The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-14
HOUSTON GREETS
YOUNG FARMERS
Secretary OF Agriculture Wei
comes Boy and Girl
Champions.
DIPLOMAS FOR WINNERS
Trip to Mount Vernon Advanced
Because OF Good
Weather.

Washington. December J3.-"I am
glad TO SEQ both sexes represented In
the group before me-" said Secretary of
agriculture Houston to-day, in deliver
ing the diplomas to tho priZc-w inning
corn growers. potato raisers and can
ming and garden club champions. who
are in Washington as guests OF the de-
partmcnt
That women have tho harder and
more important task in the conduct of a
farm | think no one will deny, and the
activities of you girls along these lines
most certainly tend to furnish to the
sex that leadership and power that wo-
men not only are asking for but de-
serve"
The eightytwo champions from the
various States and their friends and
relatives, well equipped with bright
banners. gathered for the occasion in
The greenhouses belonging TO the de-
partnent at the Twelfth Street corner
OF the grounds, but by unanimous con
cent. the chairs were taken out on the
lawn in front OF the administration
building under big pine tree and
formed into circle, sad a spring like,
open-air affair was the result
Il think a vote of thanks Is due the
Weather Bureau to-day" was Secre-
tary Houstons first remark.
Can Rcyolutioniz, Industry
There is 10 doubt about the need for
an Increased army OF your sort-an
army OF champions" said Mr. Houston.
You are the opponents of system
which, If persisted in by the farmers,
will revoluJionize agriculture in this
country and render il independent for
many years to come OF any foreign ma
ton for its food supply. Experts tell
us that only . per cent OF the farm
lands OF this republic are yielding even
,..a.a III. TIL
would mean If most OF tho American
farmers could raise 232 bushels OF corn
10 the acre at Il cost of less than 20
cents bushel.
You have established standard be-
low which YOU cannot afford to fall-n
other things as i'll agriculture. The de-
mand by this branch OF tho govern
ment and by colleges for men and wo-
men who can do things better than any
one else can do them never fails"
Gamers Men Arc busy.
y dozen cameras, motion picture and
otherwise, were busy getting views of
the circle and Of tho champions as they
came forward TO receive their diplomas
from the hands or the secretary, and
OF the various separate delegations
after tho exercises were over. None of
them missed Walker Lee Dunson, Of
Alexander city. Ala. whom Mr.. Hous-
ton designated as the champion corn
E'oWcr OF tilc "Orld. Among the ElrlS
canning club champions two sisters
Margaret and May Belle Brown, of
Charlotte, y. c., tied with 2.j25 pounds
each of fresh tomatoes canned and
they came forward together for their
certificates.
Owing 10 the beautiful weather the
trip to Mount Vernon was brought
forward from Monday 10 to-day. and
the champions embarked this after
noon for the sail down the Potomac
leaving the scheduled inspection Of
various public buildings until next
week.
y delegation OF six girls from Geauga
County, O.. is undcr the personal
charge OF Mrs. j. Is. Turner OF Clevc-
land. the woman who first got girls in
that district Interested in garden and
canning club work.
Two Champions Her Daughters.
Two OF the champions are her own
daughters. and OF the four others. three
took the first railroad trip of their
lives when they started TO Washing
ton. Mrs. Turner, in order 10 under
stand Thoroughly the work in which
sh" was interesting the girls OF her
county although woman OF large
means and much leisure. planted her
own garden. raised the vegetables and
Cid the canning herself. and feels that
10 better work than that she is en-
gagged In could possibly occupy her
time.
Department of Agriculture officials
say mat walker Lee Dunsons record
OF 232 bushels for an acre is pretty
likely 10 stand for several, If not for
many years When you get up around
the go mark said .. Il. Martin. of
the office Of farmers cooperative
demonstration work, 1T gets pretty
hard to better the record It's like
that littlo fifth of a second in tho
hundrcd-yard dash record that won't
come off"
Experimenting with Hogs.
The office OF the farmers co-opcra-
tive demonstration work or The Bureau
OF Plant Industry is trying out an cx-
pertinent in which it viii attempt TO
show that II tract Of two acres of
good land is sufficient to support :,
family OF FIVE persons. if properly
handled. One acre is 10 he planted in
corn and the other divided into halves.
with two good forage crops y SOW
and litter Of pigs are to feed first on
ono and later on the other half of this
second acre. and finally will be fat
tened with the remainder OF the corn Of
acre No. ] that is not put into the form
Of cornmcal 1t is expected that the
meat of the hogs plus the corn, will
feed It family. The experiment sta
tiUnS in three Southern States.-Ala-
bama Louisiana and Virginia ALREADY
have embarked on this trial.