The Danbury Reporter.
V.OLUMK XXXIII
HOW THEY FARM OUT WEST.j
A Very Entertaining Letter From
Prof. W. B. Harris Growing Al
falfa. Grain and Potatoes Good
Advice to Stokes Farmers.
Garfield, Washington, June 5.
Mr. Editor :
Last spring, I asked those farm
ers in Stokes who sowed alfalfa
to report to each other, through
the Reporter, their success. Not
having seen anything from them,
I fear they were unsuccessful. I
sowed about I! acres, but it was
so lafe and not well put in and so
long before we had even a shower
that I got a very poor stand. I
plowed up nearly all of it and the
remainder is doing well. Some
of my neighbors are succeeding,
but alfalfa here in" the Palouse
country is wholly in the experi
mental stage. Those who have it
are pasturing their hogs on it. 1
.Hogs do exceedingly well on al
falfa. lam informed that it will
not get to its best until after the
second year and even then grows
better later on. 1 mean to try it
again. lam glad to see so many
interesting and instructive letters
on farming. It shown that old
Stokes is not dead, but contains
live, energetic men of brains and
push, if their advice be followed
by the fanners generally and the
same energy displayed in farming
that many of the samfl men dis
play in politics, Stokes county
will make o material move to bet-1
fer her condition. I should like
to see some of the Stokes farmers
on a good ranch out here.
We have good farmers here, but
they don't pay attention to details'
like "Mo," Mr. Ross, or either of
the Messrs. Petreo.
The Western man jumps in on
a large scale and lets details go to
the dogs. As an example, 1 would
give a man who joins me. He hus
owned his ranch ever since lie!
traded a dog for it twenty years
ago and has never put out a load
of manure till this year. I guessj
that the want of space in his barn j
lot is the only thing that forcedl
him up to it this year. \\ hat j
would you think of such a man in
Stokes. There they go to the
towns to buy manure, here the
town people will pay you to haul
it away for them.
It is true "iir soil is fertile, but
the main advantage is gained by
doing things by machinery and on
a larger scale.
I verily belfteve with that writer
on agriculture in North Carolina
who said "The greatest draw-back
to the North Carolina farmers is
that there are too many one-mule
farmers." I have nothing against
the one-horse farmer, but speak
just as much in his interest as I
do in the interest of the biggest
farmer in Stokes.
Let the men who are able and
who have the land, furnish their
farms with mowers, reapers, rakes,
drills, cultivators, harrows and
gang plows and plenty of horse
power. Let the one-horse farmer
sell his horse and run the farm
thus equipped either for wages or
for part of the crop ami both par
ties will bo far better off at the
end of the year.
Where your land is clear of
slumps, you can run a gang plow
in Stokes as well as we can here.
It costs the one or two-horse farmer
too much to got his grain put in
and too much to handle it. The
cost of sowing wheat in Stokes is
greater with your low wages than
it is her# with labor never loss
than thirty dollars per month,
This spring, with four foams, I
put in over sixty acres in wheat iu
four and one-fourth days at a cost
of a little over one dollar and a
j quarter per acre. We broke the
land and harrowed it before and
after the drill.
When a farmer here wants to
j break land, he don't generally
i wait for rain so the land will plow
well but he simply puts on an ex
tra horse or two and plows it up
dry and hard. It is frequently
the case here that a man will own
a team (four to six horses) and
farming outfit and have no farm,
but hire out for wages.
A man so rigged up in Stokes
could rent and soon own the best
farm in Stokes. He could do his
own work and a great deal for his
neighbors.
I have always thought that Irish
potatoes would In* a profitable crop
in North Carolina. Twenty-five
cents a bushel for potatoes will
beat tobacco out of sight. If you
don't have a good market for them,
you can eat them and feed them
to your cattle, horses or hogs. To
be profitable one should raise
them in car load quantities so that
they can afford to ship them. You
can't depend on your local market,
jWe don't count anything on our
local market. ()f course, there are
dealers here who buy and ship
| them. Often our dealers get too
! hoggish, as they did this year,
Then we ship our own potatoes.
' A neighbor and I had to join to
, load a car this spring but we got
seventy-five cents per hundred,
i which was fifteen cents more than
the dealers here were paying.
Later on one of my neighbors
called ou me for some potatoes to
j plant and I told him I could let
j him have what he wonted. I had
about a hundred bushels and
I thought of course I could supply
i him, but when I found out that
he wanted four hundred bushels
it kuocked me silly and I had to
fess up that I was not the man
j he was looking for.
| They plant potatoes here like
they do everything else, but if a
I fellow don't happen to have a po
tato planter and digger, he simply
I breaks the stubble land with asix-
I teen inch plow and drops the po
I tato in every third furrow aftor
which he levels the land up with
a drag harrow. After the potatoes
come up, he again harrows with a
drag harrow and this saves hoeing.
Of course, the harrow breaks off a
few of the potatoes but it is a very
few and they come again. I use a
heavy iron folding harrow with
many teeth. It does the work well.
One man with a potato fork can
dig and put in 25 to 30 bugs
(about fifty to sixty bushels) in a
day.
If wo get 50 to 75 cents per
hundred, we can make some mon
ey. In Stokes you ought to get
SI.OO to $1.50 per hundred.
Well, I guess the furmers there
are busy now and will plant as
much tobacco as usual, but they
J should gradually change the crop
until the crop of tobacco is re
duced by one half or throe-fourths
and finally left off entirely.
Our farmers are through the
rush season. When they get
through summer plowing for the
next fall wheat they will be at
leisure till harvest and then it is
all over again till next spring.
Well, how many of the readers
'of the Reporter will visit the
Portland exposition this summer?
Any who may and who stop off
hero will see what I think is the
garden spot of the west. Not all
'of the West is inviting or fertile
like this Palouse country (West
central part of Whitman county).
We had some immigrants this
spring from Western Carolina. I
have had dozens of letters from
STOKES AND CAROLINA.
DANBURY, N. C., THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 1110.1
Carolinians and some from other
people of other States asking
about the conditions and oppor
tunities of this section.
Now, while 1 think the advan
tages here are far superior to those
in North Curoiina and if I were
hack there. I would return to this
State, yet 1 never advise a man to
break up and come West. Many
are so situated that they could not
afford to make the change and
many could never bear the idea of
being so far from their reJations
and friends. Many come and get
home sick and go back, but if they
stay hero a year or two they are
sure to come back. There is one
family here that has crossed the
plains eight times and are here
now.
Emigration is pouring in this
spring. This county has gained
over 5000 in five years and still
they come.
I hope to have Mr. Rufe Slate
to vistt me while he is West. If
he comes. I feel pretty sure T can
locate him right here,
Mr. L). 0. Slate paid us a few
days visit Xtnas and was very
much pleased with the Palouse.
The many friends of Mrs. Slate
will be sorry to learn that her
health continues very bad. Her
hoart seem.* to be affected in some
way and the malady is therefore
uncertain.
Wheat crop this year promises
to be a bumper. Winter wheat is
about knee high and spring wheat
about half as high with oats look
ing well. Fruit was' damaged
some by frost, but not seriously.
The past winter was mild. Once
the thermometer dropped to six
below. Winters are never sovere
here. Cattle do well all the win
ter in stubble field with no other
feed or shelter than straw stacks.
Many farmers winter their horses
in the same way. While the roads
do not get so bad here in the win
tor as in Stokes, yet there is little
or comparatively no hauling done
in winter.
While there are many things
that I could write that might be
of interest to some of your readers
yet my time is limited and their
patience may become exhausted,
so here is an end.
W. B. HARRIS.
Want to see the Execution.
Winston Sentinel,
Sheriff Alspangh says he is re
ceiving applications not oidy from
people in Forsyth, but from other
people of the State, for tickets to
the execution of J. W. Hammons,
which is set for July 20. The ex
ecution will be private as the law
provides and the number witness
ing it will be limited.
Sheriff Alspaugh says he talked
with Hammons a few days ago and
the prisoner requested him to take
him to a photograph gallery and
have a good picture of him taken.
The sheriff promised to comply
with his wish.
In the meantime Hammons
seems to be taking his doom quiet
ly. Several ministers have called
to see him.
Take Notice.
Chapter 818 of the Public Laws
of North Carolina, ratified Feb. 28,
1901, and Chapter filti of the Pub
lic Laws of North Carolina, ratified
March it, 1903, protect Telephone
lines from injury, and make it a
misdemeanor for any person to
carelessly or negligently cut or fell
any tree or limb or branch there
from in such a manner as to cause
any injury to line or poles, or to
cut, tear down or destroy, or in
any way render unfit for the trans
mission of messages any part of
the wire of a telephone line.
People living along telephone
lines might save themsolves trou
ble by bearing the above in mind.
THE GRAIN CROP NOT GOOD.
Wheat and Rye Yield Will Be Gen
erally Sorry—Many Farmers Not,
Yet Fininished Planting Tobacco—
Usual Big Crop Of the Weed.
The wheat and rye crops are j
generally poor, and the yield will
bo much less than that of last year.'
Harvest is here and a majority of j
farmers have cut their grain.
Mr. L. J. Young visited the i
Flatshoal neighborhood Sunday. I
He Reports that many farmers in !
that community have not finished j
planting tobacco. Indeed Messrs.;
Win. Gordon and A. P. Baker had j
not at that time set out a plant.
Mr. Baker expects to plant 20,000. !
Corn is looking well, as a result '
of the fine rains the last few days. !
It is the general opinion that a
full crop of tobacco has been and
is being planted, notwithstanding
the low prices received for the |
last crop.
Cost To Whites Of Negro Country
Schools.
The I'aleigh Post recently mar
tailed a set of figures in such way \
as to produce a very surprising j
result. Its subject was the dins
ion of the school tax between the
races and its figures are from the
official records. It shows that for
the year 1903-1904 the total ex
pendit«res for negro country
schools >ve:e $245,510.41 liud tliui t
the total spent for country schools
was $1,515,444.49 for both races.
The total amount levied for school
purposes—on negro property and
polls, and including one-third of
the liquor, railroad and corpora
tion school taxes levied—the ne
groes being correctly reckoned as
one-third of the State's population
—was $219,778.81). The difference
between the amount of negro coun
try school taxes levied and the ex
pense of the negro country schools
is $25,731.58, which excess the
whites pay. Pursuing its figures,
The Post shows that this sum,
divided among the white potila
tion of the State, given by the
census of 1900 as 1,263,(503,
amounts to 2.04 cents per capita,
or, divided among the 2!K),000
white voters, to less than 9 cents
each. —Charlotte Observer.
Madison Bank's Fine Show—A Cor
rection.
A typographical error occurred
in the statement of the Bank of
Madison in the last issue of the
Reporter, which is corrected this
week. The item of "National
Bank notes and other U.S. notes"
was made "$27,0(i," when it should
have lieen "$2,700. X)."
The Bank of Madison makes a
fine showing. Its accumulation
of a surplus of $(>,500 has been
done in a little over 5 years and a
dividend has been paid annually j
besides.
Bank Building To Go Up Promptly.
| Work is expected to begin this
! week on the new bank building to
!be erected here. Bricklayers from
Mount Airy will do the work.
! Lime and cement for the building
j have arrived.
IA GUARANTEED CURE FOR
PILES.
Itching, Blind, Bleeding or
! Protruding Piles. Druggists re- 1
fund money if Pazo Ointment j
fails to cure any case, no matter of j
how long standing, in > to 14 j
(lays. First application gives ease
and rest. 50c. If your druggist
hasn't it send 50c in stamps and it
will be forwarded post-paid by
Paris Medicine Co., St. Louis,
Mo.
THE BRIM GROVE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
I>elk, June 12.
Mr. Editor :
) As lam very much interested
| in Sunday School work, I wish to
| give a few points on this subject.
I have very often heard said
| that children who attended Sun-
I day School wero worse than those
j who did not attend.
1 want to say right here, nil or
I most all children are mischievous.
In such cases parents are to
j blame. It is the duty of parents
j to train their children from infants
j to walk the straight paths of life,
| Take a young man or lady for in
j stance that have been trained to
I the duties of life from childhood
| and you never see one out of his
or her place. They are never
I meddling in other people's affairs,
I which we so very often sec and
! hear of some doing.
Let every man and woman ut
tend to their own affairs and 1 as-
I sure all to work well to the end. 1
! once heard of a minister
; saying he had rather his
| children would sit on the creek
j banks fishing on the Sabbath day.
j than to venture into the church
' whore Sunday School was being
held. Woe be unto the parent
that gives his children such advice.
Parents, isn't it better for youi
children to be in Sabbath School
on the Sabbath day than to be out
with wild, reckless boys rambling
and probably drinkingnnd playing,
cards or gambling in some way?
While in Sabbath School, they
are hearing the word of God and
of His resurrection. It is real sad
to think of so many being lost in
sin and it is sadder still to think
parents are to blame. 1 am sure
if you do nothing more wrongfully
than going yourself and urging
your children to go to Sunday
School, you will never do nothing
wrong.
Young men, isn't it better for
you to attend Sunday School on
the Lord's day than to go in a way
ward direction with your bottles
in your pocket filled with that
awful demon, liquor, which is
bringing so many of our young
men to destruction. Think over
it a moment. How many of you
readers of the Reporter ever saw
a young lady drunk and with a
deadly weapon fastened to her
side? I will venture to say there
is not one of you readers over saw
one. Now, let's go back, young
ladies, arid count the "young men
we have seen in this awful condi
tion. 1 will venture to say we
cannot make out the number. I.
myself, have been eye witness to
all this myself and it is something
touching to see them going in
such a sinful way.
We lmvo a large attended Sun
day School at our church, Brim
Grove, with one hundred and five
[ bright lx>ys and girls on roll and
nearly all attend every Sunday. I
j can give theni the honor of being
the hest behaved, both large and
small, of any other community 1
know of. They take an interest
in all that is said and done by
both Supt. and teachers, and I
feel that they deserve praise for it.
Parents also deserve praise while
most of them are as faithful as
their children. Where parents
lead children are most likely to
follow.
Please pardon me for staying so
long. I hardly know when to stop.
! SUNDAY SCH)OL TEACHER.
The N. & W. passenger train
j No. 44 now leaves Winston-Salem
i at 7:30 a. in., instead of 8 a. in., as
' formerly. This is done in order
ito reach Roanoko half an hour
earlier.
NUMBER 21
j 3IG FRUIT CROP IN PATRICK.
Meeting of R. F. 0. Carriers—Mr.
Isaac Fain Hurt In a Well.
•Stuart Enterprise.
The fruit crop of Patrick was
never so promising as at the
present.
The R. F. ]). Carriers of Pat
rick county will meet at Stuart on
4th July at 11 a. m. for the pur
pose of transacting such business
as may come before them for the
betterment of their organization.
The farmers are now making
the weeds ily while the sun shines
and if the present conditions pre
vail a few more days all crops will
be in apple pie order.
While workmen were drawing
up a bucket of dirt and rock out of
the new well being dug for Mr.
Win. Lyon at the depot yesterday
morning the rope broke when in
about four feet from the top and
the bucket fell striking Mr. Isaac
Fain who was below doing the
digging on the side of the head
and shoulder. He was uncon
scious when taken out. Up to go
ing to press today, he has not re
joined consciousness. It is uot
thought lie will recover. He is a
young married man and lives in
the Five Forks neighborhood.
Petitioning the Governor to Change
Hammond's Sentence.
■ Mr. D.fP. Reid, of Boater li- *
land township, was in town Mon
day looking for signers to a peti
tion asking Governor Glenn to
change the sentence of Joe Ham
inons, the wife murderer, from
death to life imprisonment. A
number of citizens signed.
A Costly Fiddle.
The SI,OOO fiddle, owned by Mr.
John Young, near Madison, men
tioned in a recent issue of the Re
porter, is now valued at between
so,ooo and $7,000, with prospects
of anot her rise.
Not Satisfied. Either.
The same folks who are com
plaining of the hot weather now
are the ones who were longing for
the "good old summer time" along
about January and February.
Expected Home Soon.
Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Reynolds,
who have been spending several
months in Europe, are expected
home the latter part of this month
or the first of July.
HOW'S THIS?
We offer One Hundred Dollars
Reward for any case of Catarrh
that cannot be cured by Hall's
Catarrh Cure.
F. J. Cheney & Co., Toledo, ().
We, the kndersigned, have
known F. J. Cheney for the last
i"> years, and beieve him perfectly
honorable in all business transac
tions and financially able to carry
out any obligations made by his
firm.
WALHIXH, KINXAX A: MARVIN,
Wholesale 1 )ruggists, Toldo, ).
Hall's Catarrh Cure is taken
internally, acting directly upon
the blood and mucous surfaces of
the system. Testimonials sent
free. Price 7~> cents per bottle.
Sold by all Druggists.
Take Hall's Family Pills for
constipation.
Book On Calfornia
sfi pages, "•> illustrations. Des
cribes California and the route
there. Chicago, Milwaukee and
St. Paul, Union Pacific; addi^aqtb-
Pacifio lid«?. *'
This is the route of The Over
land Limited. Leaves Union
Passenger Station, Chicago, 6:05
p. m. daily. Arrives San Francis
loo tho third day in time for din
! nor. California book sent for t>
: cents postage. F. A. Miller, Gener
|nl Passenger Agent, Chicago, or
jW. S. Howell, 381 Broadway, New
York.