Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1922-07-12

lHiS 10 " OASOuia6c Iilc ulYlSlOu Oh
all the lands into small farms, each
owned and operated by one family.
We know the worlds NOSE import
ant school is the homo with the
farm. We know this philosophy to
be true, yet how are we to bring it
about with 81 per cent of our cultl-
waited lands In the hands Of this
shiftless class? Shall we ENCOURAGE
them to buy our lands and endeayor
to impress upon them that there Is
dignity in residing upon farm
with fertile soil, modern buildings
and an environment Of education?
DO we believe that they will ever De
able to deyelop that ideal country life
so beautifully pictured by Dr.. Knapp
when he said:
"Let it be the high privilege OF
this great and free people 10 es-
tablish a republic whero rural
Hride Is equal to civic pride. where
men Of the most refined taste and
culture select the rural villa, aud
where the wealth that comes from
the soil finds it's greatest return in
developing and perfecting that
great domain Of nature which God
has given to us as an everlasting
estate"
The basis of all civilization Is the
ownership Of land. If we are not
willing to sell them our lands, then
TO whom are we going to sell? Are
we going to drift, appreciating the
fact that in 1910 they owned and
controlled Of our farm lands to the
value Of $92,000,O00, and in 1920
$297, 100000? We cannot get away
from the fact that our old agricul-
tural system of necessity must be
readjusted. The boil weevil. problem
10 largely an economic problem. There
is no certain direct method Of con-
troll. Under old conditions the grow
Ing Of cotton was fool-proof opera
ticn. Under boil weevil conditions the
growing Of cotton becomes highly
specialized undertaking. The Shift
less, doleless, thriftless farmers day
is over. The large landed estates arc
In very great danger, comprising as
they do the e7 per cent Of our culti-
waited lands that arc controlled by
this shiftless class.
The answer that the normal exo-
dus to the North will take care Of the
situation, grant that eventually this
will be true, but the presence of the
Doll weevil has precipitated condi-
ton that is acute. We cannot afford
to have 81 Per cent Of our cultivated
lands lessened in value by unprofita-
BILE returns and thus remendously
weaken our entire agricultural struc-
ture.
The Contributions of Scientific Men
to Agriculture Within tho Last
Twenty-Five Years.
There are no pages In American
history Of achievements that stand
out more brilliantly than those that
record the contributions of our sci
entif1c men within the last thirty
years to our agriculture, and yet
those men are to-day pointed to as
being impractical, visionary and pe-
culiar, and science inself is referred
to as being something beyond the
understanding Of the average man:
and, as you and l know, the very
meaning Of the word is the applica-
ton OF common sense. The tremen-
dous advancement Of American agri-
culture is largely due to the unself-
ish service Of the men Of the labora
tories and experiment fields. Let me
call to your mind few Of the re-
suits of their labor that come into
the daily life of every successful
farmer. They developed, by plant
breeding, new varieties Of practically
ell crops grown on the farms, espe.
cially adapted to specific conditions.
They developed, by plant breeding,
crops that can be grown successfully
Oh disease-infested lands. They have
explored all parts Of the world, and
rs result Of their explorations they
have introduced new crops that have
proved OF tremendous value. The in
PRODUCTION OF Durham wheat from
Siberia has made it possible for us
to manufacture our maccaroni, here
tofore imported from Italy. They
have introduced Kafir corn. milo and