The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1909-06-10
THE FARMERS
STEAMER
Many Heard the Lectures Along
RappahannOCk.
THE SUBJECTS TREATED. ETC.

More than 700 Virginia farmsrs o,
Caroline, King George. Westmoreland
Essex, Richmond. Lancaster and Niddle'
sex counties heard the lectures delivered
on the farmers special instruction steam.
boat operated on the RappahRnnock
riVer on Friday and Saturday by the
MO- Del Va. Railway Company.
state commissioner OF Agriculture a.
". hoiner, ). B. Heiges, W. Il. Brainard
W W Sproul. I. {. johnson and II. 4
hsrtiey We're the experts who delivered
lectures To the farmers. The Md. Del A
va Kali way Company was represented
Oy mr. 4. Murdoch, general freight and
passenger agent, and Mr.. W. ID. scott
general agent at Fredericksburg.
OWing TO the i8ct that the farmers
along the Rappahannock river have a soil
that Is adapted TO trucking. their attep-
tion was directed especially 20 that
feature oi agriculture. W. W. Sproul az
etannton, successful potato grower
made thirty minute talks at every wharf
visited by the special He instructed the
farmers In methods for preventing the
blight, and gave them the benefit Of
MS e1 perience OF the last ten years.
ffoi, johnson also talked on potatoes.
os Wen as tomatoes, peas, watermelOns
-. 80. MS INSTRUCTIONS Tor
combating the different diseases neculIar
TO these vegetables interested the iarmers
keenly. Professor Heiges and M Hart.
ley, both OF whom have devoted murh
time 20 corn culture. delivered lectures
on that subject. Illustrated charts were
used effectively, as we'll as sample ears of
corn, showing the results secured bv
scientific practices.
kunning the farmers special steamboat
IN virginia Tor the commissioner OF auri.
culture Is one OF she many efforts being
e1erted by the Pennsy lvania Railroad
ano It's subsidiary lines to advance the
agricultural interests OF the states I'm
which II operates. Special educational
trains have been operated IN different
sections OF Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
and the lessons taught have spurred the
farmers on TO greater effort. The railroad
company proposes by operations of this
manner TO make more personal and
direct the efforts OF the State Agricultural
authoritiesin tinginiormation
The company also realizes that its In.
terests aud those OF the farmers are
mutual, and that the adoption Of scien-
tihc methods Oi farming will develou
more traffic Tor its steamboat lines.
The trip OF the "Gratltude" down the
happAhannock was unique In that no
such special had ever been operated IN
that section. The crowds Of farmers.
many OF whom drove ten and fifteen
miles 20 wharves, or came 10 their gaso-
line boats from river points, attested 10
the popularity OF the movement. Every
thing was done to make the lecture OF
special value, and the schedules were 80
arranged as TO give the farmers OF each
county along the river an opportunity
TO hear them. Hearty cooperation was
given the lecturers by the following men
who were In charge Of the special
steamer; Capt. NJ. b. Gourley, First
Otieer J. Il. Sanford. Quartermasters
Major Fletcher and MiltOp Bartlett. Chief
Engineer n. II. Fitzgerald Assistant
Engineer Samuel sanner, and Watchman
II. r. Marshall.