The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-02-15

SsOII d1lCl liz
ground. Strawberries, peaches, mel,
ons, pecans, and on the coast figs n
satsuma n are being raised at
great profit and shipped North.
Four years ago the average yield
Of corn per acre In Mississippi was
"A bushels. Last year the average
was II $40 bushels. and Mississippi
Illinois and Kansas are about to lose
a mighty good customer of former
days in tina line atone. Interest IN
corn culture is at white heat. APP
proved methods Of cultivation ana
seed selection have increased the re-
turns 8 $40 bushels per acre, or
something over 100000 bushels on
last years crop.
In 1907 five counties in Mississippi
had boys corn luhs, composed or
school boys. each of whom was try
ing to get the largest returns OF corn
on one acre of land. Prizes for the
best cultivated crop, largest return,
we're offered by patriotic merchants
and individuals. In 1908 twenty
three counties had clubs. In 1908
thirty-six counties, and for 1910 fifty
counties out of TIL" seven+y-eight
have ORGANIZED. making an army Of
of the membership are girls, and
fully 95 per cent of the membership
are white boys and girls.
Agricultural high schools are being
established in each county. Crop d.
versiflcation, stock raising, and fatten-
ing, gardening, Trucking. fruit grow
ing, and rou1try raising and bee cul-
ture are being taught as well as the
scientific cultivation of cotton SO as to
fight the weevil. Boards OF supervi-
sors of the various cOun+ieS are Of
fering prizes in cash to the winners
IN corn Tub contests. PubIic-snirited
individuals offer prizes also to the pu-
pills Of the agricultural school.
Rice growing is developing where
there is sufficient water to be de-
pended upon. A planter in Bolivar
county put in rs acres of irrigated
rice last year. He sacke
90 bushels per acre and cleared S72
per acre on it. Mary other farmers
are rrerering to devote some acreage
to rice the coming year.
The boil weevil works it's greatest
change in agricultural conditions on
the negro.
AS the weevil enters a territory |
from the West or Southwest. hun
dreds of negroes leave for the Fast
and the Northeast. The weevil terri /!
tory is yet too small for the hogira
to be noticeable. but on the Atlantic
seahoard and the northern border
states there will be a congestion of
the negro population in a very few |
years. The reasons are these:
To combat the wenvil with any de-
gree of success at I'll requires cease |
less energy. initiative. hard work.
piann1ng ahead. and domestic econ |
omy in the way of the conservation |
and development of the productive re-
sources of each farm.
None of these the average p,anta-
tlon negro has. In the first place he
is a nomad. with few If any local at
tach"7entS OF ties, He is mprovident
shiftless. disinclined to work. and ac-
crstomed to a hand-to-mouth ex,st-
ence. He prefers hat to the more
substantial rewards of PROLONGED ex-
ert'cn and planning. He owns M
land and does not care to own anv
RE IS accustomed to being taken care
or ny the planter he makes q cron
with. p
The planter furnishes house p,r-
GEN. land, plows. harness. mules
noes, seed, chemical fertilizer wnen
ffeeded and guarantees the account
or the negro for his family at tho
m~erchants. In return the negro and
his family give grrdingly as li+tla
work as they possibly can. Thay
usually come ont IN debt. and f1oa,
CIT TO some other plantation where
tne conhding owner takes a chance
on them. and the CANA