West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1914-10-29
AGRICULTURAL NEWS NOTES
Exhibits at the Boys Corn and Potato
Shows Throuohout the State At
tract Great lnterest-Esstern Pan
handle Great Fruit Growing Section
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB SHOWS


state. In addition. ten counties are
including exhibits OF canned goods
and preserves prepared by the girls' can.
ming clubs.
These exhibits in the various counties
mark the end OF successful season of
club work with the boys and girls. Those
who have gone through the entire series
OF operations from planting the seed to
harvesting the crop are rightly entitled
TO the attention shown them at these
county shows. Many valuable premiums
are offered in each Of four or five classes
OF exhibits. One Of the most desirable
prizes offered by many of the counties
consists Of free trip, with all expenses
paid for one week, TO the Prize Winners
Course at the College of Agriculture OF
West Virginia University.
SOUP BEANS MAKE GOOD CROP
Twill your farms around here raise
soup beans?" recently asked an institute
lecturer at one OF the farmers institutes
held in the southern part OF the state.
Several members OF the family seemed
much more amused than interested, but
finally one or two farmers volunteered
the information that twenty to thirty
bushels OF beans OF good quality could be
raised on the average acre.
''Do you know" continued the insti-
tute worker, THAT large wholesale
grocervman in this section has contracted
for 5000 bushels of beans from another
| state, and that he has them all sold to
mining camps not fifty miles distant, as
they arrive? This groceryman gets SO. 20
per bushel for these beans and would be
glad to pay good price for home grown
beans il he could get them"
1t is safe to say that there will be more
soup beans grown in that county next
year.
RECORD INSTITUTE
Mt. Zion, Calhoun county, can boast
Of one OF the biggest farmers institutes
held in West Virginia this year. On the
first day fair sized audience attended
and on the second day the assemblage
outgrew all bounds. More than fifteen
hundred people were present. The church
was packed full and the windows were
removed 80 that greater number might
group themselves outside the building
and hear through the open windows.
Even then, a large number had to resort
to nearby grove.
The only part OF the program that all
could attend at once was cattle Judging
or scoring demonstration carried on out
OF doors. Five young steers were brought
in from neighboring farms and furnished
the basis for an instructive lesson on
types OF beef animals. The speakers
were specially requested to talk on al
ialfa, permanent pastures, and sheep.
| A monster picnic dinner was a feature
OF the dav. Mt. Zion is eighteen miles
from railroad and many of the visitors
at the institute drove from fifteen to
twenty miles to attend.
As result OF Institutes of this kind in
all parts of the state farmers are building
more slos, breeding better cattle, grow
ing better crops. improving the fertility
OF the soil, and at the same time learning
how to live fuller and more satisfying
lives
EXTENSION SCHOOLS OPEN
The schedule for the Agricultural Ex-
tension Schools for the coming season
has been announced and is as follows:
Remington, Taylor county, November
lO-l4; Cowen, Webster county, 10-14;
Williamson, Mingo county, November
l7-2O; Burnt House, Richie county, IL
20; Middlebourne, Tyler county, Deem
Der IA; Oak Hill, Fayette county, De-
cember II Clay, Clay county, December
Sill: Belmont, Peasants county, Deem
Der Sill; New Haven, Mason county,
December 1918; New Martinsville, Wet
eel county, December l5-lS; Pennington,
Marion county, January 1922; French
Creek, Upshur county, January 25.29;
Summerville. Nicholas county, Feb
ruary l-5; HillsA)ro. Pocahontas county,
February s-l2; Keyser, Mineral county,
February 22-26. Schools will also be
held at Sinks Grove, Monroe county;
Lubbock, Wood county; Belington, Bar
bour county; and Athens, Mercer county
The dates will be announced later In the
year.
These schools will be similar TO those
that proved go successful last year and
will include study of such subjects as
Horticulture, Dairying, Soil Fertility,
Farm Crops, Animal Husbandry. and
Diseases Of Farm Animals.
FRUIT GROWING N THE EASTERN PANHANDLE
Few people who have not visited the
eastern panhandle section of West Vir-
| ginia realize the extent 70 which the fruit
growing industry has been developed.
Orchards OF ten twenty and thirty
thousand trees are common and a num-
Der OF large companies own orchards Of
more than 100000 trees.
Keyser, Mineral county, and Romney.
Hampshire county, are the principal
peach centers. The apple orchards are
more generally distributed, but the sec.
ton around Martinsburg probably ships
more apples than any other locality. At
lnwOod, a small station south Of Mar
tnsburR, IL is common occurance 10
ship eight 30 ten carloads Of apples per
day during the season. In addition TO
the barrel and box stock, large quantities
Of apples are consumed by the local
evaporatOrs and cider mills.
The soils seem 10 be very well suited
TO fruit culture and the industry has
made a remarkable development in the
past ten years in fact most Of the or.
chards are not more than twelve 10 If
teen years old and many are just coming