Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-02-04
FEED CORN TO STOCK.
Secretary Wilson Gives Good Advice
To Earmers

SSCTetdTy "tsoH SINos Sooo NoNiSe
to Farmers,
Hon. James Wilson, secretary of ag-
riculture for the past sixteen years
was the principal speaker at the corn
exposition last Saturday. The burden
of his speech was that farmers should
not sell corn by the bushel but they
should feed it to stock. The following
summary Of his speech Is as published
in the Columbia State:
Secretary Wilson was given tre-
mendous ovation when he was intr,-
duced in glowing tribute from Mr.
Montgomery as "the grandest old ag-
riculturist of us ALL"
Mr.. Wilson said that Of the 3,100 :
100000 bushels of corn grown In the
United States last year the fourteen
cotton states nroduced 1,0S0,000 BUSH
els. The next thing, he said, which
the department Of agriculture intends
to turn its attention to, Is to show
southern farmers what to do with this
corn. ... r-
After the department had received
reports last year of the enormous crop
of southern corn Mr.. Wilson said he
called Bradford Knapp, head Of the
Farmers Demonstration work, and told
him 1t would not do for the southern
people to sell their corn. He said he
told DR.. Knapp to write bulletin ad-
vising the farmers Of the south to raise
hogs and If there was need he would
have a million copies printed.
I'm making the enormous corn crops
which have astonished the world" said
Secretary Wilson, these boys have
used expensive fertilizers. Now what
are you going to do with your corn?
Sell 1t? I hope not. It's poor business
90 hHyf hn htto In,
your corn you're selling much Of the
fertility Of your SOIL And you can re-
duce your soil so that 1t can not pro-
duce enough to pay expenses. f
But want to tell you how to keep
your soil fertile without fertilizer. I
have seen f1fty-seven crops grown in
Iowa without fertilizer, and the last
crop was the best Of all. In Iowa the
farmers grow grasses and legumes
which fill the soil with organic matter
known as humus. And in drouth this
humus retains the moisture. .
Mr.. Wilson then proceeded to urge
southern farmers to raise stock instead
Of buying their meat in the west.
Work up to the position Of feeding
yourself" he said. And an additional
reason for raising live stock" he stat
ed, was the fact that the very best OF
found in the barnyard, and should be
put back on the land"
He declared there was q meat short
age in the United States and mention
ed that in Chicago, steers were bring
ing from 8 to II cents pound,
II think you in the south can raise
steers cheaper than we In Iowa." he
continued because you have a milder
winter. But you will have to grow
grasses for the steers to eat. We have
had this in mind and have been search
ing the world for grasses for you peo-
pie to grow and your steers to eat. We
have gone to the Libyan desert In At
rica and found grasses there which we
think are just what you want"
Mr.. Wilson touched on a variety Of
agricultural subjects in his address
commercial fertilizers, the prevention
of losses through drouth, dairying and
the work Of the Corn and Tomato clubs
but he reverted again and again to
the desirability Of stock raising In the
south.
Don't believe that prosperity will
come from growing grain and selling
It," he said in conclusion. Il don't want
you to Sell bushel Of that corn. Feed
it every bit and sell higher products"
After he had resumed his seat an
aged man in the audience asked Mr..
Wilson how farmers could get rid Of
hog cholera. Mr.. Wilson told Of the
discovery Of a serum by young south
ern scientist, Mr.. Dorsey of Tennessee,
which, he said, won't cure sick hog,
but will prevent a we'll hog from get
ting sick" And the next thing to do"
he said, 'is to get the people to use It,