Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-08-01
ALFALFA ASSOCIATION

The midsummer meeting of the
Yorkville Alfalfa Growers association
was held in the court house on yester-
day. This was the first meeting since
June A. when the association was or
ganized. There were forty-five pres
ent. including farmers from various
sections of York county and several
from Chester, and each one seemed to
be deeply impressed with what was
said. ... .H..r..- -r.L.
The meeting was called to order by
Mr. N. s. Black, president. who an
nounced that II would be addressed by
Mr.. A. G. Smith, who has charge OF
the alfalfa propaganda in South Car
olina, as the representative of the
u. s. department Of agriculture. In
beginning his talk, Mr.. Smith ex-
planned that in view of the fact that
there were many present who were
not at the organization meeting, he
would necessarily be obliged to cover
much of the ground which he had
gone over at the original meeting,
and while he did so, he did 1t In
such a way as to not only hold the
undivided attention of those who were
not at the original meeting, but that
of those who were, as well. He ex,
planned in simple language and min
uLe detail, each step leading up TO
successful results in growing alfalfa,
commencing with the selection OF
suitable ground, its proper prepara-
ton, fertilization and seeding. He
told of the experiences of a number
Of York county farmers, including
Messrs John Black, J. M. Cherry and
]. B. Scott, with alfalfa. He stated
that Mr.. Black has field planted
nine years ago and that he recently
harvested his forty-third crop. Mr..
Cherry, he said, seeded fifty-five acres
10 alfalfa last fall and that he has
already harvested two crops from II
this year, and that their value Is
mere than equal to the entire cost
of -eeiing the crop, which is esti-
mated at $4,000 the acre, and will
probably harvest one or two more
crops this year. to say nothing of the
three to five crops that he will har-
vest each season during the next six
or eight years. Mr.. Cherry, Mr..
Smith explained, Is now preparing
100 acres in addition, to be seeded
this fall, when his total acreage will
be 16S. Mr.. Scott has been raising
alfalfa for two or three years, and
while he did not originally prepare
his field strictly in accordance with
the agricultural departments formula
because he was not familiar with all
the details, he has met with COM
paratively good success, and Is en-
thusiastic over the possibilities or the
crop, especially when every condition
necessary to it's complete success Is
met.
The secretary read a letter from
Congressman Finley, who had been re-
quested to take the matter up with the
agricultural department, In which the
department Is quoted as agreeing 10
furnish the necessary seed incubation
necessary to each member OF the as
sociation tree Of charge.
Mr. Smith stated that so far three
alfalfa associations have been organ
lied in South Carolina, two In YOrl
county, with q total membership or
151, and one in Lee county with a men,
bershiD Of twenty eight. and that ap-
plications were in hand for the orgari-
Zation of associations at Winnsboro
and Union.
At present the membership of the
Yorkvile association is forty-onr.
each member has signed an agreement
TO plant at least one acre next fail
Stiictly in accordance with instructions
furnished by the agricultural depart
ment through the Yorkvi,le associa-
ton. Following Is a list Of members
who have signed the agreement since
the list of original signers was publish
ed in June: c.. Fl. Smith. w. L. Bran
don. r.. W. Sandfer. w. L. Hill. t.
A. Bratton. r. Moultrie Pratton, Hon.
w. B. Riddle, r. Neuman Plaxco, ].
VI. Stroup, ]. ]. Jones, w. L. Latham.
1t Is not expected that another meet
ing will be held before December 1. hb'
any farmer, or other citizen. who de-
sires to become n member an1 receive
the benefits incident to membership.
can do so 10y applying to either Presi-
dert NJ. g. Rlarf. Secretary Sam VI
Grist or Mr.. NJ L. Carroll.