The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-06-26
100000 SPENT
ON. TEST FARMS
BY THOMPSON GREENWOOD
Agriculture Dent. Editor Z.


Agriculture Dept. Editor
RALEIGH, June Is In The
State Department of Agriculture
has expended approximately $780,
600 during the past IL months lay
ing the foundation for long-range
program looking to the adoption Of
agriculture in North Carolina to
the needs of the postwar world.
Fred E. Miller, director of the
test farms division for the depart.
ment has supervised the expendi-
ture Of these funds for new farms
in Ashe, Haywood, and Washing
ton counties. and for various i'm.
provements 'i:l the old farms.
New cattlt will be brought into
the state. the famous Brown
Swiss breed, which is as large as
the Holstein in size and in milk
production And the milk of the
Brown Swiss is much richer than
that Of the Holstein. These cows
around 10 in all - will be placed
on the new iarm at Transou, NC,
in Ashe.
The 4JC- acre Ashe farm, which
cost $24,oo0 will be used for the
Brown Swiss, beef cattle, and
sheep.
Greater Milk Production
On the Haywood farm. the Clark
place On the outskirts of Waynes-
vile, will he placed dairy cows
and projects to be carried out at
this station will be concerned with
greater milk production for the
mountain counties, with poultry.
horticulture, and hurley tobacco.
This farm, 300 acres, cost the
state $45,000. Many farms through
out a half-dozen counties in the
Asheville area were studied in the
search for farm suitable to the
needs Of the experiment station.
Complaining began at this new
mountain farm several days ago.
All clops now on the pace, with
the exception of those on privately
lea: cd land, have become property
OF the state department of agrical-
ture.
The states largest test farm is
now in Washington county. Spraw-
ling over 1000 acres, this land
will be used for test in hybrid
corn, small grain, soy beans, and
lespedeza. Situated five miles east
of Plymouth on a federal highway,
this station cost the state $27, 500.
The old station, Wenona, eight
miles south of the new one, is now
up for sale.
There was time several years
ago when it was impossible during
the winter months for visitors to
| reach some of the state test farms,
but-thaks to the close cooperation
OF the various boards of county
commissioners and the state high
way department-this is no longer
the case, and all farms are now
accessible over paved highways.
Stations Expand
Since 1887, when w. Kerr Scott
became commissioner of agricul-
ture, 80 acres have been added to
the Piedmont station at Statesville
at a cost of $500; the Upper
Coastal Plain station at Rocky
Mount is 248 acres larger. costing
$4,000; the Coastal Plain station,
Willard, 129 acres, $4,000; SO acres
have been tackled o.1to the Tobacco
station at Oxford at a cost of
$4,000; and new buildings, financ-
ed by the Works Progress admini-
stration and the United States de-
partment of Agriculture have been
built at Oxford and Willard at
total cost of $4,000.
AS soon as materials are avail
able, new and modern barns and
other buildings will be erected at
the new farms.
And - though nothing can be
released on it Network now being
carried forward on the eight test
farms should mean a new day for
agriculture in this state and in the
south.