The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1911-12-29
Would Benefit Farmers

P1ONCO anu SSAASA>AoA-S
ally bettered Governor Crothers, in his
message to the Legislature, says:
"There has been nothing during my
administration more gratifying that the
awakening of greater interest IN the
basic industry of our people in agrlcu-
ture.
4. 'There is no State in the Union with
a greater variety of soil adapted to the
production of agricultural and hortlcui-
tural crops, and this seems to be more
and more appreciated by our farmers
as the years roll by.
az appointed farmers commission
for the whole State, made up OF repre-
sentative farmers from each section OF
Maryland They organized and held
three monster farm meetings, at when
every phase of this important question
was discussed. One of these meetings
was held in Southern Maryland, one on
the Eastern Shore and one in Western
Maryland.
s'The interest shown by this commls-
sion was such that it succeeded in bring
ing greater interest and putting new
life into this subject in Maryland and
impressed the farmer and everybody
else that farming nowadays demands a
combinatian of mind and muscle, anc
the necessity of the farmer to avail
himself of every opportunity to STUDY
the question from a scientific stand
point, familiarize himself with the work
and experiments of our own Agrlcul-
tural College and Experimental Station
and with the national Department OF
Agriculture and the other. great schools
on the same subjects of the other
States of the Union.
ssThe idea which once prevailed that
the bow who was unfit for anything else
should be farmer was dreadful mis-
take. Experience has shown that the
same industry and the same inquiry into
the scientific side of this employment
is as sure to produce good re-
suits as when applied to any other av-
ocation. When it is more fully recog-
nized that in this calling there is more
necessity for the engaging of the men
tai powers and the fascination the sub
iect has for the human mind, together
with good roads, the telephone, rural
free delivery, the automobile and the
public health country life affords, it
will be very much less difficult in the
future to keep the boy on the Mary
land farm.
sThe closeness between supply and
demand in agricultural products has un-
ouestionably stimulated this industry,
raised the price of land and the prices
of products and is making and will
make this question of more moment in
the future than it has ever been in the
the history of this country. 1t will un-
questionably lead to more thought be-
ing given to the adaptability of soil for
the production of particular crops,
about which comparatively little is
known today. 1t will result in the
division of the large farms into small
er number of acres and an increase in
the products of each acre titled and of
increasing the number engaged in that
occupation.
sIn Maryland, because of its climate
and geographical location and the quail
ity of its soil, increased attention should
unuuestionably be given to fruit, vege-
table and truck raising, as we are in
easy reach of the markets of probably
ten millions of people. Apples can be
produced of the finest quality in every
section of Maryland. The recent exhi-
bition of the Horticultural Society of
Maryland Zone of the most useful and
enterprising societies we have in this
State), together with other affiliated
organizations, held at the Fifth Regi-
ment Armory in Baltimore during
Maryland Week, gives clear indica-
ton of the possibilities of Maryland in
the raising of apples and other fruit.
81 would recommend that an effort
be made not 30 much to increase the
| acres titled as to increase the quantity
of the products on the acre, and the
| reduction of the size of the larger
| farms. Increased attention to fruit,
| included in this the smaller fruits
vegetables and truck products, because
believe, as is shown by the expert
| ments in some of the Southern Mary
land and Eastern Shore counties where
transportation facilities are sufficient,
that greater profits will result than in
the production of the ordinary cereals.
81 recommend the use of more lime
| than is now used for the land; more
barnyard manure and less of certain
| kinds of commercial fertilizer; more
poultry raising. The average price of
eggs and the price of chickens the last
few years would warrant an increase
in the poultry-raising business of the
State cooperation should be effected
and efforts made to reduce the costs of
| agricultural implements, and lower the
tariff on same in order to reduce trust
prices.
81 have recommended from time to
time placing at the agricultural college
some person conversant with news
paper work, who would prepare in a
i concise and condensed form the results
of the experimental work going on un
der the Agricultural Departments of
! the national Government as we'll as of
the different States of the Union. and
send the same to the city and county
newspapers, who would be glad to
publish it free of cost; and thereby
supply to all the farmers of the State
| IL G 4: