The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1916-11-02
FARMERS INSTITUTES TO
CALM UNREST Of NEGROES
TO TEACH BETTER FARMING
METHODS AND WAYS TO
AVOID CROP FAILURE.

Agricultural College, Miss, Nov
Ito encourage the negroes OF
Mississippi to remain at their farm
work, rather than follow the lure of
soft jobs and good pay held out by
labor agents from other states, Di-
rector f. R. Lloyd, of the co-opera-
tive extension work of the Mississippi
A. & M. College and federal gov
ernment is planning series of far
mers' institutes for negroes. BY
teaching the negroes better farming
methods, and pointing out ways OF
avoiding crop failures such as have
been experienced by some this year,
Professor Lloyd hopes to increase the
usefulness of the negroes to them
selves and to the state. Much good
has already been accomplished along
this line by the several negro county
agents who are working under the
direction of State Demonstration
Agent Il. S. Wilson.
The first of these institutes for
negroes will be held at Artesia, Miss,
within the next few days, and Profess
sor Lloyd, State Agent Wilson, and
other extension workers are sched-
uled to speak to the negroes in that
section.
State Commissioner of Agriculture
P. p. Garner, and the federal govern
ment have approved this extension
service to the negro farm workers.
In making application to the commits
sioner of agriculture for farmers
institute for his people, W. B. Tucker,
negro school teacher of Artesia, sets
forth the following clear-cut reasons
for the negro exodus to the north,
and suggests remedy:
"In view of the fact that large
numbers of our colored people are
leaving for the north and for other
sections of the country" he says, 1--WE
who do not desire to do likewise rea-
lize that some step should be taken
with a view of discouraging the eXo-
due | feel that they are taking a
step that they will ultimately regret.
True, many of them will stay away,
but many more will surely become
dissatisfied and return to their old
homes in the south only to find to
their sorrow that their services are
no longer required.
"The eontributory causes of this
unusual negro exodus are many, the
most prominent of which, insofar as
the negro on the farm is concerned,
is his ignorance of up-to-date scien-
tific methods of farming. Of the
numerous farmers Institutes and
demonstration meetings held in our
country, but few have reached the
negro directly; the merits of crop di-
versifications have failed to appeal
to him in an encouraging light, and
therefore, one complete failure of
the cotton and corn crops--his only
hobby-is sufficient to throw him
into a panic. On the slightest in
ducement due to exaggerated reports
of prosperity elsewhere he is ready
to pack up and move.
Farmers Institutes for negroes
will 90 far toward calming the grow
ing unrest among the negroes in the
rural districts of our section of the
state. If Institutes of this kind are
held at convenient places in every
county of the black belt and such
subjects as diversification Of crops
economy on the farm, how to grow
cotton in spite of the boil weevil, and
lectures to the women on domestic
science be discussed by agricultural
experts, great deal of good will be
done. In every case these lectures
should be supplemented by speech
advising the negroes against emigra
ton to the north, by some of the ne.
gro leaders of the state in whom the
people have confidence. | feel thai
such campaign carried out at this
season Of the year will accomplish
much"