The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-01-07
CROP ADVISERS
WORK FOR THE
PAST 9 MONTHS
AGENT FOR EscAmsIA coUNTY's
CROP IMPROVEMENT AssociA-
TON DWELLs AT LENGTH UPON
HIS ACTIVITIES FROM APRIL
THROUGH DECEMBER.
by c. x. Mcouarrie. Advisory

On taking up the work on the first of
April, I found that the oat crop was
! in backward condition, owing to an
excessive rainfall in January and Feb
ruary causing packing OF the soil
| that was injurious to the crop; / rec
commended to the farmer the use Of the
harrow or weeder for breaking the
soil crust caused by these rains. and
where this method was adopted.
large percentage of the oat crop was
saved.
planted. so that did not get as many
corn demonstrations under way as I
expect for next year.
The cotton crop was very promising,
but owing to the presence Of the boil
weevfl in all the cotton fields of the
county, this crop was cut in more than
half; I had foTty-one farmers In corn
demonstration work and twenty-three
in cotton, making total Of sixty-four.
/ made 1t point, so far as possible,
to visit each one OF these al least once
every four weeks during the crop grow
ing period; ] made eight visits to that
many schools and discussed agriculture
with the pupils; attempted. as far s
ers organizations through the county.
ut found progress very slow in that
direction, owing to the lack Of appre-
citation on the part Of the farmer of
what organization and cooperation
meant to the different farming COM
munities.
The silage question was taken up
with the farmers most interested in
this work, but only three new silos were
erected in the county for this year.
Next year I expect to see more than
double that number erected.
Meetings of Farmers.
| attended eighteen farmers meet
ings at which various AGRICULTURAL
problems were discussed The feTti
lizer question being serious problem
to most farmers, the mater Of the
proper fertilizer to use on the crop
was made clear by having printed sew
eral hundred copies of fertilizer chart
showing the recommended analysis for
the crops in general use in the county;
these were literally distributed among
the farmers and truckers.
/ have always been ready with ad-
vice regarding soil trea tment. partiCu-
Iarly on new land and by new settlers;
have taken up the matter Of seed Sc
lection. particularly corn, cotton. sweet
potatoes and sugar cane, have gone
into the corn fields of quite a number
of farmers and suOgested TO them the
hest methods of seed selection in the
field, which is really the best way to
do the work, as there one has the op
portunity of seeing the parentage Of
the selected ears. The matter OF grow !
ing early sweet potatoes for the north /
ern markets has been engaging the /
attention OF farmers in the northern I
part of the county; this is very i'm
lected for bedding at the proper time to /
secure early draws for an early ma /
turing crop for this purpose.
The sugar cane crop suffered to a /
certain extent in q number of fields /
owing to a dry spell OF weather IN |
July and August; this, coupled with
the methods Of cultivation in general i
practice, cut this cro~ st least thirty /
per cent. but where shallow Cultiva- /
ton was practiced and the work pro- /
longed beyond the usual laying by pc /
Public Market Question.
The matter OF the public market for /
the city has engaged the attention Of .
the members of the Crop Improvement q
Association and q good start was made /
towards getting the market on a per- ,
basis; but owing to Complica- !
tons in the city government, we have !
not been able to get building erected, !
and in the meantime the market IS not /
the success we expect IL to be when all /
these obstacles are overcome and we /
get a building In which a market can !
be comfortably conducted. The pat |
ronage extended by the public on the !
days the market was In force, concIu- |
sively shows that the people of our /
city want it.
During the nine months that this /
work has been In operation, I have |
made 1893 visits to farmers and truck
ers; travelled 1888 miles by rail, 1900
miles by team, and 293 miles by au-
tolnobiIe