The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-08-09

go ~ - -
testing this possibility. and in keeping
with the bigneSS of the way Pitt county
folks can do things when in the no
ton. they took a notion yesterday. and
in the morning assembled. over a
THOUSAND strong. to give audience II
experts on the good roads question.
that is stirring the progressive minds
OF this awakening sleeping giant
among North Cardinals most favored
and intelligent counties.
In the afternoon. another large
number of representative citizens. the
flower of as good a farming constit-
uency as the South contains. gathered
at the Teachers Training School au-
ditorium. TO hear the representatives
OF the United States Department of
Agriculture, discuss the practical
questions underlying the best ad-
vanced farming of the age
In another report [ have given an
account of the remarkably successful
morning session devoted to good
roads. The afternoon session were
given to the representatives OF the
National Department Of Agriculture.
The session lasted until ) O'Clock, and
throughout the entire series OF adj
dresses from these XpertS on drain
aSe. rotation, soil preservation. and
the modern methods of intoxicating
by actual demonstration, the best way
to farm successfully. interest was in
creased by Congressman Small who in
many practical ways is worth more to
his district and his State han a thou
sand ordinary political Congressnen
and Senators bunched together. He
took the train for williamson. where
the Martin County Farmers Institute
will be held tomorrow, followed We'd
neSday by an institute at Washington
for the county of Beaufort. -
Mr.. A. G.. Cox. Of Winterville, called
the meeting to order, presenting Con
gresham Small, who briefly told of
the inauguration of these Institutes.
by aid Of the National Agricultural
Department, and of the increasing in
terest in them each year. He present
ed Mr.. J. p. Campbell, general field
agent for cooperative farmers de-
monstratiOn work in twelve Southern
States.
Mr.. Campbell outlined the demon
s%tration work of the Departments
agents, saying it had proven to be the
Rural Free Delivery service of the De
partInent of Agriculture.
There were $50 special agents in
the South devoting their entire time.
not to teaching farmers not something
they already knew. but to get them to
do something on lines they had not be-
fore acted, while they knew how. BY
actual object lessons taught by the
farmers themselves to themselves In
doing, under the direction, impulse or
assistance Of an agent, the money
!, value Of improved seeds, improved i'm
| plementS, preventive of plant diseases,
, animal disease, or remedies for same,
improved cultivation and preparation
Of the soil, have been demonstrated by
actual results. In the Southern States
his year IS, 600 men and "A. 900 school
boys are rOWinS demonstration crops
of one plant-cOrn.
BY this work in the past the yield
Of corn in North Carolina had been
t raised from 16 500 bushels per acre
to 20 bushels per acre last year. This
2 resulted in an increase of sixteen mill
, lion bushels Of corn in North Carroll
mas crop Of 1903. The great requi-
: sites Of better results were: better
; drainage, deep and thorough
l ton Of seed bed. and huInus in the
soil.
t He briefly dicussed the cheapest
2 and best methods Of securing his by
means Of winter cover crops and
, drainage.
Mr.. A. G.. Smith, of the National
r Bureau of Plant Industry, next pre-
scented the subject OF drainage in con-
nection with preventive OF disease, and
/ the encouragement of plant growth.
| He demonstrated how a plant could be
{ so protected by drainage as TO be kept
;. in a healthy state of growth in both
: wet and dry seasons In this connec-
ton he showed hat an important
part the presence of hunus in the soil
was, that it was IN absolute necessity
in conserving moisture or preventing
} too much.
Tobacco Cuh<lrc.
The concluding address was by r..
Fl. Mathewson, of the United States
;. DEPARTMENT, who gave a practica! dis
cussion Of the best means Of cuitivat-
ing, fertilizing. curing and handling
successfully a crop OF tobacco. He
, told the reason for exhaustion of soil.
and pointed out the means of growing
tobacco at a minimum cost. and Sc
curing the maximum quality.
At the conclusion of Mr.. MathesOn's
address on motion of Chairman A G..
Cox. a rising vote Of thanks was ten
dered MI. Small and the expert repre-
t sentatives of the Agricultural Depart
ment