Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-03-28
5000 mile TOUR
OF FARM SPECIAL
COMES TO AN END
Greatest Educational Propa-
ganda of Its Kind Ever At
tempted in America Was
Brought to Conclusion
ny RoeER wrrrER.

ed States was brought to a triumphantly
successful conclusion at Athens last
night. when the special train of the
Georgia College of Agriculture rolled in
from its 6OOO-mile tour of the state.
There have been number OF agricul-
tural trains operated in various parts
of the country, and one in Georgia I'M
der the same auspices three years ago.
but so far as the records show there
has never been anywhere a similar un-
dertaking of such vast and far-reach-
ing magnitude; while the tremendous IN
terest that has been manifested in the
train everywhere it stopped signifies an
agricultural awakening unique in the his
tory of the world.
The train carried its message of prog
ress into 100 Georgia counties. It made
a total of 165 stops. 1t dealt with not
less than $4,000 people. or nearly one
third of the total white population or
the state. 1t Travelled a total distance
of something over 5000 miles 1t was on
the road from February until Saturday.
March rs, during which time it put in
total of about IS working days.
The equipment of the train consisted OF
stock car containing two brood mares:
a Jersey milk and a Holstein milk COW:
" Hereford bull: pair of Berkshire and
a pair of Tamworth hogs; a pair of
Southdown sheep; eight fine chickens, a
pair of each of four breeds; a fiat car
fitted out with improved farming imple-
ments operated by a gasoline engine for
the benefit and instruction OF the farm
ers; two baggage cars chockful of ex-
hibits of value to the individual farmer,
and Pullman car in which the party.
consisting at no time of less than 4
dozen men who were all experts in their
various branches OF agricultural science;
ell Nd -4fo ell, -.
time. At no stop did the train give the
people less than IL hours, while the
most of them ran two hours or more.
UNIVERSAL INTEREST.
Looking back over the tour now, the
most wonderful phase of It all was the
statewide interest manifested by the
farmers and by all other classes of peo-
pie. There never has been an educative
movement for the betterment OF the
farmers that succeeded in reaching such
vast number and so many small farm
ers
The train has demonstrated one fact
beyond -all shadow of doubt-that there
| Is a thirst for knowledge among the
farmers Of Georgia and that the psyche
/ logical moment had come to bring into
1 life an educational awakening. The farm
/ ers of this state are now lined up for
progress as they never were before, and
as they never would have been withour
the train. and the time has now come
to begin an era of constructive develop
ment which if carried 10 its ultimate con-
clusion cannot fail to place Georgia
where she deserves to be. in the very
front rank among the agricultural states
of America.
Five separate, distinct and clearly de-
fined stages always mark the progress
of q successful movement of this or
any other kind which has for its pur-
pose the betterment of the people.
First, there is Indifference; second.
prejudice and opposition; third. CONVEX
sion. or change of mind, quickly follow
ed by interests: fourth. enthusiasm, and.
fifth, most important Of all, the construc-
tive stage.
1t is Just at this stage that the state
Of Georgia now finds herself
GOOD IAIMEASURABLE
Any attempt TO measure the good the
train has accomplished would be worse
than futile; it would be foolish. The
truth of this can only be realized by
one who has Travelled with it, and be-
come familiar with the knowledge it has
carried to the farmers, and who has seen
the crowds and. beheld the interest and
the earnestness written Wpon their faces
as plainly as human countenances can
express emotions To attempt to say IN
dollars what the profit of the train VIII
be to this state this year would be some
what like attempting to calculate the
make a substantial beginning in that
direction
Fifty thousand dollars is the sum the
agricultural college will ask for, but not
to make a soil survey alone. 1t will be
to carry on the general extension work
of the college. Under this head come
the following Important constructive
branches:
EXTENSION WORK
Organization and promotion of the
boys and girls corn clubs; development
of the live stock and poultry industries
rs fundamental departments of every
farm, large or small; the development
and systematic distribution of improved
strains of corn and cotton, bred with q
view of making them particularly
adapted to Georgia climate and Georgia
soil; and last. but not least, a survey
that viii show by analysis the elements
of plant food contained, or lacking, in
typical soils from every county In the
state.
The expenditure of such a sum by the
state, through the college, would not in
any sense be a selfish proposition for
the college, but would be the means OF
utting the college and the farm oper-
ated in connection Herewith on a ba-
Sis where it would be statewide in its
scope: like the hub of a Wheel send
ing out practical aid in all directions.
beneiting the individual farmer in
every nook and corner of Georgia.
Another thing the tram has empha
sized-impressed upon the individual
farmer-and that is the necessity Of
putting, the soil and the plant in the
proper relation. and the necessity of
building up the soil by deep blowing.
rotation of crops, supplying the soil
with more vegetable matter. using more
fertilizer Of a higher grade and making
animal husbandry on the farm play a
fundamental part toward bringing the
soiI-to it's highest possible degree Of pro-
ductiveness.
II has inspired he farmer with the
ideal of living at home, raising every
thing he needs, diversifying his crops.
conserving his resources, beautifying his
premises and educating his boys to be-
come scientific tillers of the soil.
The wonderful success the train
achieved would not have been possible
without the cooperation of all the peo-
pie concerned in the tour, the aid of the
railroads and the support of the news
papers.
DIR. SOULE DEEPLY GRATEFUL
DIR. Andrew NJ. Soule. the president
of the college. took occasion yesterday