The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-18
TELLS RURAL LIFE CONFERENCE
HOW TO MAKE POOR FARMS
PROFITABLE.
THE BlNGHAMPTON WAY
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STARTED
DEMONSTRATION FARM TO
SHOW HOW THE WORK
WAS DONE.


l1.--Byres II. Gitchell secretary of
the Binghamton, y. y, Chamber OF
Commerce. addressing the Rural Life
Conference at the University of Nir
sinla, spoke this afternoon on the
Relation OF the Commercial Organi-
cation to the Farmer" and this even
Ing on "Dev clipping Spirit of Co.
operation in Rural Communities"
In the afternoon Mr.. Gitchelrs
time was taken up in telling OF the
inception and creation OF farm bu-
reau in connection with the Bling
hamton Chamber OF Commerce for
the purpose Of surrounding Bingham
ton with a more prosperous farming
community, the general aim In &C
complishing this purpose being, first,
ITO restore confidence IN agricultural
opportunities at home, and. second,
To develop real spirit OF co-opera-
tion between the city men and the
country men of Southern New York.
Decreasing population and the
great number Of farms for sale at
tracted the attention of the Bing-
hamton Chamber OF Commerce to the
need of developing the industry of
farming In its community, as well
as giving its attention 10 the loca-
ton of new factories, transportation
problems and the development of
local trade.
While the general agricultural con-
dttion in the farming district around
Binghamton was not satisfactory,
many instances were found of sue
cessfui farming right alongside and
under the same conditions as those
making failure. which convinced
the business men of Binghamton that
1t was not problem Of the soil hut
a problem of pGtipariry = q
as to correct methods
A Demonstration Farm
Mr., Gitchel told Of the months
of time given to investigating and
formulating a proposition for the OPP
j eration of demonstration farm.
which could be used to show the far
mers of that vicinity the right meth
ods Of agriculture to be used In that
section. This proposition was dis
carded, owing to information received
from Prof, Spiilman. OF the depart
ment of agriculture. to the effect that
out of twenty~eight demonstration
| farms which he had operated In the
itNorthwest, twenry-seyen had been
failures, the farmers being discour-
aged by their own handicaps rather
, than encouraged to adopt the meth
! DDS demonstrated. saying: III we
had the money OF the government
l thC NldAs VI the IhltFoau We C00tG
. do the same thing" feeling that the
{ things necessary to success were out
j of their reach.
The farm bureau as organized sub
sequent to the growing UP of the de-
monstration farm proposition. fs con-
Quoted under the joint management
OF the United States Department of
Agriculture. the Lackawanna Rail-
4 road and the Binghamton Chamber OF
'Ty 1er,,a p,L %,-It
81, 200 "a year to it's maintenance. This
q method of operation was decided upon
!, to avoid duplication of the efforts OF
! the many agencies at work.
q The operation OF the bureau is un-
: der the direction OF Mr.. ]. H Barron.
Cornell graduate and man of
: wide varied and successful expert
g ence in practical agriculture. the
, 1 teaching and demons. ~ating OF same
: with the government Department of
3 Agriculture, the Pennsylvania State
3 College OF Agriculture and in the
. farmers institute work in New York
n State
:. The work of the bureau since 1t was
h started In March has been confined
e largely 10 Investigating the methocs
9 OF successful farmers in the vicinity
il of Binghamton and installing def :
l. mite demonstrations to be operated
r by the farmers themselves under the
g .direction Of tha bureau, -.
g Dun-Down Farms Pay.
Mr.. Gitchell described instances
where under the management OF prac-
teal farmers these neglected farms
had been made TO pay the fret year
better than 10 per cent on the origi
Y nal investment, and how the farmers
had confidence In their ability IA
make their farms pay on value o.
Sioo per acre in from three to five
:. years
, Another illustration was given OF a
= man who reimbursed himself for his
u original investment in what he took
:, from the farm the first year, and an
; other instance of the production OF
zoo bushels Of potatoes per acre
: while just across the fence with ex-
r. actly the same soil conditions daisies
and golden rod were putting up a los.
, ing fight for existence.
q A State institution near Bingham.
v ton has offered their farm contain
ing several thousand acres, for the
y use Of the bureau for demonstration
= purposes.
e Government experiments with pas
ture problems under the Immediate
:. direction of the farm bureau wer.
v described, as well as efforts to or
. ganize COW testing associations.
Attention Is given to retaining
i'tSe'S~tNN anu Iuc OTkaHlZd-
: ton of corn clubs In the distric,
+ schools, the securing of new settlers
in cooperation with the advertising
campaign of the New York State De-
partment Of Agriculture
Mr.. Gitchell said that their short
= experience has shown that southern
Y New York was not section Of aban =
doned farms. but a section affordins
unusual opportunities for successful
: agricultural development
d In conclusion Mr. Gitchell said: 1--WE
do not claim to have originated any
: new ideas In agricultural development
. but rather to have studied the methods
: employed by the best agencies which
have been active for years. We are
8 endeavoring to apply these In a To-
!. cality where We can gain definite re-
suits. through their leea! application
a Result of Five Years Work.
= 1T has taken our chamber or com
merce just five years to arouse gen
g uine wide spread enthusiasm among
:. its own members, the business men OF
Binghamton, TO a point where they are
not only willing to dig down In their
pockets for money. but to give very
literally of their time In developing
a -reater and more prosperous city
Z when we started the conditions
= were not more discoura ging than the
conditions that now confront us In the
work of the farm bureau. We are
~ hopeful that we can arouse the same
. wide spread enthusiasm over Its work
, and opportunities among the farmers