Porter Farm
Encyclopedia
The Porter Farm, also known as Walter C. Porter Farm, near Terrell, Texas
was the site of the first cooperative farm demonstration, organized by Dr. Seaman A. Knapp
in 1903. The project successfully demonstrated methods expanding crop production. From this foundation project developed the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Extension Service.
Knapp worked with Walter Porter to set aside 70 acres (28.3 ha) of the farm, on which the experimental use of fertilizers on some plots and rotation with nitrogen-fixing
legumes doubled normal yields of cotton. Porter had been selected by the community to participate in the project, with $1000 set aside to cover potential losses. Porter profited from the experiment, and the money was unused. The success of this project led to the Extension Service programs, which went on to develop methods to combat boll weevil
infestation in the area.
Kaufman County, Texas
Terrell, Texas
Terrell is a city in Kaufman County, Texas, United States, and a southeastern suburb of Dallas. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 13,606...
was the site of the first cooperative farm demonstration, organized by Dr. Seaman A. Knapp
Seaman A. Knapp
Seaman Asahel Knapp was a Union College graduate, Phi Beta Kappa member, physician, college instructor, and, later, administrator, who took up farming late in life, moving to Iowa to raise general crops and livestock....
in 1903. The project successfully demonstrated methods expanding crop production. From this foundation project developed the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Extension Service.
Knapp worked with Walter Porter to set aside 70 acres (28.3 ha) of the farm, on which the experimental use of fertilizers on some plots and rotation with nitrogen-fixing
Nitrogen fixation
Nitrogen fixation is the natural process, either biological or abiotic, by which nitrogen in the atmosphere is converted into ammonia . This process is essential for life because fixed nitrogen is required to biosynthesize the basic building blocks of life, e.g., nucleotides for DNA and RNA and...
legumes doubled normal yields of cotton. Porter had been selected by the community to participate in the project, with $1000 set aside to cover potential losses. Porter profited from the experiment, and the money was unused. The success of this project led to the Extension Service programs, which went on to develop methods to combat boll weevil
Boll weevil
The boll weevil is a beetle measuring an average length of six millimeters, which feeds on cotton buds and flowers. Thought to be native to Central America, it migrated into the United States from Mexico in the late 19th century and had infested all U.S. cotton-growing areas by the 1920s,...
infestation in the area.
External links
- Porter Farm Handbook of Texas OnlineHandbook of TexasThe Handbook of Texas is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published by the Texas State Historical Association .-History:...
- Photographs of the Porter Farm at the National Park Service's NRHP database
Kaufman County, Texas
Kaufman County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 71,313 people, 24,367 households, and 19,225 families residing in the county. The population density was 91/sq mi . There were 26,133 housing units at an average density of 33/sq mi...