Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1910-09-02
THE EXPERIMENT STATION.
A Correspondent Gives Some Reasons
Why 1t Should be Centrally Located

Why 1t Should be Centrally Located
Editor Of the Beacon:
The experimental farm which
was authorized by the last legls-
lature to be located in the pra-
ries" will be welcomed no mat
ter where located, but your Has
huqua correspondent, who urges
that it be run in connection with
the Agricultural High School at
Mashulaville, loses sight entirely
of the purpose for which the ap-
preparation was made and the
station authorized by the legisla-
ture. In the first place this eX-
pertinent station was authorized
:'for the prairies" as the state
already has stations in the cut
over" or sandy-lands Of South
Mississippi and in the red hills of
North Mississippi in Marshall
county, both Of which are very
similar to the lands around Ma
shulaville and the conditions that
prevail in West Noxubee.
am not waiting this to favor
or boost any particular places or
locality, but outside the fact that
the farm was authorized to dem
onstrate the things needed to get
the best results from prairie
lands, it seems to a man up tree
{ that it would be altogether i'm
practical to locate an experiment
farm in any but the central or
most accessible portion of any
county. One Of the greatest ben
efits that can be derived from an
experiment station is the good
the public can get out of it through
observation, consequently it IS
absurd to talk of locating it IL
miles from the nearest railroad
and the roads leading to it not
good in the best of seasons.
Locate the farm centrally and
near a railroad and students and
those interested generally could
visit tn. farm, see the demon
strations made on special days
and return home the same day.
These demonstration days could
be arranged during court week
and the entire county reap the
benefit. Again Macon, as the
chief town and county seat is
naturally the rendezvous of all
government men from the great
departments at Washington.
DR.. NJ. H. Mendenhall has his
official headquarters here as did
II. c.. Smith in charge of our re-
Gently completed soil survey. Mr..
M, A. Crosby, one of the best
agronomists in the u. S. depart
ment of agriculture makes very
frequent visits here on official
business, and as he has investi-
gated agriculture in every State
Of the Union, and could doubtless
easily visit the farm provided it
were located centrally. Other
government officials as we'll as
those from the popular expert
ment station at Starkville would
visit it often.
1t is very evident from the
great interest taken in dairying,
farming and stock-raising, that
Noxubee county is on the eve of
a great agricultural uplift, and
that condition will be better than
ever before. and like all patriotic
citizens | am for Noxubee county
first, last and all the time, and
welcome the farm wherever 1t
may be located, but in the face
of the irrefutable arguments
given above it is evident that
the vicinity Of Macon is the logi-
cal point for the farm.
In this connection | would like |
to call the attention of the read
ers of the Beacon and especially |
the taxpayers of Noxubee county
to the question of the county hav-
ing a farm to work its convicts, |
instead of employing them or
the road. The work which has
heen done by Mr.. Mauldin and