The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-07
IN BOTETOURT AND
AUGUSTA COUNTIES
Farm Demonstration Work Goes
Bravely On-Splendid Re
suits in Short Time.
PERMANENT INSTITUTION
5 Usual, Boys Take Lead.
Mountain Climbers Make
Corn and Hay.

IN virginia continue to be of the most
enc lraeing character.
C. b. Rielcy. local agent for Botc-
tput county, writes as follows:
lu The words OF Sidney l.anier 1T
Us idle to argue from prophecy when
We can argue from history" While the
history Of demonstration work in Sote-
tourt County is brief. this being our
urst year. yet we feel that enough has
been accomplished 10 establish the
work MS & permanent Institution IN the
county Agricultural methods have not
been revoluuonized, its true. but we
have made steady, consistent start
and great movements like great trees
grow slowly
Conditions are some~hnt different In
EotetourJ from most Virginia coun-
ties. owing 10 our elevation and steep
and rolling lands moro attention is paid
70 fruit growing and TO the canning
Industry shan 10 grain and hay, yet
some thirty or forty boys are growing
corn under our methods. and about the
same number % men Quite q lot OF
alfalfa and mixed grasses have been
sown for us, and some attention has
been paid 20 tomatoes, one OF our
money crops; special fertilizer has
been used and demonstration methods
OF cultivation followed and good re-
suits seem sure The farmers are
using lime and building silos in a way
that makes the future OF our county
with its splendid limestone soils look
hopeful. indeed.
one problem met mere is to interest
farmers in our poor mountainous
mining sections whore the work is SO
badly needed. Here Il IS hard 20 in
duce q farmer to change his methods
3: all. while IN the better sections the
WORK IS heins firmly established.
Three Classes Met.
There seems 20 he about three classes
"a - 49, IT,, baf- o. Il -,fe
the demonstration work: those who be-
i!eve in The work and profit by It; those
who positively Go not believe in new
methods and cling 10 timc-honored
traditions and look upon the demon
StratioE agent as an expensive expert
ment, and those who expect too much
from the work OF this last class !
have met several. they are often not
bad farmers to start with and are dis
appointed because their crops are not
doubled the first year. They need 10
be taught more about the fundamental
principles OF the great science OF ag
ticulture. The second class fortunately
Is diminishing, whoever has travelled
n rural districts has met them. They
are rather self-centred and conce!tcd
II their views OF farming They think
there is nothing TO be learned from a
scientific standpoint that hard work
alone ! ; the key 20 success on the farm
and that fathers and grandfathers'
methods are the sound methods.
our best workers are The boys They
are always open 70 conviction. they
have 70 preconce!ved notions. ! arm
y believe that this IS the most import
ant part % the work, !, should be
linked more closely TO the rural school.
see no reason why The agent should
no; lecture regularly n the schools
and keep in touch with the boys OF
tne;- farms IN the summer. after the
w. I III.
many No phase O.. the work can &C
>omql.sh more than th!s work among
the boys When the great possible!
t:e= Of the intelligent handling o. -the
SOL unfold 70 them IN club work they
Will often pursue the study through
the agricultural. college, and remain
students all ,he!r lives on tne farms.
Seeing Is Believing.
= is impossible 10 accomplish won
de-tul results among the older farm
ers directly Because the work IS
somewhat novel AID lacks the back
ing o.. established tradition and while
the farmer is democratic no class on
oart1 respects tradition more than he
does IL Is not e.51 ri cy 70 wy -
:as,iN progress.re !.l,-as'lato the heads
Of tu.s class OF farmers. il IS better
10 work win I. tcw progressive men IN
each community, and let their results
ue an object lesson for the othe. farm
ers WncD g farmer shows by Co.ng
x jhat hc gets more and better hay.
and tina, 81 lasts longer on The land Dy
soT!ns the seed alone IN the summer.
a.s neishbors Nho have prac,!cea
seeding WIN grain crop In the spr!ng.
VIII soon see with their own eyes
which Is better, and when farmer
actually secs q thing re shows = level
head, " hi.e reading about 1t or hear
Ing about X seldom !:uurcsscs al.u