DEMONSTRATION WORK IN INCIDENT, STORY AND SONG 



When Dr. Knapp attended a meeting of his agents, he 

 always had a carefully prepared address for them. This 

 address was full of the principles and facts about the new 

 work which w^as developing so rapidly. But he sat by the 

 State Agent, who presided, and contributed his wisdom to 

 the discussions of the occasion. Many times his remarks 

 constituted an incident of great significance to the develop- 

 ment of the program of work, and the agriculture of the sec- 

 tion of country. For instance, the following short speech 

 was made when the subject of the Preparation of the Soil 

 was under discussion. Such deliverances revealed his knowl- 

 edge and insight, and had a profound effect upon the men 

 before him. These men soon learned to study and investi- 

 gate the soil, plants, animals and climate where they were 

 working. 



Dr. Knapp on Stumps, Brush, Weeds and Grass 



We pay a larger tax every year for stumps, brush, weeds 

 and grass than is required to support our municipal, county, 

 state and federal government, to endow all the colleges and 

 educate all the youth of the land ; and we get no return. A 

 stump not only occupies valuable space, but it prevents the 

 use of improved implements for better and more rapid tillage 

 of the soil. The cost of farm labor is on the increase with 

 the certainty that this will continue till the equation of wages 

 on the farms and in the town or city is more equal. The 

 remedy for higher priced labor on the farm is the use of 

 more and better teams and implements. If the day wage on 

 the farms of the South advanced from 75 cents to $1.50 then 

 each farm hand must plow, plant, and cultivate twice as 

 many acres in a day as he did before and this is an easy 

 problem. But the stumps must go, and the farmer who does 

 not try to get rid of them will soon be a back number. The 



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