few
years ago hardly a dozen m
would turn out to attend an institute,
now the whole neighborhood turns
out, and the speakers are piled with
all sorts of questions pertaining to the
farm and farm crops.
With this awakening and desire on
the part of the farmers for agricul-
tural knowledge, and the increasing
efficiency OF our State Department. of
Agriculture, the Experiment Station,
the A. and NJ. College and our agri-
cultural press, we are
looking for rapid strides along all
lines in North Carolina agriculture.
for the incoming year and in the years
to follow.
But the greatest reason we have for
believing our will make rapid
advances is the fact that we are al
ready beginning to make thosa adj
vances. The attention paid to the
production OF corn is most notable. in
the state. mere are many farm
ers, individual and demonstration
who ave reported yields of from 80
100 bushels per acre, while a great
many have reported fifty bushels and
more per acre. According to the
census report and the statistician. our
yield has increased from less than 10
bushels per acre in 1895 to Is bushels
in 1907. and to IS bushels per acre in
1908. This increase of three bushels
per acre over the corn crop of last
year on the nearly 5000, 900 acres
planted in corn. saves to the State
several millions of ollar that would
20 OUT Tor corn. This yield. in the
lace OF the fact that thousands of
acres of the very best corn land alone
our rivers in entraI and eastern
Carolina We're destroyed bv the
unprecedented floods during the latter
part OF the summer. indicates a 1erv