The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-05-09
USING COUNTY FARM
AS A demonstration
Development OF ydrr In Allegheny
, Couisty Proves Appropriation By
Supervisors Wise One.
By 10. n PRICE.

Biacksburg. Va. May s.--An ex-
csllent illustration Of the good work
that Is being done by the county
demonstration agents in Virginia. and
OF how the boards OF supervisors are
turning the work OF these agents TO
The best advantage for their counties.
is shown ntale plan inaugurated on
tile Allegheny County Farm by the
supervisors.
An appropriation was made in Sep
tamber, 1918. by the board of that
county to start farm demonstration
work. with the understanding that the
county demonstration agent should
direct the operation of the county
farm in every particular. and should
Use the same to demonstrate to the
farmers what could be accomplished
on soil which had been depleted OF
It's fertility. This work began In the
spring Of 1914. and Is being watched
with interest by the farmers of Alfe-
ghany, and the results so Tar are
very gratifying to the supervisors.
This farm n located in Potts Creek
Valley, about nine miles from Coving-
ton. and contains $50 acres of till
able SOL which is of a sandy loam
character, with a clay eubsoil. About
forty acres In creek bottom. and the
balance In upland. the latter being
extremely deficient in organic mat
ter and much of it water-logged.
The first crop under the demonstra-
ton plan was thirty acres of corn.
being In lean sod the previous year.
These fields were plowed in the late
winter to a depth of nine inches,
which was two Inches deeper than
II had been previously broken. Con-
tinuous narrowing was kept up I'M
I'll planting time to conserve mois-
4ture and insure good seed bed. Two
tons of preclpitated line were applied
per acre. with the addition of zoo
pounds of 10 per cent acid phosphate
and zoe pounds of bone meal. The
variety of corn planted was Boone
County white. The lime used was
not altogether for the benefit of the
corn. but also for the grass crop to
follows: crimson clover and rye being
seeded at the last cultivation OF the
corn,
This crop received thorough culti-
walton. and In spite of severe
drought yielded forty bushels pes
acre: wherea- previously. under the
eraged ten to twelve bushels per acre
mixtures. are being grown extensively
which. with the application OF car
donate OF lime and phosphorous. in.
sures an Increased production and
greatly improved soil. A systematic
crop rotation Is being practiced to
meet the requirements OF orcharding,
cattle, hogs and other live stock. Pure
bred breeding stock has been pur-
chased and the plan 10 not only to
raise these as profit TO the farm.
but to supply pure bred breeding
stock to the farmers OF the county.
The stock is fed under scientific me-
thods, good silo and several new
barns have been erected during the
year. and up-to-date farm implements
have been purchased
1. o. Bradshaw, a native Of Motto
way County and "A graduate of the
agricultural college at Guelph. Cana
ia, is the county demonstration
agent. and is another of the young
men who LIS making good In the work
in Virginia. He makes weekly visit
TO the county farm and lays out q
detailed plan for the farm manager.
who. In turn. makes weekly report
ia the agent The transformation OF
this farm from nonproductive In
to q revenue producer has
been q rapid one, b having bene-
ficial effect, and 10 an object lesson
to the farmers OF the county.