The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-10

mont OF the executive, be accom-
pIished' by constituting . board.
to be known rs the united agri-
cultural board. consisting ut the
governor and superintendent OF
public instruction from the board. I.
Of education, the commissioner
OF agriculture and member OF
the board OF agriculture to be Sc
fccted by that board, and the
president and member Of the
board of the Virginia Agricul-
turai College and Polytechnic In
stitnte 20 be selected by that
board, acting in concert with tho
co-ortiinating agency OF the
United States department OF agri-
culture.
THE duties to be performed by
each of these agencies in the great
work OF agricultural advance TO be
defined by the act creating the united
agricultural board, or by the boaro
itself. with discretion and power in
either case to enlarge It's work as
the necessities of the situation may
require. and to assign such new WORK
to the agencies best fitted to success
fully carry 1t out.
Approved by Knapp.
have talked with Dr. S. A.
Knapp. the efficient General Director
OF Demonstration Work of the
United States Department of Agri-
culture, who hearsily approves the
plan of coordination briefly outlined
in this message, and expressed the
opinion that its adoption would very
soon put Virginia In the front rank
of thu Southern States
The Importance of the subject
justifies me in very briefly repeating
some things which were said in my
inaugural address: Last year twelve
thousand Southern boys cultivated an
acre of land each in corn under Ii =
direction OF the United STATES 80
partment OF Agriculture. One acre
IN South Carolina produced 152 IL
bushels; an acre in Mississippi pro.
duced LAT bushels; one acre IN
Arkansas produced 135 bushels, and
ono acre In Chesterfield county, Va.
produccc re- bushels. The average
production of corn In the United
States last year was a little over
twenty-five bushels to the acre, while
the average OF the twelve thousand
boys was sixty bushels to the acre,
tho average production in the United
States.
IF we could double our corn crop
In Virginia. 1t would, at seventy
cents a bushel, increase our annual
income over thirty-three millions of
dollars. or course, the same methods
of agriculture would increase our
crops of wheat, rye. oats. potatoes.
tobacco. peanuts, grass and all other
crops produced in our State and add
immensely to our wealth and the
~ 10 he Ear ~
twenty-five millions of acres of land.
and not quite one-flfth in cultivation.
the Importance of demonstrating the
productive capacity of our soil must
impress itself upon the General AS
sembly,
Homescckers 10 Come.
Let this productive capacity be de-
monstrated, and added To the SPLEEN
did climate and transportation advan-
tages we possess, and homeseekers
will pour In, our waste lands viii be
put under cultivation, our population
viii increase and our revenue. with
out any increase OF taxation, will en-
able us 10 build and maintain good
roads. improve our schools. and all of
our State institutions and agencies,
and carry forward all the plans for
progress which are now hating be-
cause of scarcity OF money,
VI do not Know a more important
matter for legislative action. or one
which promises mere immediate or
important results than that briefly
outlined In this message. and / ear
nestiy commend IL TO the attention
and action of the General Assembly.
Very respectfully.
WILLIAM HODGES MANN.
Governor