The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-07-13

! 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 controll-
ed of our farm lands to the value Of
2,00O,000.00 (Ninety-two million
dollars), and in 1920 s297,000,000.
| (Two hundred and ninety-seven mil
lion dollars)? We can't get away
from the fact that our old agricul-
tural system of necessity must be re-
adjusted The boil weevil problem.
is largely an economic problem.
There is no certain direct method of
control. Under old conditions the
! growing of cotton was a fool-proof
operation. Under boil weevil condi-
tions the growing of cotton becomes
highly specialized undertaking. The
shiftless, doleless, thriftless farmers
day is over. The largest landed es-
tates are in very great danger, COM
prising as they do the 81 per cent. of
our cultivated lands that are con-
trolled by this shiftless class.
| The answer that the normal exodus
| to the north will take care of the
situation. I grant that eventually this
will be true, but the presence of the
boil weevil has percipitated a condi-
| tion that is acute. We can not af-
boil weevil has precipitated a condi-
| waited lands lessened in value by un-
| profitable returns and thus tremend-
ously weaken our entire agricultural
| structure.
The Contributions of Scientific Men
to Agriculture Within the Last
25 Years.
There are no pages in American
history of achievements that stand
out more brilliantly than those that
record the contributions of our sci
entific men within the last thirty
years in our agriculture, and yet
these men are today pointed to as
being impracticable, visionary, and
peculiar, and science itself referred
to as being something beyond the
| understanding of the average man,
and as YOU know and I know that
the very meaning of the word is the
application of common sense. The
tremendous advancement Of Ameri-
can agriculture is largely due to the
unselfsh service of the men of the
laboratories and experiment fields.
Let us call to your mind few of the
results Of their labor thatecome into
the daily life of every successful
farmer. They developed by plant
breeding, new varieties of practically
all crops grown on the farms, es-
pecially adapted to specific condl-
tions. They developed by plant breed
ing crops that can be grown success
fully on disease-infested lands. They
have explored all parts of the world
and as result of their explorations
they have introduced new crops that
have proved of tremendous value:
The Introduction of Durham
wheat from Siberia has made
it possible for us to manu-
facture our maccaroni, hereto
fore imported from Italy. They
have introduced Kafir corn, Milo and
Federita, and by so doing have made
farming possible on millions of acres
of land in the semi-arid west, where,
| without these new introductions. the
! country would be uninhabited. How
| many of our farmers in South Caro-
lima realize that many of the clovers
| and alfalfas that they annually seed
were introduced from France, Ger
many and Russia? The Sudan grass.
that is growing with us in popular
favor, is foreign importation. Our
idea of soil fertility has been entirely
] revolutionized by the introduction
practically of all our leguminous
crops except cowpeas. Such for in
stance as soy beans, velv-. beans. the
clovers, the vetches, etc. The dis
coyerv of the little bacteria that gath
ers nitrogen from the air constitutes
a new source of wealth that will last
as long as this world stands. How
many of when enjoying our morning
iuicy grape fruit give thought to
the scientific man who patiently Ia
bored to bring forth this delicious
appetizer? How many of us realize
that the man who introduced the i'm
proved variety of figs, prunes and
dates rode on the back OF a camel
hundreds of miles in the deserts OF
the far east? Take your mind back
| g. ..,4,, roorc ond reca11 the char