Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-23
THE WAY IN ALLEGHANY;
DEMONS RAT|ON WORK
Poorhouse Made to Pay and Be-
come Rather a Rich PROPOSE
ton in Its Way.
BAD LIABILITY MADE AN ASSET
"ide-awake County Demonstration
Agent Who Knows How so Run
Things in IL Business Way-Shows
Fine Results in Short While.

! CONVICTION. VA, May 22.-Alle.
! shany County has perhaps made bet
| ter us" OF the farm demonstration
I agent than any other county in the
I state has yet done In the first place il
! had something 10 say in the matter OF
! me selection of tho agent. aud 1t did
! not make any mistake in that matter
II selected ID. q. Bradshaw. a Nottoway
County boy. who not only has the old
Virginia idea of real farming, hut has
iraG the advantage OF thorough agricul-
tu!a! college training and study. Hcyis
4 graduate OF the great college at
Guelph Ont. Canada. and he has also
the advantage Of much renl training
on Nottoway County farm.
Mrs. Bradshaw has done a fine work
in Allegheny County. and in his modest
way he tells The Times Dispatch cor
respondent about II.
an appropriation was made in Sep
temhcr. 1913. by the BOARD Of SUPER
visors OF Allegheny County to start the
United states farm demonstration
work. with the understandings that the
I county agent direct the operation Of
the county farm in every particular.
and 10 us" same TO demonstrate 10 the
farmers what could he accomplished on
soil which had been depleted OF its fer
iility This work began in the spring
of 1914 and is being watched with in
terest by the farmers OF Allegheny
County, and the results are exceedingly
gratifying 10 the County Board Of
Supervisors.
This farm is located in Potts Creek
Valley. about nine miles from CovinC-
ton, and contains l5o acres Of tillablo
soil. which is OF sandy loan charac-
Ter, with clay subsoil. about forty
five acres Of which is creek bottom and
the remainder upland. the latter being
extremely deficient in organic matter
ana watcrloGEcd in many instances.
MAKE THE THING
FAY GOOD DIVIDEND
The first crop under the domoustra-
;i"n plan was thirty acres OF corn. be-
ing III a lean sod the previous year.
These fields were plowed in the late
winter to a depth Of nine inches, which
is two inches deeper than ii had been
previously broken. Continuous harrow
Ing was kept up until planting time 10
conserve moisture and insure a good
seed bed. Two tons of prcCipitatcd
lime were applied per acre. with the
addition of 200 pounds of - per cent
acid phosphate and goo pounds Of bone
meal The variety OF corn planted was
Boone County White The lime used
was not altogether for tn. hcucnt II
the corn but for the grass crop To fol-
low, crimson clover AMI rye being se.d-
ed At the last cultivation OF the corn.
This crop received splendid CIVILIZATIONS
and in spite Of a severe drought yield
cd forty bushels per acre. whereas.
previously. under tn. old system OF
cropping the Weld averaged ten to
twelve bushels per acre Peas and sojn
beans. we'll as grass mixtures, arc
being grown extensively, which with
the application OF carbonate OF lime
and phosphorus. insured not only an in
creased production, but a greatly i'm
/
is being practiccd 10 meet the require
ments of orchardinG, cattle, hogs and
other live stock.
CATTLE RAISING A PART
or THE PLAN
Purcbrcd shorthorn breeding stock
has been purchased, as we'll as pure
bred hogs. sheep and chickens The
idea being not only 10 raise ;hcs" ~ a
profit TO the farm. but TO supply pure
bred breeding stock 10 the farmers Of
this county This stock is being fed
under scientific methods.
Cp-to-date farm implements and ma
chincry have been purchased during
tn" past year, as we'll az tho construc-
ton OF silo and several new barns.
Considerable wa,cr-logred land has
been tile drained and numerous Other
improvements hav" been made, includ-
ing painting. fencing, etc.
Weekly visits are made to this farm
by the county agent ana complete daily
wprk!nr plans are laid out for the fcrm
man%gor. who In turn. makes 4 dc
tailed weekly repo-, to the county
agent.
The transformation OF this farm from
a non productive cncumbrancc upon the
county to a rcVenu" producer has been
change Is having very beneficial ef
feet upon the surrounding country