The coastland times., 1951-09-14
HYDE FARMERS SET UP PLAN
FOR HOLDING REFERENDUM
ON NICKELS-FO FOR-KNOW- HOW
PMA, Farm Bureau Machinery to Be Used in
Holding November Vote on Proposal for
Growers to Assess Themselves on Feed,
Fertilizer Bought.


In preparation for statewide
referendum Nov. 8 on a proposal
for farmers to contribute voluntar-
lily to a fund for agricultural re-
search, Edward Bonner of Swan
Quarter Friday night was elected
permanent chairman of a Hyde
County organization to get out the
vote and inform farmers of the
"nickels-for-k -know-how" PROPOSE
ton. The election took place at a
farm mass meeting in Swan Quar-
ter.
Hours between Z in the morn
ing and 5 in the afternoon were set
for the referendum In Hyde Coun-
ty. Voting will be done at regular
PIMA polling places.
At the suggestion of Joe Bishop,
PIMA committeeman will be asked
to take over responsibility for con-
ducting the referendum, though they
will not be paid for their time.
They will have the assistance of
the Farm Bureau, Russell Swim
dell, its president, promised, so
that no worker will have to stay
all day at the polling places.
Women to Help
Mrs. Olive Cahoon of Swan
Quarter suggested that farm wom-
en- through Home Demonstration
clubs could help to supply infor-
nation about the proposal. The
clubs will be supplied with mater
ial, to pass on to farmers and their
wives.
The proposal, to be voted on by
anyone who buys fertilizer or feed,
is that 5 cents be collected for
every ton of fertilizer or feed
bought, the money to go into a
fund managed by the Agricultural
Foundation, to supplement state
and federal money allocated for
agricultural research in North Car
olina.
If the proposal carries by two
thirds majority, the plan will be in
effect three years, after which the
proposition will again be submit
ted to a vote.
100000 Is Goal
? The 5 cents per ton is expected
to raise 100000. 1t will be collect
ed by the state and all of it, with
out deduction for collection, will be
turned over to the Agricultural
Foundation, all to be used for re-
search and teaching.
The proposition was explained
Friday night by S. L. Daughtridge,
district soil conservation man. His
remarks were supplemented by ad-
ditional comments by w. H. Pru-
den, county agent, and Russell
Swindell, chairman of the Farm
Bureau. Others who expressed an
interest in the proposal were N. B.
Baker, soil conservationist of
Gates County; Melvin Swindell,
farmer and Hyde County clerk of
court; J. M. Worrell, Swan Quar-
ter agriculture teacher, and Joe
Bishop.
Mr.. Daughtridge pointed out
that many phases of farming had
hardly been touched by research.
Among subjects he suggested that
could be studied with profit to the
farmer were rotation and soil
management; relation of plant nu-
triton to humans; intensifcation
of the cropping season; forestry;
food fish in farm ponds; labor saw
ing equipment; crossbreeding in
cattle; diseases, such as bloat, in
animals; curing of hay; fencing,
and others.
Authorized by Legislature
He explained that agricultural
research funds came from the fed
eral government, the state and pri-
vate contributions. The Agricul-
tural Foundation has secured the
latter through solicitation, but this
has proved too much of a drain on
few people. AS a result, the leg
islature authorized the referendum
to let the farmers vote on wheth-
er or not they would assess them
selves 5 cents on every ton of fer
tilizer or feed they bought.
Any farmer unwilling to sup
port the research program in this
ruau can oet his r,nnnau hack h,,