Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-10-06

Much speculation has been INDUCED in
relative to the great progress which ag-
riculture has made in the past % or 80
years in the south. and IL one pauses to
consider conditions as they existed y
years ago and compare them with those
OF today. the development has been so
great and varied as to seem almost in
credible. Our progress has been so rapid
in fact that We have quite lost sight of
what has really been accomplished.
While the advance OF the nation and
the individual is most rapid where faith
in the future Is large and the impulse TO
advance irresistible. il pays once in a
while TO reflect on the achievements OF
the past. for only by so doing can one
measure the rate of advancement which
has really been made. To say that a
revolution has taken place in southern
agriculture is but stating the case mild
". as all win quickly realize who care
20 investigate me subject.
10 is not OF the past. however, that
we desire TO speak at this time, but
rather OF the near future, say. for in
stance. the next decade. The struggle
with poverty and inefficient implements
and animal power 10 operate the same is
rapidly passing in the south, and with II
has come a period, relatively speaking,
OF financial ease to our planters, Con-
a remarkable growth in favor OF al
forms OF education. but particularly that
pertaining TO agriculture The farmer
has just begun TO realize the marvellous
benefits which scientific investigation and
development have conferred on other
lines of industry, and he now is demand
ing Of the state and the nation that SUI
ficient money be invested in the endow-
ment OF agricultural education and re-
a. wn-f~s haN
been retarding agricultural progress for
many years. and bring to him the aid
and information which is to make GER
tain the uniform growth and develop
meut OF our agricultural interests
For long time agriculture was based
entirely on the theory Of good farm prac-
tice- The good practice considered in
the method by which neighbor Jones
raised a bumper pumpkin or an unusual
" large stalk of corn or cotton II was
not based on any knowledge or under
standing OF nature and her processes II
was entirely an assumption Of knowledge
without foundation fact II resulted in
the complete exhaustion of many OF our
soils and the consequent necessity OF the
farmers using an enormous quantity OF
commercial fertilizer TO even maintain,
much less increase the average yield or
his crops From the beginning OF time
until quite recently the son has not been
regarded as a vftalized agency. II has
not been realized that its mechanical
condition might influence the crops
grown on it's surface very materially
that IL contained hundreds OF forms OF
microscopic life which exerted as vital
an influence on the crops grown on II
as the commercial fertilizer which
might be applied. It was not understood
that the oxygen of the air must readily
enter and penetrate II to reduce the IN
available plant food itf contained into
condition where IL might be utilized hy
plants Even AZ the present day We
stand at the very threshold OF knowledge
concerning our soils, but the demand for
definite information concerning the and
and the best methods Of manipulating II
so as to bring ali the natural agencies
into harmony and thus not only maintain
fertility but increase the yielding pow
er fths land is, now almost universal
The sou holds the, key 10 agricultural
progress in the SOUTH IN every state at
tention is being riveted on this important
subject. and in Georgia, an EFFORT is be
ing made to organize what may be term
ed a soil survey. The intention is 20
auaIyze all the type soils OF the state ana
lay down>xest plats showing that IL the
natural deficiencies which physical and
chemical examination Of the soil shows
10 exist are Supplled IN proper propOf-
lions increased yields may be secured
In other words the College of Agricul-
tlIre will attempt within period Of ten
years to place within the reach Of the
progressive farmers OF the state existing
data and information relative to their
soils which II has not been considered
possible nor desirable 10 have in the
past. Soil knowledge is to be made the
essential factor in crop production. and
haphazard methods are TO give way TO
those based on nature and nature knowl-
edge. The means TO reduce materially
the Rambling methods OF agriculture
now so extensively and generally pur-
sued and to substitute in place thereof
something that is founded on scientific
facts Does not this indicate marvellous
possibilities I'm the matter Of service TO
the farmers on the part of the agricul-
tural college? Who. can measure what
II means TO the farmers OF the south?
who can Judge of the development which
viii come in its wake These results
VII not be achieved IN an hour or in a
DAY, but a good beginning can certain
" be made in ten years. A sufficient
amount Of progress should certainly be
made TO destroy a thousand myths which
now exist relative TO soil management
and cultivation and to result in bring
ing the plant. the soil and the farmer
OF the future in closer and more def