The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-05-12
LATHAM LENDS
KNAPP A HAND
North Carolina Soil Ticker
Helping J. P. Knapp Quail
ify as a Gentleman
Farmer


Joseph p Knapp in Currituck Sound
near Currituck c. H, is to be made
a sort of demonstration farm to carry
out experiments in diversified farminO
and live stock production that might
prove helpful to Mr. Knapp's CurritucE
neighbOrs. Mr.. Knapp has enlisted
Fred P. Latham. proprietor of famous
Circle Grove Farm, of Belhaven, to
make his farm on MacKay Island the
best possible practical farm in North
eastern North Carolina. Mr.. Latham
has made several trips to MacKay ISL
and this spring to personally direct Op-
eratiOnS on the Knapp farm and has
the enthusiastic cooperation of Mr..
Knapp'S own superintendent, Isaac
Doxey.
Joseph P. Knapp, printer, banker,
manufacturer, publisher, sportsman,
clubman and Lord knows what not, or
iginally bought MacKay Island for 4
plaything. He is one of the greatest
all round sportsmen in the world and
MacKay Island is ideally situated in the
heart of the famous CNrrituck duck
country. Mr.. Knapp built a beautiful
home on MacKay Island and became a
resident of North Carolina. Having
built his home on MacKay Island of
course he wanted his own farm and gar
den with it, to supply milk, butter,
,,n,lFrv fruitS vnUat0blaS
hams. bacon and legs of lamb for his
table. And so he ordered that there
should be a farm on MacKay Island.
But he started that farm without Civ
ing a thought to the fact that among
other things he is one of the principal
owners and directing heads of Farm *
Fireside, one of the biggest farm pa
perS in the United States.
Mr.. Knapp never was personally in
tereSted in farming and is man of too
many affairs to have given any thought
TO the subject. He said let there be
farm on MacKay Island about like
the Lord said let there be light and
then forgot all about it. And then one
lay THE INDEPENDENT man stun
5led on MacKay Island and found the
Knapp farm. 1t was going pretty good
under Isaac DOXey, but there was plen-
~ of room for Improvement in farm
owned by a wealthy New Yorker who
farm weekly. For instance, of the cat
tie on the estate there were about four
males for every three cows. When
THE INDEPENDENT spilled that fact
it probably occurred to Mr.. Knapp that
rs Farmer Joe" he should have an
eye to that farm; for be it known that
Joseph Palmer Knapp is one of the
most efficient business executives in
America and he doesn't long identify
himself with anything that doesn't make
good. Surely a man who has directed
the affairs of the biggest life insurance
business in the world and shaped the
policies of a group of the best known
publicatiOnSin America, while running
printing business employing 1,2OO to
1900 persons, could make go of
four horse farm! And he will, thru
the help of Fred Latham, who knows
how to tickle the soil and make it laugh
not one harvest, but laugh the whole
year round. That's what Fred Lath
am and Isaac Doxey are going to do
with AR Knapp's acres; they are going
to show Currituck County farm on
which things grow green the whole
year round; corn and wheat and oats
and rye and peas and crimson clover;
pastures green from January to Jan
uary.
The best obtainable registered Duroc
Jersey hogs will be bred on the Mac
Kay Island farm. The first purchase
of a fine boar and four brood sows ar
rived on the farm last week.
Mr. Knapp was persuaded to put the
best into his MacKay Island farm be-
cause he believes the venture will be
of inestimable benefit to his North
Carolina neighbors; Mr.. Knapp takes
pride in his North Carolina citizenship
and is not satisfied with being any. less
than a useful and helpful citizen. All
he wants for himself out of farm on
MacKay Island is hog and hOminy for
his table; after that he wants that
farm to be an inspiration and a demon
stration in progressive agriculture to
the farmers of Currituck County.