The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-21
INSTITUTES HELP
VIRGINIA FARMERs
Meetings And Lectures In Cot1Ia-
try Districts Of Inestimable
Value To Them.
TOUR JUST COMPLETED
WAS MOST SUCCESSFUL
Conceded On All Sides That Dis
customs And Demonstrations y
Have Been Benefcial--Many
Subjects Treated.


asttc. attentive and inquisitive farms VI
ers. officials OF the Southern railrVad
and Commissioner OF Agriculture Geo.
w. Koiner brought to an end Safur- N
day afternoon one or the most euc-
cessful tours ever made in virunta
with a farmers institute train
The demonstration at Chatham,
where the lectures of Commissioners
kotner and the other experts On 4
farming accompanying him. was but
a repetition of the reception aocrfd~
ed the train since it's start at Burke,
near Alexandria, last Monday MORN
ing
institutes were held at Burke. rafr~
fax, Manassas, Nokesvtlle, Rsminx-
ton, Culpeper. Rapidan. Orange, Bar.
louisville. Red Hill. CovesviiIe. Ar-
rtngton. Amherst, Evtngton. Frank.
lin Junction, Union Hall and Chat.
ham.
Had Been Advertised
At each place the coming OF tbs
train and the lecturers had been Eida-
ly advertised and ESQ farmers was
the smallest attendance at any or
the Institutes. Both the farmers and
the lecturers. as well AZ the railroad
officials. were grati6ed by the I'M
qualified successes at each station.
IA the. bA13phiu5 Va AASL<AAA3S3 AAtH5
special train was run on a siding and
the lectures were delivered from the
rear end OF the last car. reminding
one OF a political campaign. AruHnd-
the end OF the car the farmerr aS-S
semhled and listened most fnter0stcd-a
ly to what was being told them about
modern methods of wringing the
4 greatest wealth out OF the Gn1aileaks
! area of the bosom OF mother sarfa.s
I fz<ktf
! begun. the farmers were invited To-
interrupt the speakers at any tins
and request that anything they disi
not understand be fully explained.
Although there was some back
wardness, dffffdence and hesitation
about asking questions at nrst. when
one farmer started the ball rolling
the lecturers were deiuged wiGl I'M
quiries, and smiled but the hrnadeF
with each query The operators Of
the trains and the lecturers measure
the success or failure OF their trip
ny the number Of questions asked. IL
! the farmers stand or SIT perfectly
! still and ask 20 questions. the Bpeak-
/ ers are not as we'll pleased ~ II they
had been interrupted with interiors;
tions between every word Of thNir
set talks
4 Although the practical farmer hAa
/ not had very high opinion OF ~bock
/ taught agriculturists." they arc ..sit-v
ting up and taking notice now and
! from all parts of the State have coma
letters Of commendation for the ms
stitute trains and the lecturers. IN II
/ institute train has come to stay, not
because the lecturers are fond Of
hearing their own voice. or because
I the railroads wish to boost farming
that they might increase their VOL
! ume of freight but because the
farmers have made such rapid ana
7 substantial progress as result af
| attending the institutes that they
/ would not consent to a discontinuaucn
! OF the valuable institutes.
Credit Due Koiner.
Commissioner Kotner originated thA
idea of running institute trains ana
great credit is due him for their sue
| cess and their increasing value to thu
/ farmer.
The first institute train alta nBs Hl-T
tract very large crowds because III
was not heavily advertised. but In thu
breasts OF those who did attend thu.
meetings held at the small stAtiOnGs
a spirit of investigation was aroused
The farmers remembered what wxaI
I said by the lecturers about tntensfftrff
farming and rotating crops. 'rhesa
were little more than words to them
at first. but after some thought they
decided to try the plans sugE ested
py the iec,urers' Inc resuIt ma uesn8
In prac.ica,Iy every Ms.Ance y
wh,th the ausice VI me oE 80
reoerai government eAper ausieel
was Ioaowsa-iaT cops on 49,
acreage. rms Is lntohsineo IarInih4.
accomplished by paying back the AAtN
for the strength slapped out Of Il N1s
crops planted and harvested years11F
and year out IN virxinla 49,
probaoiy more cowpeas ana req cs0ss
are sown. only 70 pc turned oveE ~
decay ana ieTtiii@e lhe soA Ln.n Y
I ably any state IN the union