Evening star., 1912-04-03

In its representation of educational
and agricultural victories there will be
number of
Special Conferences special confer
n-J ences, each In
charge of an ex-
pert upon that subject ''The better baling
Of cotton is one OF these 1t is esti-
mated that at least $75,O00, 900 is lost
to the south every year because Of the
defective methods of cotton baling. most
of which could easily be overcome.
Under diversified farming attention will
be given to increasing the number Of
crops raised on a farm instead Of con-
fining it to one crop, the custom now
prevalent in the cotton states. This will
enable the farmers to raise more of
their own supplies. Crops and their
requirements for cultivation will be con-
sidered at meetings held under the direc-
ton of representatives Of the United
States Department of Agriculture. Small
grains are included in these crops.
Hog raising Is another matter to which
the southern farmers attention is being
directed. It is said that there is no
other part of the world in which 1t would
be possible to raise large quantities Of
pork at an expense of cents per pound.
Yet this can be done in the southern
states, because Of the large growths Of
green stuffs which could be used for
food Aside from it's value in their own
food supply. pork raising as an industry
for southern farmers will be exploited at
the Nashville congress.
Good roads will be considered with spe-
cial reference to the issuance Of public
bonds for their construction. A parade Of
700 automobiles will be a feature Of the
demonstration upon this subject. Real
estate exchanges will be discussed. 1t is
not generally known that the increase of
land values in the south was over 100 per
cent during the last ten years.
Beef and dairy cattle will form the sub
ject of a special conference, and in addi-
ton to this DR.. Maurice F. Egan, United
States minister to Denmark, will deliver
an address upon the cooperative dairy
system of that country. Nut growing.
poultry. sheep and goats. apple and pear
culture are among the other topics to be
presented which will be helpful to the
small farmer who desires to take home
from the congress some practical idea
which will help him to increase the profits
of his own forty acres.
i. ::
The south's educational recovery will be
be demonstrated by stirring meeting in
which the superintendents
Educational of public instruction from
the sixteen southern
uecoVeIy' states will each tell just
what practical results in education are
being wrought in his own state. This sub
ject OF vocational education will be con-
sidered with special reference to the
Page bill, which will be discussed at
separate conference. The Page bill. which
was introduced in the United States Sem
ate by Senator Page of Vermont. con-
templates a gradual increase of expendi-
ture for education until 1921, at which
time a maximum of expenditure shall be
reached, and this shall be applied to pro-
vide additional equipment for fitting the
children in the public schools for voca
tional work. Even the maximum Will
amount to only II cents per annum per
capita. Funds for this purpose could be
distributed to the states desiring them
Morrill, or Hatch bills so that the states
desiring to give vocational training to
their children may be aided in the prepa-
ration OF teachers ~ t1r % rn,s purpose; , Inc c
deavor to create influence in support OF
the measure.
~
The heart interest Of the congress may
be said to center in the memorial exer-
cises, held in honor of
Memorial to the late DR.. Seaman A
DR.. Knapp. more p'i than anv other
one man with the advance of agricultural
education in the south. DR.. Knapp was a
northern man and had been a teacher in
Iowa for a number of years. He moved
to Louisiana and made Investigations re-
garding rice culture, which have resulted
in hundreds Of thousands Of acres of rice
fields along the gulf coast, which are