The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-02-04
UNIVERSITY AIDS FARMERS.
institution Has Always Been Closely
Identified With Agricultural Prog
gress and Maintains That Position
Though Not Primarily Il School of
Agricultural Tcchnic.


The University of South Carolina
mas always been closely identified with
the agricultural interests of the State.
The great majority Of the students
who attended the old South Carolina
college came from plantations and
many of them after receiving a class
ical training returned to the farm.
AS educated and intelligent men.
many OF them became interested in
improved methods Of agriculture and
made large contributions to the ad-
vancement of farming in the State.
Maj. Harry Hammond Of Beech Is
land and many others of his type are
we'll known examples of such leaders
Of agricultural thought and practice.
But it is to the post bellum college
and second university that one must
look for the largest contribution to
scientific agriculture. The expert
mental work then carried on by DR..
j. NJ. McBryde was a real contri-
button to the science of agriculture
and many Of the bulletins issued by
him havc become classics in their
line. Not only did DR.. Mcpryde do
pioneer work in experimentation, but
he had the rare faculty of inspiring
young men with love Of agriculture
and in awakening in them a spirit Of
investigation. good number went out
from under his instruction to improve
conditions in their respective commu-
mites. and. while the work Of many
OF them has been done quietly, it has
none the less been effective. Each
one of these men has been n centre
from which has radiated influences
for more intelligent farming.
Williamson, Watson, Houston.
AS product Of this period, several
men stand out prominently, namely:
McIver Williamson, David r. Coker,
+. j. Watson and David F. Houston.
1t is a remarkable fact that three
Of these men came to the university
from Darlington county.
Mr.. Wilkinson by his improved
methods Of raising corn has literally
put millions Of dollars into the pock-
cts OF the farmers Of this and other
Southern States. 1t is difficult to es-
innate the value Of his work. To
even the most casual observer, who
rides along our highways, the i'm
provements in corn growing are
everywhere apparent.
Mr.. Coker's work in plant breeding
Is pioneer work of it's kind in this
State and destined to revolutionize
agricultural methods. His most pat
ent practical contribution so far has
been his work in the improvement Of
upland long staple cotton. He has
demonstrated that it is practicable to
grow such cotton profitably. The
best testimonial Of the value Of his
work is the fact that his friends and
neighbors have followed his example
and approximately $1,000 was add
ed to the value Of the cotton crop Of
Darlington county last year. The far
reaching value of Mr.. Coker's work
becomes apparent when it is reflected
that the whole cotton growing section
may similarly increase the value of it's
product and further that cotton is
only one Of the crops which Mr.. Coker
is seeking to improve by breeding.
The we'll known activities Of Col.
f. J. Watson in the interest Of i'm
proved agriculture in South Carolina
need no comment. Col. Watson
through publications from his Office,
through his public addresses and in
many other ways has contributed
largely to the advancement in the
agriculture of the State. He has also
done much to bring the advantages of
South Carolina to the knowledge of
the outside world.
Mr.. Houston, as secretary of agri-
culture in the Wilson administration,
Is the foremost figure in agriculture
today. He comes to his new task with
rare equipment for attacking large
nat'ona. problems. His studies in the
fle Of history and economics tOgeth-
er with his wide training as college
and university president tit him espe-
cially for dealing with these problems
in a statesmanlike manner. The
University of South Carolina, in Sec
retary Houston, is making a large
contribution to the national life.
Brief Courses Offered.
The university Of today does not
teach agriculture as such. but it would
be failing in it's duty to the State If it
did not keep before the minds of its