The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-04-25
Manufacturers Record.)

1f.nting the Governor of Virginia
,iarjug a recent visit TO Richmond.
,ftar an interchange Of views about
sbp resources Of the South and what
+hr Old Domin on was doing along
arrsc,,Itural lines, I asked him to
si.t. me some facts about corn grow
,r. and particularly about the show
mo made by 100 boys from the South
,f.r states, including 5 from Virginia.
al fhe National Corn Exhibition, held
III Cotumbu O., on the 1st Of Feb
ruary last, and about the apple lands
and the production of that fruit in
his state and l shall give the Gov
ertors reply in his own language.
Ilc said
After my Inauguration on the 1st
nf February, 1910, a careful exam
inatiou was made into the resources
and needs OF the State, and [ ascer-
tanned that the manufacturing in
terests had increased their products
about sixteen. mill OnS q year for the
preceding two years; that the COM
tnercial interests OF the State We're in
good shape and improving, but tnat
the agricultural interests We're toll
towing the old beaten track in which
cur farmers had walked for the last
hundred years, apparently not quick
eued by the improvement and prog
resa manifested in every other de-
Dartmcnt Of human activity. l fav
Il
in which the State had made rapid
advance since 1907, but knowing tn : !
money, and great deal of 1t, was
necessary, I reached the conclusion
that in order to have subs antial prog
resS a condition of prosperity would
haVe to be created. and our agricul-
tural interests presented the most
Inviting field for earnest, gOrous
efforts and promised the quickest and
best results.
We have Commissioner and
Beard Of Agriculture and agricultural
college at Blacksburg, and various
experiment stations as State agencies
for the advancement Of this interest,
and che United States Department
OF Agriculture, acting through DR.. >.
a Knapp and T. .. Sandy had been
do ne q great deal Of good by demon
sjration work, and it occurred to me
that il these agencies could be COM
bined and co-ordinated 50 as to
work together as an harmonious whole
good results might be expected. l
accordingly drew bill, which was
passed by the legislature of 1910
establishing the United Agricultural
Bo2rd, composed Of representatives
from the agencies I have named, and
"h Oh has helpe1 to further the work
already being done.
We found our farmers intelligent,
conservative and skep+ical. and, or
course slow to take hold Of new
methods and unwilling to accept re-
suits already attained. And SO our
enthusiastic and progressive Super1n-
tendent OF Public Instruction. who,
with the Governor represents the
Board of Education on the United
Agricultural Board. w'th the help or
The United States Department OF
Agriculture, commenced to organize
Boys Corn Clubs in connection with
70 10 were permitted to ioin, and
each boy required to cultivate one
acre Of corn under directions fur
h@hed him, to keep complete rec
ord Of h work. includ ng fertilizers,
ana to furnish history of It an IT'S
cost when his crop was gathered. The
ANA and corn to be measured bv
usinterested and relia BILE parties and
aiiidaVlts made which constitute a
part Of the history Of the work. Just
.efe | should state that part O
our plan was and is the employme Mt
o county agents or demonstra tors
one Tor each county. whose salary
- Paid by the county and the Tn ted
%N~Hcultura Board in equal proper
ms. He must be q WellinfOrmed
practical farmer. able to give informa-
t7H upon all subjects connected with
tne crops, stock and fruit trees in
H'H county, and be at the call Of any
td'hfer needing his help. not only tc
ak TO him. but to show him on the
Etodhd what s best to be done with
GItS land under existing cond + Ons
ne boys took hold Of the work with
|0thiul enthusiasm, were addressed
~ various points by me and othe,
I!V3hers and agents of the United
Do"fd, and soon produced results
"iich made their conservative fathers
up and take notice / cant &C
,''o details but i'll Appomattox coun.
the boys averaged 81 bushels Of
80 70 the acre, and in the ent' re
lC' the average was over 60 bushels
compared with about 81 all over the