Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-03-14
DECATUR GIVES TRAIN
A SPLENDID RECEPTION
Though an Hour Late the
Crowd Did Not Leave and
Showed Great interest
by RoqERs wrNrER.


DECATUR, Ca, March 1.-THE agri-
cultural train reached this place nearly
an hour late Saturday afternoon but the
gathering of more than 1900 Decatur
and DeKalb county people who had come
to give it welcome did not lose their
patience. They were too much interested
to leave. Many of the farmers had
long distance TO go and reached home
after dark They were present from
every section of the county, the west
ern portion being especially we'll repre-
scented.
Owing to the delay the most of the
preliminary ceremony was dispensed
with in order to give the audience the
full benefit of what the train had brought
to them.
Hon. Hooper Alexander, DeKalb coun-
tys welI-known representative in the
house of representatives, made the adj
dress of welcome He spoke briefly but
straight to the point. The state of Geor-
gia is doing it's level best to promote
the interests of the farmers, he said.
Money is appropriated every year to
maintain the department of agriculture
and money is appropriated for the State
College of Agriculture at Athens. The
agricultural train, however. is not being
paid for by the state.
On the reception committee to meet
the train were Charles ID. Mckinney, the
chairman of the Decatur board of trade:
Mayor John A. Montgomery and j. F.
Green The directors of the board of
trade also took part in making the pre-
liminary arrangements. the welcome hay
ing been turned over to this organization
by the town and the county.
Dr. Soule having left the train at LIZ
thonia to return to Athens on important
business in connection with the college,
the Decatur people did not get to hear
him, but this was the only feature of the
regular program which they missed. 9th
erwise they heard and saw every thing
to the smallest detail 1t was after dark
before the train pulled out.
LIVE STOCK SHOWN.
Prof j. E. Hite, the head of the ex-
tension department of the college and the
live stock expert of the institution, made
the first talk. He thanked the people Of
DeKalb county and Decatur for the
splendid welcome they had given the
train Then he went into a discussion of
the sheep and hog industries on the
farm.
The two southdown sheep were brought
from the stock car and aroused the
keenest interest from all present. Pro-
lessor Hite stressed the fact that sheep
of this type can be quickly converted into
mutton at small cost, and will pay big
profits. No farm, no matter how small,
should be without a few sheep, he said.
They can live we'll on the waste places
of the fields and in this climate require
not nearly so much care and attention
as in the states where they are pefng
raised as one of the leading industries.
AS to hogs, Professor Hite impressed
upon the farmers that there is no money
in the industry unless they select some
type of pure breed. A hog will not pay
well after he has reached 200 pounds, he
said. In the course of the talk on hogs a
man in the audience asked Professor Hite
what to do with an animal that insisted
on trying to eat his trough. That ques-
ton can be answered very easily was the
reply. 1.-THE hog is hungry. All he needs
is more food"
This, of course brought a hearty laugh,
and then Professor Hitc promptly ex-
planned that he did not mean to give a
short answer, but that a hog requires
several different kinds of food. and those
that gnaw their troughs generally crave
more mineral matter in what they eat.
POULTRY TALK.
After Professor Hite there was high
" interesting poultry talk by Professor
Landess. the chicken expert ON the
train. The ladies, as at all the other
places, crowded up close and gave partic-
had been finished a number of ladies and
several young boys came up on the car
and talked interestingly with Professor
Landess on various phases Of the poul-
try industry. They asked 2 number of
questions and got some chicken folders.
School children and the young ladies
from Agnes Scott college were conspicu-
ousin the audience. Representative Alex
ander alluded to this In his welcome ad-
dress. "You will see" said he, that
whatever else we can or cannot raise, We
certainly deliver the goods when 1t comes
to fine children and pretty girls" And
all the train party agreed with him
heartily.
When it comes to progressiveness and
prosperity, DeKalb county is one of the
leaders, as everybody knows. In addition
to its average 10000 bales of cotton per
year it is dotted with dairy and truck
farms and its diversified soil is being
made to pay exceptionally high divi-
dends There is an alfalfa field of two
acres in DeKalb county which is said to
be the finest in the state. 1t Is on the
'sAIiley Bright" farm of J. c. Maness. He
cut FIVE crops from 1t last year and ex-
poets to get even more this year. Mr..
Maness has demonstrated that every kind
of grass from Bermuda to alfalfa can be
raised successfully on DeKalb county
soil 1t is wonderfully susceptible to I'M
provement There is a fourishing boys
corn club in DeKaib county and upwards
of $500 in cash prizes will be given away
this fall. f..
Among the leading farmers recognized
in the audience were the following:
r. A. Smith, w. C.. Jones, j. H. Oman,
L. A. Johnson, Ryal Clay, Henry George.
Thomas e. Anderson, w. B. Merritt, Rob
ert Hunter, T. w. Green. G. o. Smith, J..
w. Parker, T. A. Meacham. q. B. Scott.
George Tumlin, John Wright, Charles
White, M. e. Davis, w. A. Strickland, j..
w. and T. +. Hudgfns. r. T. Argo. G.
w. Ewing. r. l.. Hulsey, r. ]. Freemans
w, w. Lively, P. T. Pluniett, J. II.
Echols, d. G. Thomas, ]. H. Simpson, L..
s. BottenfeId, @. w. Wellborn, j. C..
Maness and Charles C. Smith.
Madison Gives One of
RinneSt Welcomes Yet