234 



bvit, with the system of double cropping just mentioned, this 

 cannot be given elYect to. 1 am not inferring that cultivation is 

 carried out in a slipshod manner, for it may be that every care 

 has been taken in plowing and pulverizing the soil to form the 

 necessary seed bed, but, unless a certain period is allowed for the 

 soil to "mature," or, in other words, to permit of the necessary 

 plant food becoming available for the needs of the crop, it is im- 

 possible to secure a full return. 



This point is not at all difificult to demonstrate. It is only nec- 

 essary to take a (juickly maturing crop, such as Panicum, and 

 watch results. As an exami)le, I will relate one experience of 

 many I had, showing the effect of early and late preparation. In 

 a field of 30 acres, 10 were plowed four months ; 10, two months ; 

 and 10, just previous to planting. The whole area was planted 

 with Panicum at the same time. The result in green material 

 cut for silage was : for the four months, 12 tons per acre ; for the 

 two months, 6 tons per acre; and for the porti(in i)lowe(l ]M-evious 

 to planting, nil. 



Although the W'Cather was very favorable during the growing 

 period, the seed on the freshly plowed area practically refused to 

 germinate — only a few small patches appearing where timber had 

 been burned off. This failure of seed to germinate when sown in 

 newly-plowed land, more especially where the soil is of a stiff 

 character, has often been observed. Germination will eventually 

 take place, but it may lie weeks or months later. Numerous ex- 

 amples of a similar nature were to be met with in tlie I'Ml wheat 

 cro]), and to a lesser extent during the past season. In every dis- 

 trict individual fields were to be met with giving a good yield, 

 while adjoining areas were ])ractically a failure. On investiga- 

 1,ion it was discovered that, in almost every instance, early ])rep- 

 aration of the land was responsible for the successful returns. 



iiAMrrox ixsTiTUTirs work for XECROFS. 



Hampton Institute's remarkable results in training negroes are 

 vividly set fortli in tlie forty-fifth annual report of the ])rincipal, 

 just made public. I'loni a school of 15 pupils and two teachers, 

 the Institute has grown into a busy educational village of over a 

 thousand persons, with a far-reaching influence, not only for the 

 races it is designed to aid. but for the whole nation, which benefits 

 by the splendid work and e\ami)le of ilamitton gr.-iduates every- 

 where. 



Industrial training is the keynote of the llampton success, ac- 

 cording to Dr. I'. 1'. ("laxton. Ignited Stales Commissioner of 

 h'ducation, who is keenly interested in the llampton woik. It is 

 noteworthy that this indnstrird training is of the most immediate 

 and practical sort, apphcd to llu' ordin.iry producing task.s of life, 



