The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-10-08
FRUIT GROWING IMPORTANT.
w. w. LONG POINTS OUT COM.
MERCIAL POSSIBILITIES.
State Agent for Demonstration
Work Makes Trip Through Coast
Counties.

Importance Of the fruit growing |
industry in South Carolina was stress
ed in an interview by w. w. Long,
State agent for the United States farm
demonstration work and the Clemson
college extension work, who has re-
turned after trip through the coast
counties-Horry, Georgetown, Char
lesion and Beaufort. The trip was
made for the purpose Of outlining and
locating the cooperative work in
| horticulture. Mr. Long was accom-
panied by Carter Newman, horticul-
turalist Of Clemson college and c. F.
Niven Of the agricultural department.
I'VE left Clemson last Sunday"
said Mr.. Long, land have been
through the coastal plain of South
Carolina to outline work for next sea-
son under the auspices Of the horti-
cultural department Of Clemson and
the United States farm demonstration
work. Prof. Newman will have charge
Of the scientific end of the work
and the practical side will be left to
the agents in the various counties.
I'VE made our first stop in Rich
land county and will next year super
wise an orchard of so acres in the
sandhills. There are great possibili-
ties In this county. From Columbia
we went to Florence. One of the
citizens Of that county has 80 acTes
planted in fruit. The trees are from
three to four years old. The idea OF
the owner was to plant an orchard
of from 500 to 600 acres. After plant
ing 80 acres he realized that expert
advice was necessary and decided 20
turn the orchard over to the horticul-
tural department and the demonstra-
ton workers for the next two years
If the owner finds that under the di-
rection Of the experts fruit can be
, grown on a commercial basis the
original idea will be carried out.
I'VE believe that peaches and
grapes can be grown as. successfully
in South Carolina from the noun
tains to the seashore as anywhere
in the country.
I'VE next went to Horny county
and located several demonstrations
for the development of the trucking
industry. The development Of the
trucking industry in Horny county is
something wonderful and the possi-
bilities can not be measured. DR..
E. o. Watson has established a won
derftl school in Horny and / have
never seen a piece of work more un-
selfishly dcne. The school is located
in the Dead Line section, about three
miles from Conway, in the heart of
O rich agricultural section. On the
first day there were 43 boarding
students and 40 day pupils. A large
majority Of the students are from
Horny county. w. NJ. Wall, in charge
of the agricultural department Of the
, school, is also our demonstration
agent for Horny county. Miss Ida
Moore, one Of the primary teachers.
has charge Of the tomato club work
in Horny. We have located our req
resentatives with DR.. Watson So that
the agricultural forces will radiate
from his industrial school.
ITO illustrate the influence Of the
school: Several days before the open
ing day a boy IA years old came to
Dr. Watson and said that he wanted
to enter into a contract to work for
five years. He said he was willing to
do any kind of work if he would be
allowed to take advantage of the edu-
cational opportunities. DR.. Watson
found that the school was filled up
at the time and that he was in the
need of funds to care for the boys
already enrolled. Several days after
the boy returned and said that his
mother and father would furnish such
truck AS they raised on their little
farm to help defray the expenses
Dr. Watson was so impressed with the
boys persistence that he decided to
take him into the school. A public
spirited citizen of the Pee Dee sec
ton. hearing about the boy, offered
to help pay his expenses. Another
instance of the good of the school.
A man 35 years Of age, who had
been working on the farm all of his
life, went to DR.. Watson and asked
that he be permitted to enter the
school and work his way through.
The man said he wanted to learn to
read ana write and that he was
willing to do any kind of work. He
| secured 4 nlace with tho schaol ana