The Lexington standard. [volume] (Lexington, Ky.) 1892-1912, 1911-10-21
NEGRO FARM INSTITUTE
MAKES GREAT SUCCESS
p. c. PAaks ELECTED DIRECTOR
FARMERS URGED 70 IMPROVE
THEIR METHODS OF WORK.

Atlanta. Ga.-The interest In negro
farmers institutes in Georgia culni-
mated at Clark university by perfect
ing q permanent organization for per-
petuating this important work.
p. @. Parks, who has done more
than any other single man In the
state to foster this beneficial ipstitu-
ton, was unanimously elected director
stitute. with authority to arrange for
another meeting next summer.
Director Parks had on display at
tractive samples Of the nine different
grades of cotton which have become
the recognized standards of cotton
classification In the markets of the
world.
The discussion OF the grading of cot
ton developed many valuable points
and a number OF farmers offered re-
marks concerning the careful picking
and storing of cotton SO as to insure
the highest market
The wife of Warren Logan, the
treasurer Of Booker T. Washiugton's
great institution at Tuskegee, Ala,
urged those present to make care
full and painstaking study OF the Ques-
ton of the cultivation and marketing
the great staple crop OF the south in
order that they should be in position
to know positively the exact grade OF
cotton that their own product came
under, and thus enable them to die
tate to the buyer the price they ex-
pected to receive. She cited in
stances where humble colored farm
ers in her section of Alabama had ex-
ercised care in seed selection, n the
cultivation of the growing crop and in
the picking of the cotton, and had in
that way outstripped their neighbors.
P. D. Johnson pleaded with the ne
groes to use greater foresight and to
erect dry cotton houses on their
farms, where the cotton could be
stored after it came from the field,
and said that 1t was far better to
store the seed cotton for a few weeks
In clean place than to rush it to the
gin as soon SIS it was picked. He
also argued that too great haste had
heretofore marked the harvesting OF
the crop and begged his audience to
wait until the bolls were thoroughly
ripe before they were picked; also TO
be sure to remove the chaf or trash
before they deposited the lint in the
basket
Professor Johnson dwelt on the mis-
cry of the "negro-in-debt'' and hoped
the colored farmers would learn the
lesson of frugaIity and common sense
In order to escape from this great
burden.
A. Bentley. an ante-bellun darby,
with snow white hair and voice that
readily lent itself to all the uses CT
oratory, made an address that sank
deeply at the tendency of the new
generation of negroes toward ire
sponsibility. He made a striking con-
trast between conditions as they exist
ed before the war and as they exist
His speech called To Esind the
that marked the earlier
years of the last century, and his hear
ers gave vent to their approval by
frequent outbursts Of applause
G. F. Hunnicutt, editor of the South.
ern CuItivator, made an address on
Growing What You Eat on the
Farm" ard stated that If the farmers
of the south hoped to maintain a high
price for cotton they must cease
planting every available acre Of
ground in this crop. in order to keep
from buying every article OF consump-
tion at retail prices. the speaker said
they must raise more corn, oats and
hay and give greater attention to
their gardens. He showed the enor-
nous economic waste entailed by fer
tilizing and cultiyating twenty acres
ofrcotton when by fertiliztng and cul-
dvating only fifteen acres the farmer
would get just as much cash for his
crop and save the labor and fertilizer
that applied on the extra five acres.
while devoting those five acres TO pro-
1ucing things now purchased for cash
or on credit.