The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-11-25

November %, 1915.
,lMr. r. r. Spence, County Agent, Be-
rea, Ky.
Dear Sir.
After thinking the matter over ]
haze decided To write you in regard
t. agriculture IN this part Of Jack
son county. Ir the first place this
locality is like many other sections
far behind in present day methods
pf farming. owing TO the fact that
the people for several years back
have very greatly depended on the
marketing OF timber and have left
the farm business fall behind. Since
the fine forests have nearly been de-
istroyed, the people began TO realize
that there had been a grave mistake
made in two ways: that Of depriving
themselves OF the benefits OF the
timber for farm and building pur-
poses and that Of allowing their
farms TO go down.
The last two or three years there
has been a new spirit developed in
all branches Of farming.
f. Here is our greatest problem: our
people have multiplied many times;
the timber is gone, and all OF our
best land cleared and badly worn
and washed away. The question is
how 10 improve and reclaim these
hill-sides. Here is where the farm
er has-b making a mistake, as !
see il, in not giving more attention
10 the free bulletins furnished by
the state and United States govern
ment on these questions and not
needing the advice and the help OF
our county agents who point out the
places where failures have been
made and give us methods TO i'm
iprove on the ways Of our fathers,
and grandfathers farmed in the past.
u has been shown that great i'm
provement can be had by planting
fewer acres in corn and more acres
in grasses; by rotation Of crops,
with the clovers and the cow pea; by
the sowing Of and the application
Df barnyard manure; and by the use
of commercial fertilizers.
! A few words in regard TO my own
personal experience. came into
1.-THE possession OF small farm some
twenty years ago that has now been
cleared, according 10 good authori-
ty, one hundred and fourteen years.
Now part Of this land ten years ago
was so worn and washed away that
IIit was eyesore TO any farmer.
Then decided TO experiment on this
plot Of land, being guided partly by
government letters and the advise
given by you. | have reclaimed this
pilot Of land till think am safe to
say that grew seven barrels Of corn
No the acre this present year. l
have not used over three hundred
pounds of commercial fertilizer all
told, have two other neighbOrs
who have done better on similar
plots. As we have farmers club
just recently organized by you. we
hope Ia show larger gains and better
farm management. better stock on
the farm, better roads, better schools,
land better churches. OF course we
all have our opinions about all
things, and my personal opinion as
TO what is the greatest factor in
bringing about these better move
ments is the betterment Of our
schools, and the active interest tax
en- by the State and United States
government in placing such men as
you in the field To help the farmer
solve these present day problems.
Well as for the farm bulletins they
ARE all right if the people would
only study them, and only try to
carry out some Of the advice TO be
derived therefrom; but ! find by en-
Iquiring Of my neighbors that the
farm literature is regarded very
lightly by most of our people, while
IA good forcible speech and a few
practical lessons given out in the
field as you have been doing in this
territory for the last year brings re-
suits.
Yours for better farming.
WIN. HURST,