The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-06-18

Field agents of the United Stotes |
farm demonstration work in South
Carolina, in conjunction with agriCul
tural experts from Clemson college,
paign throughout South Carolina fer
the Improvement of rural conditions.
1t will be the object of this cam
paign to carry the message of intelli-
gent farming to thousands of farmers.
To that end practically all Institutes
will be held on farms in the various
counties where demonstrations will be
made and where the growing crops
will be used for illustrating the lee
lures.
Mr.. l.. l.. Baker Of Lee County,
district demonstration agent for this
district was in the city Friday and
while here he told Of the campaign
which would be carried on this sum
mer. Mr.. Baker is assured that this
work of the department In carrying
the tenets of scientific farming to the
farmers will accomplish results that
could not be accomplished through
bulletins. Mr. Baker gave a list OF
places the institutes will be held at
in his district, the eastern part of
South Carolina. The party will visit
Sumter on August 18th and 18th,
spending the first day at Mr.. S. j.
Whites farm, about six miles south
east of Sumter and the second day at
Bethel School, about seven miles
southwest of Sumter. Lee County will
be visited on July 21st and 22nd and
Clarendon county will receive the in
sttute on August 18th and 18th.
In speaking of the work Mr.. Ba-
ker told OF what the demonstration
work sought to- accomplish, as fol-
lows:
1t is the purpose Of the officials of
the demonstration work to divide the
State into three districts and conduct
an independent campaign in each dur.
ing the present summer.
The object Of the farm demonstra-
ton work, is to teach the farmers
how to build up the soil. This is a
most important question in many sec
tons of the State, but in the coast
counties the department intends to
work to secure the appointment of "A
competent drainage engineer who will
advise the farmers as to the best
methods of drainage. 1t was pointed
out that an engineer is needed in
many communities to give the farm
ers expert information. After the
land has been drained then the dem
onstration agents will tell the farm
ers how to improve the soil.
The keynote Of the farm dcmonstra
ton work in the South is "coopera-
tion.' 1t is the purpose of the
department to cooperate the work
with all of the agencies that are work
ing for the upbuilding of South Caro-
lima and especially link the de-
partment with the education system
of the state. If present plans are car
ried out five schools in each county
Will be selected to establish demon
stration farms Here the children
VIII be taught the principles OF agri-
culture and the growing crops will
be used for demonstration purposes.
The principles of soil building will be
taught to the young farmers and a
three year rotation crop planted on
the plot near the school houses.
IL is the purpose of Mr.. Long as
state agent to give aid to the dairy in
dustry in South Carolina. He has pI!r-
chased IL Babcock testers to he used
by agents in Il counties i'm testing
butter. This work viii be done ur der
the supervision Of X. l.. Shields, ami
NAL husbandryman Of Clemson Col
lcge.
Assistance will also he given to the
farmers who have planted orchards.
Mr.. Long has purchased ten sprav-
ing outfits which are to he placed in
the hands of agents in various soc
tions of the state. These outfits will
he used to Kill insects that are de-
stroying the orchards This work viii
he done under the direction of \. T.
Conrad, stat" cntomologist, and u. w.
Barre and Carter &. Newman of
Clemson college.
The farm demonstration work is
conducted 10y the United States do
partmcnt of agriculture in conjuno-
ton with Clemson college Agents
nav" been appointed in PraCtiCaIlv
every county in the State and tho