The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-09-28
BIC DAY At
BL|TCHT0N
Farmers Hear Good Talks and En-.
joy A Big Dinner.

Owing to the very threatening
weather Saturday morning great
many people. who would otherwise
have attended, remained away, bu.
regardless of the leather conditions
about two hundred ard fifty people
from the immediate vicinity and
nearby towns had congrsgated at the
Blitchton church by 1920 to enjoy
the big farmers meeting and picnic.
After a general get-acquainted meet
ing on the outside the crowd was in
vjted by Dr.. Bitch to the church,
where the speaking was to be held.
Mr. r. ". Blackjack, county dem
onstratiOn agent, acted as master of
ceremonies and introduced the speak
ers, the first being DR.. c. +. Nc
Quarrie, of the experiment station at
Gainesville
DR. McQuarrie's speech was a short
but very interesting one. He began
his address by referring to the great
war across the waters, saying that in
order to properly do our duty we
must see that those who are sent to
do active service in the trenches and
on the battlefields are PROVIDED with
a sufficient quantity of substantial
food that man with an empty
stomach cannot have the proper
fighting energy, thereby emphasiz-
ing the fact that 1.-The European war
is to be decided upon the American
FARMS" that the war now practically
centers on the proposition of suffi-
cient food. The speaker said that as
the climatic conditions in the north
made that section unsuitable for
growing the necessary foodstuffs, it
devolves almost entirely upon south
ern farmers to produce and furnish
the country with food DR.. McQuar-
RE said Grow more home products.
eliminate imported stuff, and, as a
patriotic duty, produce the things
most needed. Why" he continued,
S18,000,000 worth of foodstuffs
are imported into this country every
year which could easily be produced
right here in Florida Again repeat
ing that 1.-The European war is to be
decided by the American farmers" he
asked those present what they were
doing to help in this cause; asked
them what kind of plows were they
using, how their land was being
treated, how much fertilizer and how
was it being applied. He said that a
majority of the farmers simply
scratched the soil and expected to
reap fair crops. This is a mistake,
labor and land practically wasted,
when, if plowed eight or ten inches
deep, and persistently and scientific
cally cultivated, crops could be dou-
bled and trebled, at half the cost
Dr. McQuarrie emphasized the need
of scientific farming, and told those
present how to take advantage of all
sorts of seasons and how best to
treat the soil to make it bring forth
its richest fruits. This address was
intensely interesting and instructive,
and was listened to with interest
especially by the few farmers pres
ent.
After DIR. McQuarrie's address adj
journment was taken for dinner and
everybody found their way to the
long tables that had been arranged
under the big shade trees, and-my,
such dinneri Quality to suit the
most fastidious and quantity suffi-
Gent to feed a thousand. The only
regrets expressed were that the
weather man had been so unkind as
to brighten so many away.
After the uinner was over the
crowd again assembled in the church
to listen to other addresses by DIR.
Chapman, on tick eradication; Dr.
Logan on hog cholera; Mr.. Curry
of the citrus exchange, on marketing;
Mr.. Jenkins, district agent for Cen
trail Florida, on cotton; Mr.. W. D.
earn, on the approaching Marion
county fair. Messrs Light and eros
by, representatives from this county
to the Florida legislature, also made
short addresses.
AS master of ceremonies Mr.. Black
lock proved an artist and in intro
dueing the speakers INDUCED in
many little pleasantries, which were
quite entertaining.