THE FARM DEMONSTRATION WORK 



in the number of poultry and swine; molasses mills in each com- 

 munity to make syrup; canning fruit and vegetables to supply the 

 family; whitewashing or painting the houses, cleaning up the weeds 

 around the farm and the home." 



In like manner his outline for short courses as furnished 

 to Dr. H. B. Frissell, late principal of Hampton Institute, 

 Virginia, has much valuable suggestion in it for short courses 

 anywhere. It also has in it much of prophecy of the future 

 development of the Demonstration Work as it affects the 

 home : 



**In discussing the matter of short courses for farmeis with 

 just ordinary education, it was the consensus of opinion of all who 

 have been engaged in the work in the Northwest, that we should 

 begin with very simple things, and this would be especially applicable 

 to colored farmers. I will name a few lines of work which I think 

 are especially important : 



1st. Crop production. The preparation of the soil for the best 

 results ; particularly deeper fall plowing and a winter cover crop. 



2nd. Making a good seed bed in the spring just like a garden, 

 so that the plants will come up quickly. 



3rd. Proper depth of planting the seed. 



4th. Reasons for intensive and shallow cultivation. 



5th, The value of good seeds, and how they should be selected 

 and stored. 



6th. The importance of planting more leguminous crops, — first, 

 as an economic crop for feeding animals, second to increase the 

 nitrogen and humus in the soil. (Mention especially crimson clover 

 and cowpeas.) 



Along the same line would be the importance of increasing the 

 number of domestic animals on the farm so that the pastures can be 

 made available. In this connection, the judging of animals for 

 beef and for milk, should be considered. In case of beef, the im- 

 portance of securing animals that put on the flesh at the most val- 

 uable points, and the great importance of selecting animals that lay 

 on flesh rapidly, showing that some animals make flesh at a great 

 deal less expense than others, because there is a dead loss in every 

 animal of the amount necessary to carry on the forces of life. 



[33] 



