4: The Bulletin 



PROFESSOR BURGESS' LETTER IN REPLY TO COMMISSIONER 

 GRAHAM'S LETTER OF REQUEST 



Kaleigh, N. C, November 30, 1916. 

 Hon. "W. a. Graham, 



Commissioner of Agriculture, 



Raleigh, N. C. 



Dear Sir : — lu compliance with your request of tlie 16tli inst., I am 

 handing you herewith a paper containing a discussion of the statements 

 found in Extension Circular, No. 24, issued by the United States Experi- 

 ment Station at West Ealeigh and approved by the Director of Extension 

 Service. 



I have made an especial effort to be entirely just to the above named 

 circular, but, at the same time, to point out some of the errors and falla- 

 cies in its arguments and the inevitable effect of its teaching on the 

 agricultural interests of the State. Though a few unfamiliar terms may 

 have been used, an effort has been made to clothe the discussion in the 

 simplest and most understandable language the nature of the subject will 

 permit. Very truly yours, 



James L. Burgess, 



State Agronomist. 



INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY THE STATE AGRONOMIST 



In the fall of 1913 the price of cotton ranged around 14 cents a pound. 

 In August, 1914, the European war broke out, and, as the result of this 

 war, the price of cotton dropped almost suddenly from 14 to 6.2 cents a 

 pound. The farmers had purchased fertilizers in the spring of 1914 on 

 the basis of 10- to 15-cent cotton in the fall. But when fall came, with 

 the disastrous drop in the price of lint, they found themselves not only 

 without sufficient funds to pay the fertilizer bills made the previous 

 spring, but, also, without funds with which to purchase fertilizers for 

 the crop of 1915, even though no advance in the prices of fertilizer 

 should occur. But very soon it was rumored that no potash could be 

 obtained from Germany, and that all fertilizer ingredients would, in all 

 probability, take a sympathetic rise and remain high until the war was 

 over. This rumor was soon known to be based on fact, and the farmer 

 found himself, without money, trying to buy fertilizer on a rising market. 

 This condition brought a crisis in the farm finances of the State, and the 

 farmer was compelled to cry out for help. 



All the agricultural institutions of the State responded liberally with 

 "good advice," but the record shows that the State Legislature and the 

 State Department of Agriculture were the only institutions that were 



