The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-06-14
State Board of AgricuI-
ture Hears the Reports
MUCH PROGRESS SHOWN
The Heads of Various Departments
Tell in Detail of the Work Going on
in the Departments and in Various
Parts Of the State, With h Outlook
for the Future.

for the Future.
The State Board of Agriculture con-
tinued it's semiannuaI sessions Wednes-
day, the day being spent in hearing
the reports from various department
heads, discussing the work that has
been done and laying plans for the
future. The various reports showed
that much progress is being made in
advancing the agricultural interests Of
the State.
The department officials whose re-
ports, begun yesterday, Will be COM
pleted today, are Messrs. Elias Carr,
secretary, in charge Of immigration,
b w. kllgore, State chemist: HI. H.
curator State museum; VIM.
G- Chrlsman, State ~eterinarian
Sherman, State ~entomOlOgist;
w. N. HUT, State horticulturist; w. M.
Allen. food chemist, and Bronson
Barlow, botanist.
The reports submitted yesterday had
in them the following of interest:
Seed Inspection.
This department has been equipped
with the apparatus necessary for car
rylng on this work. 1t is found that
many seed within the State are below
the standard in termination some
containing noXlouS weed and grass
seed. 1t is the desire of the depart
ment that both farmers and merchants
send US samples of seed before they
purchase the same and these samples
will be promptly tested and results
reported at once to the merchant or
farmer sending in the samples. The
samples Will be tested as to germinat-
ing power and purity. This work is
new in the State n the good results
to be obtained from 1t are evident.
Division of Entomology.
This division has been doing its
nCll2I active work and cnncia1 affnrtc
are being made to combat certain in
sect pests in the State. 1t is pleasant
to note that no new insect pests have
been reported during the past six
months.
Division of Agronomy.
Under this division the important
work of plant breeding is carried on,
this being the work of finding the va
rieties of our staple crops best suited
to the different types Of soil in the
State. Work is being done in the old
bright tobacco belt Of the State. en-
~deavoring to breed a blight resisting
tobacco plant.
Boards of County Commissioners. have
applied for the establishment of local
test farms. These fifty counties rep
resent 20 per cent of the population of
the State. This work covers every
type Of soil within the State.
Veterinary Division.
The plant for making hog cholera
serum is now in operation, and the
work along this line is very ncour
aging. It shows thai by vaccination
not more than 5 per cent. of the hogs
exposed to this disease contract it.
This department has tested over
500 cattle in this State for tubercu-
1osis- Thi State is, so far as known
the first to take up the work. Tests
show that in North Carolina cattle are
exceptionally free from this disease.
This work is carried on in ~co-opiera-
ton with the United States govern
ment.
The proposal of this department IS
TO place pure bred sires in different
sections of the State seems to meet
with general approval.
The work in tick eradication in the
past season has been very satisfac-
tory. Of $500 tick infested herds AZ
the beginning of this season there
remains now not more than 200. and
from the present indications the
counties Of Franklin, Wake, Chatham,
Randolph, Montgomery and Stanly
Will De ready to be released from
in December.
Dairy Demonstration.
The dairy division during the las1
six months has been doing test work
with % herds. and partial work with
10 others. Forty parties have applied
to this Department for assistance ir
building silos, barns, etc.
A butter contest has also been car
RED on and this Division has take1
the most prominent part in the shor
course work. -
Farmers Institutes.
During the past winter sixty-thre,
institutes for men and fifty-fve 70
women were held. At the mems in
stitutes there was a prize of ST.
offered each day for the best five ear
of corn exhibited; and at the women