The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-08-12


better homes, better schools, better
roads. rural credits. cooperative as
sociations and various things intended
u help and benefit the farming class.
is being discussed by National and
state Governments, corporations,
philanthropists. etc. While these
things are educational, and the dis
cussion Of them will he helpful, 1t
cannot he expected that the farmers
Will fall over themselves getting ~
the swim with all these new ideas and
reforms. As a rule farmers are con-
servativc and are not owe quick to
take onto new and untried
Many of them are like the proverbia
mar from Missouri. They want to
lie showed" This is where the work
OF the State Department of Agricul-
ture fits in so nicely. 1t is the pur-
pose Of the members Of the depart
ment to show the how" and explain
the why" of the work of their re-
spective divisions. Among the most
active of these, in this respect, and
that is because ii is Il combination OF
all the divisions Of the department. is
that of the Division of Farmers in
stitutes.
The State Goes Forward.
This division is one among the Sev-
eral educational influence in the State
that has helped to ado 80 per cent
t. the yield of corn and has practi-
caily doubled the cotton crop Of the
state within the last ten years. IL
the same pace is kept up for the next
decade, North Carolina Will take its
place at the head OF the table in crop
production values In the United
States. In fact it already occupies
All enyiable position in this respect.
However we are urging our farmers
to not he content with present yields,
but 10 go forward and make new rec
OrdS along all lines. They realize that
there is yet much to learn and that
I, agriculture offers the finest field for
Investigation and the practical APP
~plication of scientific knowledge and
methods of any of our various indus
tries. Sixteen hundred pounds of
lint cotton per acre, over two hun
dred bushels Of corn. seven tons OF
hay, over $500 worth OF tobacco have
given to some of oar farmers vision:
OF new possibilities of our soils where
the best known methods Of cultiva
ton and handling Of crops had beer
given.
our people are waking up to thei
possibilities and that offered by a new
and improved system of agriculture
IL better methods than those nov
practiced will give larger returns. theI
they want to know these better meth
DDS. This explains the annual in
crease interest and attendance at gu
IN institutes. In 1903 there
were seventeen farmers institutes i
sixteen counties; attendance no
known. In 1872 there were held 23
regular and several special farmers
Institutes and 20 regular institute
for women. with an attendance q
3S,6SS men and 20.26S women. Fror
these figures 1t can be easily see
how and why the farmers and We
on inGtltItpS are eNprtlnp SlCh
wonderful influence in the upbuild
ing of the~rural districts of the STATE
The Home As the Unit.
Realizing that any policy whic
failed to reach the vital point in farl
life was to some extent a failur
and recognizing hat the home an
not the field should be the unit.
movement was inaugurated to hoi
women'S Institutes in connection wit
the farmers institutes. In l9.(
twenty-one womeN Institutes Wei
held in nineteen counties.
AS the and objects
these institutes We're not then full
understood by the women nor by ii
men or the farms. the attendance IL
first two or three years was Vel
small. But knowing our cause W;
a just and righteous one. We We
not discouraged and kept pushing IL
women's Institutes as vigorously
We did those held for men. AS a T
suit they have grown in numbers, a
tendance and interest until last ye;
1912, the number of women's inst
tutes held in North Carolina exceed.
those held in any State in the> Unio
and the attendance was twice tn
reported by any other state. The r
ports now coming into me from Il
conductors of these institutes. now
progress. are very encouraging a,
this year promises to be a record t
We are e~ndeavoring
make them just as practical a,
helpful as we know how by the d
cussaon of questions in which the W
men Of the country homes are vita
Interested.
Before starting out on our institl
work. We held Al three days Norm
Institute for the purpose of traini
the lecturers before entering on I
work. A list of subjects had be
submitted to several hundred WON
living in different parts of the St
asking their opinions as to which