The Green Forest tribune., 1910-01-14
TO RECLAIM SOUTHERN LANDS
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson Great Believer in Wonderful Possibiii-
 ties of the South.

l the rich soils Of the northwest, an( will at the same time result in in creased crops of double and treble | proportions. The secretary of agricul ture is of the opinion that the soutf is making the most rapid advance o all sections in agricultural develop ment. The cheap price of lands ant | the possibility for making them the equal of any for agricultural purposes | leads MT. Wilson to the belief tha many farmers in various sections ol the country will migrate to the soutf l to engage in farming.
 In most interesting interview or the agricultural possibilities of the south, MT. Wilson said:
 "The cheapest thing in the south to day is land. Some of those farmers from the Northwest, who attended the annual convention of the National Farmers congress in Raleigh, N. C.. this month own farms at home that are worth from S100 to $150 per acre | Southern lands that will produce equally as we'll are held at great deal less. The southern farmer has yet much improvement to make fn the methods of agriculture. The most striking advances of the south have been along manufacturing lines. Nc farmer can leave his southern land to better his condition by farming any where else. The meeting of the Farm CTS congress at Raleigh will result in many farmers of the north selling their lands and locating in the south to buy cheaper lands.'
 Asked the question whether the farm lands of the south can be made as productive as the rich lands of the northwest, which sell for $150 an i acre, MT. Wilson said: Why, of course. Whats the hindrance? But the southern farmer must quit send ing his cotton seed meal over the l world to enrich other lands. He must use this rich fertilizer himself. The south has produced this year the heaviest corn crop it has ever grown. This increase is due to the demon stration work of this department. Our campaign of education is finally pro ducing results. The next step will be for the farmer of the south to grow his own hogs, and make his own meat from his own corn. Dr. Knapp has prepared a circular showing them how to do this
 "The farming industry in the south is picking up. Right now more prog ress is being made in the south in i'm proving farming conditions than in any other section of the country.
 Anybody who says the farm lands of the south are played out does not know what he is talking about. The rundown farming lands can be brought back to their original state and made as fertile as ever. There has already been wonderful i'm provement in the condition of some southern lands. First it will be nee essary to rotate crops and make pas lures. Eliminate the cattle tick and feed the cotton seed meal of the south to the cattle and the southern farmer will grow twice or three times as much cotton to the acre as he does now. And this ratio of increased pro- ductiveness will apply to all crops. The southern farmer does not fully appreciate the situation, and he will not until he finally begins to double and treble his present crops on the same acreage.
 "One thing I want to carry home to the southern farmer: Get rid of the cattle tick If the farmers of the south will cooperate with this depart ment they will soon be rid of the pest. We have already eliminated the cattle tick from 75,000 square miles in the south. In course of time the the tick will be entirely eradicated | but it is important to the south tc make a successful fight without de lay"
 Speaking of the work that is being carried on in the south by the depart ment for the improvement of agricul tural conditions there, Mir. Wilson said:
 We have an organization in the + states of the south. This work is
 
 has a representative in each state and through him representatives 1T each county. The great object is te show the poorer classes of farmer: | by demonstration how to grow better crops.
 "The bureau of animal industry is al work to get rid of the cattle tick which is the bane of southern farm CTS. The tick takes 200 pounds O blood from each head of cattle in the course of a year, and makes the grow | ing of cattle unproductive. To the enc that southern people can keep more cattle so they can renovate their soi and bring it back to it's origina i strength by grazing cattle, sheep, etc cattle should be fed on cotton seet meal
 "The dairy industry in the south il also receiving the attention of the de partment of agriculture. The worl of helk-fig and encouraging the south ern farmer is under the direction o MT. Rawl, the chief of the dairy di vision. The plant breeders in the de partment are creating new varieties | of cotton, other plants and citru fruits Other of our bureaus are work ing along particular lines, all for tn purpose of building up the agricultur of the south