The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-08-31
Friday.

Friday.
The North Carolina Farmers State
Convention will adjourn today after
the meeting Of the horticultural
branch and a business session of the
State Live Stock and Dairymens' As
ISOLATION. The WOman'S branch closed
its sessions yesterday.
Mr.. Thoma W. Blount. of Roper,
Washington county, one OF the most
prominent and popular citizens of the
great AlberInarle section of the State,
successful business man and exemp-
larry farmer, was elected president
unanimously. having been the single
choice of the convention. Mr.. T. B.
Parker, of the State Department Of
Agriculture, was reelected secretary,
Prof. I. O. Schaub, of the A. & NJ.
College, having been chosen assistant
secretary and treasurer, a new office,
OccasiOned by the growth and import
ance of the convention.
Yesterdays session was the most en-
thusiastic of the convention. The
farmers We're thrilled by the eloquent
DR.. S A. Knapp, Of the United States
Department Of Agriculture, whom
they have learned to Venerate and
owe. His discussion was not confined
to a single subject. but touched upon
the various interests of the farmer.
Ihe convention adopted the follow
&c - ~ SA Wy Maj l.
II Poe, John w. Robinson and b. 3.
Everett:
Whereas, the Farmers State Con-
vention of North Carolina, old it's
1909 annual session under peculiarly
suspicious circumstances. Never be
fore in h history of the State has
there been such an awakening to the
Importance of better agricultural me-
thods. never before such enthusiasm
among the farmers themselves, their
wives, their sons and daughters. We
feel that the farmers OF the State
are entering upon a new day, an era
of marvellous development which we
should all be proud to w a part in
Fastening. The North Carolina De-
partment of Agriculture. Experiment
Stations, the farmers Institutes, the
demonstration and extension work
farmers organizations, farm papers,
and last but by no means least, the
A & M. College in which We meet
and which is now more efficient than
eve befOre-all these agencies are
working together in one great move
ment for doubling the profits Of our
North Carolina farmers, and for
bringing a new dignity to agriculture
Sueh as it has never before known.
We urge every farmer in North Caro-
lima to put himself in touch with each
of these movements, work with them,
and make himself a fighting soldier in
AI1t SISdl u Ooddt VI dSIlCdItuI dI pAo
greSS.
I'm outlining a brief platform OF
progress we first of all call attention
to the fundamental Importance of pre-
serving and building up the land, the
heavy rains Of the last twelve months
having emphasized afresh the para
mount necessity for better care of our
soils. We must give special atten-
ton to better drainage, the formation
of humus to prevent the land from
washing SO easily, and we must also
make it our ideal to have a ove
crop upon every acre of our land in
winter to prevent the fearful leach
ing away Of fertility, possible on1y in
our warm Southern climate.
In genral farm methods we wish
especially to stress the Importance OF
the great movement for better imple-
ments and rnachinery-n1ore two
horse and three-hOrSe p1OWS, Guilt
Vators and other implements and ma
chinery instead af the wasteful one
horse method which requires two to
three times as much experience and
three times as much expensive man
labor Without increased returns Bet
ter seed selection is another vitality
important matter and every North
Carolina farmer who does not buy
from reliable and progressive seed
breeders should select seed for next
years corn, cotton and peanut crops
fro mthe very best individual plants
in his field during the mex sixty days.
The growing of legumes must be
preached until the acreage is doubled
again and again. Better cutting and
management of equipment an timher
IS necessary to preserve this great
resource and also to save he land
itself, We must have more live
ock-mo hogs, cattle and horses
eSpeclally-and every farmer should
nave one or more improved breeding
animals on his place; as helping here,
the determination of the cattle tick
Is a work which we should all
age and dairying also offers splendid
opportunities for great Development.
second in Importance to nothing else
~ me Improvement of our homes. and
me armer' wife must get improved
household conyeniences. and COM