The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-19
DEMONSTRATION IS
Seen BY NAKED EYE
Two Places in Spotsyl-
vania That Tell a
Fine Story.
TREE CULTIVATION
AND ORCHARDING.
Fredericksburg Man and Two
Enthusiastic Associates Doing
Some Of Best Demonstration
Work Yet Put on Record.
Energy, Intelligence
and Patience.Pay:


fredericksburg had great fair this
FEAR. A report from the old battle
Scared town. published a few days
ago I'm The Times Dispatch, is to the
effect that financially and otherwise
the fair was a great success. The peo-
pie fBaw more things that were worth
seeing than they ever before saw at a
local agricultural. industrial and me-
chanical exposition, and the educational
features were all that they should have
tcen. In fact, everything on exhibition
within the fair grounds was in a way
Of an educational kind. but all that was
worth seeing of the educational and
encouragement character was not with
In the grounds. I am told that quite
goodly number OF the people who went
to Fredericksburg to attend the fair
took time 10 ride out In the country
and take notice of some real demon
Btration work that is going OH in
Spotsylvania County. and of that work
. have a few remarks to make.
A year or two ago Leo j. Graves. one
of the hustling citizens of Fredericks-
burg. bought a tract OF land about
three miles from fredericksburg, in
Spotsylvania. the purpose being to run
kind of denomination farm on his
own hook. to the end that he might
be able at any time to show to any
man, or woman either. who might come
along In search of farm In the best
that part OF said best Commonw ealth.
known as Spotsylvania County, could
do II The land thereof is properly look
ed after. 1t may be remarked that Mr..
Graves is connected with concerns thet
have lands to sell, and. OF course, II
IL to his interest 10 be able TO show
what Spotsylyania, Stafford and gone
other counties in that region round
ebout can do. but this self-interest in
40 way dctracts from the glory that
he may he entitled 10 for running thi1
demonstration farm. for II is free TO all
who want to get pointers as to up-to-
date farming.
Demonstration That Demonstrates.
The place contains ITO acres, and
Mr. Graves and his associates none OF
whom profess to be any better farmers
than their neigiibors--in fact. do not
profess to he farmers at all--ernploye.l
6 lrat-class man to manage and run
the place, the very best practical. up
to-date GARNER that money could fnd.
II would take column or two TO
tell the details and show just how the
thing has been done. 1t is enough 20
say that the people who have inspect
cd the place say that IL is demon
stration farm all right. and is an OBJ
ject lesson worth going many miles to
see. 1t demonstrates and pays hand
somely in the meantime. All OF this.
however, is just by the way, and not
tho story i started out TO tell
w. G. Mergler. late of Ohio, now n
Virginian alt right; ~. II. Judy. the
man who came to Virginia four years
ago and made the magnificent success
on the big farm over in Stafford County.
about which | told several months ago.
and Mr.. Graves, are running another
demonstration proposition that is wen
worth a little space in the Industrial
Section.
Timber DCuItfvntion" and Fruit.
About four years ago they bought
I.200-acre place in Spotsylvania Coun-
~. nine miles from fredericksburg.
Three hundred acres were in cultiva-
ton and the balance in splendid tim
Der. Tho idea OF the new purchasers
was to "cultivate" the timber, make
great orchards, and, by intensive farm
Ing on a part of the cleared lands, to
pay expenses and probably make a pro-
1T Is they went along. In this case
also the best help they could find was
employed to assist Mr.. Mergler. who Is
a most efficient farmer and manager.
When Graves. Judy and Mergler an
nounced their program, there were
many to laugh Mt them, and declare
they were throwing their money to the
winds. cannot say that wonder at
the laughter, for the Idea was novel
in this part of the country, and did
at least appear to be a little fanciful.
However, 1t had in it the fine quality
Of patience and 4 willingness to take
much risk to prove n theory, and show
what great things can be done on old
Virginia soil, and that Is patriotism.
The first item onfthe program was to
"cultivate" the timber. To this end
the company, for 1t Is really a COM
pany, proceeded to park the 900 acres
Of woodsland. They have been en-
gagged In cutting out the underground
and all of the inferior timber, so as
to give the valuable timber trees a
chance. These trees are being watched
after with the care and tho patience
that a good farmer would exercise in
making crop of corn or potatoes.
Just how this is being done would
mako too long story. 1t will be at
least five years yet before the owners
Will allow an AK to be put into this
timber. BY that time they figure they
Will have timber to cut that Will pay
the whole cost of the tract dozen
times over perhaps. The indications
now are, as the many visitors to the
place readily concede. that this Idea
was no idle dream, for the work OF
parking. cleaning out and "cultivat-
ing" the timber has been nearly COM
pleted, and the results so far. point to
final fruition.
Orchards and Intensive Farming.
The 800 acres of cleared land in the
original tract were laid off into five
subdivisions, or fields, and these were
Enclosed in woven wire fences Four
thousand fruit trees, peaches, apples
pears and cherries were purchased and
planted out. Ten thousand more are
now In the nurseries, and Will be plant
ed out this fall Thus all of the
cleared land except sixty acres will be
In orchards
BY intensive farming the sixty acres
will grow enough to feed the stock
and the people on the; place and pos
sibIy leave a margin of profit while
the timber on the 600 acres and the.
orchards are coming to the fortune
making point. y 1t should be remembered