Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-08-06
FARM IMPROVEMENT TO
Be URGED BY SOUTHERN
Road viii Establish Depart.
ment to Work on Co-opera-
tive Demonstration Plan

President Finley. Of the Southern
road, announces that the management
OF that road has decided to organize a
department Of farm Improvement work
to begin operation on September 1.
This department will work on the CO
operative demonstration plan, first
adopted by the late DR.. S. A. Knapp. Of
the United States agricultural depart
ment II will aim to show 70 the farm
ers what they can do on their own
lands and with their own resources.
The cotton culture department is to
be merged into the department Of farm
Improvement work, and T. o. Plunkett,
who has been general agent of the cot
ton culture department. is to be at the
head of the organization with the title
Of manager Of farm Improvement work.
His Office will be in Atlanta, and three
assistant managers Of farm improve
ment work will be appointed to be locat-
ed at advantageous points. A force Of
field agents will be appointed to visit
farmers in their respective localities
and cooperate with them for the dem
onstration OF those methods Of culture
and soil treatment which may be eX-
pected TO produce the best results in
the way Of increased crop yields
This work will be carried on in CO.
operation with the state commissioners
Of agriculture, the state agricultural
colleges, and the United States agricul-
tural department 1t will be entirely
free Of cost to farmers wishing to avail
themselves Of il in the territory travers-
ed by the lines of the Southern railway:
Alabama Great Southern railroad; Gin
cinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific
railway; Georgia Southern and Florida
railway; Mobile and Ohio railroad;
HnH 49, at.av-v
railway in Mississippi. and Virginia and
Southwestern railway.
The work of the department of farm
improvement work is TO be entirely sep
arate from that of the Southern railway
land and industrial department which
will carry on as cooperative work for
the location of industries and farm set
tiers and for the general development of
the territory traversed by the lines of
the Southern railway system.
Speaking of the department of farm i'm
provement work, President Finley said:
Its purpose is to be broadly helpful
to the farmers in the territory traversed
by our lines. I can conceive of moth
ing that would be more beneficial TO the
southeastern states than a substantial
increase in the average yield of farm
crops such as il is the aim of the de-
partment of farm Improvement work to
endeavor to bring about. The increased
prosperity of the farmers would be re-
Elected in all lines of business. L be-
lieve, therefore, that all those inter-
ested in tifN development of our section
who are in position to aid in this move
ment can very properly do so. The
state commissioners of agriculture, state
agricultural colleges and experiment sta
tons are doing valuable work, and the
newspapers of the southeast which give
special attention to the publication OF the
advice Of recognized experts on agricul-
tural matters are most helpful. II shall
be the policy of our department Of farm
improvement work to cooperate with all
these agencies and to seek their cooper
alton"