Newspapers / The Progressive Farmer (Raleigh, … / July 28, 1886, edition 1 / Page 1
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Vol. 1. OUR FARMERS' CLUBS. What our Farmers are Doing and How the Work of Organizing is Progressing. ORGANIZING IN PITT. Abandoning old Methods for new and Better. Marlboro, Pitt County, X. C, ) July 20th, 1886. j Editor Progressive Farmer: We have just hail our first three days of sunshine alter two months of rain, and have cause to be thankful that our prospects are yet as good as they are, though our crops are nec essarily badly damaged, with an abundant oat crop just housed we hope to have a supply of grain for another year. I think our people are beginning to realize the neces sity of making their own supplies. I never knew so many to express a determination to give small grain I and grass a prominent place in their list of farm products. This is a nat ural grass country and oats never fail with the proper attention. I have known thirty-eight bushels of wheat grown per acre here, and the late James Joyncr of this place frequently made a crop of twenty bushels per acre. I saw to-day a field of orchard grass and clover sown last winter by Mr. W. G. Long, ofFarmville, that would be hard to be beat anywhere. He has a perfect stand and it is now ready for the mower. Mr. Long has two plots of clover of which he is justly proud. Several of my neighbors nave tried German millet this year and are satisfied with it. I have finished getting mine in to-day, and though I failed to get a good catch the yield was very satisfac tory. When I first read of German millet, about ten years ago, it was stated that the seed was a great item of value in the crops, but I was talking to a gentleman a few weeks ago about it, who has cultivated it very successfully a number of years, and he said it was his opinion that the seed when mature wrere injurious to horses and cattle because they could not masticate them and hence were imperfectly digested. He always cuts when in bloom for hay. I acted upon his suggestion and did the same thing this year. I hope some of your readers, who have ex perience will throw some light on the subject. Well, we have really organized a farmers' club in our midst. A few of us met in Farmville, on the 17th inst., and organized with nine mem bers, electing Mr. A. J. Moye, Presi dent and Francis Joyner secretary, with instructions to write to the Progressive Farmer for a form of Constitution and By Laws, which you will please forward to me in time for our next meeting, August 7th. F. J. SPANISH GROVE CLUB. The Use of Commercial Fertilizer Dis cussed. ' Our club held its regular meeting on 24th inst., the subject under dis cussion being the use of commercial fertilizers. R. C. Lineback said he was not much of a commercial fertilizer man, had tried it on wheat, did not pay him, had used it on tobacco but in connection with stable manure. Found it paid much better in small quantities with manure, than in large quantities alone. ' E. M. Conrad, What kind did you USe? . .--. '. I used Star Brand. I experimented some this year. On a part I used stable manure alone, while on some I used commercial fertilizer ; alone and on some I used nothing, all the same kind of soil. The stable manure is now a little ahead of the commercial fertilizer, while that where I used nothing is quite a dis tance behind. I think it advisable to use less commercial fertilizer. Hake our own manure, raise a variety of crops and as far as possible live independently. E. M. Conrad: I have used com THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS mercial fertilizer on tobacco. I think it pays to use fertilizer alone on new land, but on old, worn land I think the manure assists the plant in the latter part of the growth. I have tried commercial fertilizer on wheat, I think it paid uae, in fact was some profit. But had the time and money that it cost me been spent in gathering up and forming compost of such decaying matter as is abundant on every man's farm in this county, it would have been better pay to me, to the land in the future and that amount of. money kept near home. v. I. Beck: I am not much of a commercial fertilizer man, have used the Pacific guano, with poor success, have used the Norfolk fertilizer which was called a humbug, did not think it much more of a humbug than the other brands, for none had been beneficial to me. J. W. Conrad : I have used some commercial fertilizer on tobacco have not used it extensively. I think a small quantity in the hill is very good to start the young plant. I think it barely paid me, with no margin. J. C. Conrad: I have been using commercial fertilizer on tobacco for a number of years, and had made some money from the sales of tobacco; but I hardly know whether to credit commercial fertilizer or not, as my land is naturally adapted to the growth of tobacco. I hardly think it pays to use fertilizer on wheat unless you follow with clover. We must have a variety of crops, improve our lands and bdy less com mercial fertilizer. J. A. Algood: I think the use of commercial fertilizer on tobacco will pay, if properly used. It should be applied in quantities to suit the dif ferent soils, and the way we learn that about here is by experience. W. R. Willson: I think the use of commercial fertilizer will pay on tobacco, if farmers could, purchase it at about three dollars a sack. P. G. Plaff: I think the use of commercial fertilizer,upon the whole, is a non paying business. While some few claim that it pays (and probably does) for out of seven one makes, four lose and two come out even. Others discussed the matter in regard to the use of commercial fer- tilizcr, and the conviction ot all seemed to be that we would have to slide out of this system, and. adopt a better and more independent one, and that was for the most part, make our own fertilizers. Even if we produce less grain and tobacco for a few years, it would be our own. s. The business of the club was transacted. Two new membersadded to the list. Five members were elec ted as delegates to the county meet ing, viz : A. E. Plaff, R.C. Lineback, E. M. Conrad, V. I. Beck, and E. C. Dull. Two amendments to the By Laws were presented by R. C. Lineback, and adopted by the club. , . , ( The subject, at t the next meeting is "How can we . make the Home and the Farm more interesting to the young?" E. C. Dull, Secretary. The Asheville Citizen informs us that on the 17th inst., a Farmers' Club was organized at Dick's Creek, in Buncombe county and the follow ing officers were elected: President, P. Israel; Vice President, M A. Beachford ; Secretary, I. S. Spivey ; Treasurer, J. IW Lowering. The constitution and by-laws drafted and published by the Progressive Farmer, and copied in Country Homes, was adopted. The club will meet monthly. . SALEM CHAPEL TOWNSHIP CLUB. : The farmers of this township met on Saturday, 24th inst. and organ ized a farmers' club. Fifteen mem bers were enrolled and the following officers elected : President, T. J. Val entine ; Vice-President, John D. Wad dell, Jr. ; Secretary, J. A. Marshall' OF OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO WINSTON, N. C., JULY 28, Treasurer, T. P. Dalton ; Executive Committee, J. K. T. Caffey, J. D. Dalton, G. W. Leak. Perfect harmony and unanimity prevailed, and a lively interest man ifested in the movement. Our club is enthusiastically in favor of the Farmers' County Club. We meet again next Saturday, when we expect to increase our list and will let your paper have the points. Salem Chapel will meet the farmers of our county in Winston on August 7th. '" J. A. Marshall, Secretary. LEWISVILLE CLUB. The club met on the afternoon of the 17th inst. It being busy times on the farm, the attendance was not very large, but the proceedings were interesting. After the regular busi- I A?- A. A? f ness oi ine meeting instructive re marks were made on wheat culture by J. T. Ketner, E. T Wright, and J. E. Holder, after which the club adjourned to meet again on Satur day 31st inst., to make arrangements and appoint delegates to the county convention. J. E. Holder, Sec. ORGANIZING AT KERNERSVILLE. On . Saturday, July 17th, a far mers' meeting was held at Bluff School house in Kernersville town ship, for the purpose of organizing a Farmers' Club. The work began after consulting a few moments, by electing a temporary, chairman and secretary. The Constitution, and By Laws were read and unanimously adopted. Seventeen names were placed on the roll for a start. We have not permanently elected our officers as the districts of our town ships were not all represented. A meeting will be held at Pi ney Grove in this township on Saturday, July 24th for the purpose of lengthening our list. We will then elect our officers and representatives to the county convention. I am satisfied from the interest the farmers are taking in this section, our member ship will soon reach fifty or a hundred. Z. C. Hasten, Secretary. TRINITY CLUB. What it is Doing and Has Done. (By one of its members.') The woof of this article may ap pear long and wearisome. The ma terial is plenteous and we think wholesome. My friends and acquain tances live on both sides of the road from here to your "twin-city," I expect many of them to read this article and be benefited. The farming interest of this south ern country is of a magnitude suffix cient to demand space in all the journals for its -advancement. The days of the scant 'brained farmers are gone and tb cream of the soil I fear went with them. The old fogy notion that only dull boys are fit for farmers is played out, and a better one gradually taking its place. Brain is as essential in this as in any other vocation. To re claim a butchered soil, made so by the mistake of our progenitors, re quires more deep thought than did the cutting down and wearing out. When destruction, urged by the motive gain, was the predominant feature of farming, then dull brains might direct. But when lands are worn near to ru in and consumers increased, then cultured brains and muscle are in demand; else starva tion's hand may pull the latch strings nf mnnv flonrs ' - i The time is near, we hope, when experiment farms and workshops will be necessary appendages to all our colleges and high-schools, when a secretarv of a bureau of agricul ture will occupy a seat in the caM met ui iiii v uaiiuu. Now comes the burden of this communication, a burden I love to bear. Eight years ago Dr. D. R. Parker invited a number of farmers to meet him at Trinity as a circle of farmers. W. . W. Andrews placed his hand under his thigh like Jacob ALL OTHER COASDERATIONS OF STATE POLICY. 1886. of old and said "I will come;" and so did many others. We have con tinued to meet until the influence is perceptible for many miles around. Hence the name circle. Be it said in honor of the Doctor, that he has furnished and still fnrnishes a ueat room, seats, firewood and stationery for the same free of charge. The fruits are apparent. The fields from Trinity to High Point and in an equal radius in other directions have doubled their yield. The farmers go to their work rejoic ing and dull care has left. Green backs with a X X on the corner are passed over the counter, eliciting a smile from the merchant who re torts with a modest "thank you sir." it is remarkable to see the amount of modest contentment that such a state of things begets. Several agricultural fairs are its legitimate offspring, that we are proud of, and whole counties might justly envy. The Doctor presides at the meetings by virtue of his lib erality, his good sense and our .will ing consent, A jar or hard feeling has never been heard or felt in the multitude of discussions in the circle. An almost infinite number of farm topics have been talked over, various opinions offered, differing materially but always in harmony. Subjects are always presented by the Doctor, never the same one a second time unless continued, and still they ap pear inexaustible. , We meet once in two weeks in the afternoon. We make no pretentions to parliamen tary usages. Each one gives his opinions in his own way, either sit ting or standing. The President sums up at the close in the form of a charge to a jury. All are atten tive listeners. It is remarkable the amount of valuable ideas that can be plucked in this way, out of a hard-fisted farmer, and he be scarcely aware of the good he is doing. A written constitution and code of by-laws are essential sometimes, but not always. Unpretentious per sons labor under a fear of transgress ing and become timid. With no such restraint they feel a kind of liberty and become aids. We are not hostile to parlimentary usages. They are essential in their proper places but can never become univer sal. Some men are kept aloof usefulness tor tear sucn win jam re quired of them. Timiditvs often characteristic of eulturT Cheap guns are ornamented with brass. Some one has said "Don't be forward. If you are a jewel some one will find you." The influence of a club is not nec essarily confined to its immediate members. It spreads like a conta gion. Others seeing the fruits of their united wisdom "go and do likewise." This is seen within the radius of our circle. July 16 1886. D. M. Payne. FAIRS IN NORTH CAROLINA, 1886. Roanoke and Tar River Agricul tural Fair, Weldon, October 19th to 22d. ' North Carolina State Agricultural Fair, Raleigh, October 26th to 29th. Fair of the Carolinas, Charlotte, November 2d to 5th. Cumberland County Agricultural Fair, Fayetteville, November 9th to 12th. -; . ' . Edgecombe Agricultural and Me chanical Fair, Tarboro, November 2d to 5th. Rocky Mount Agricultural and Mechanical Fair, Rocky Mount, November 10 to 12th. Eastern Carolina Agricultural and Stock Association, Goldsboro, November 15th to 19th. Albemarle Agricultural Fair, Mur- freesboro. Piedmont Agricultural Fair, Hick- ory. ; , ''y; -'- :r f::l Fruit Fair, N. C. Agricultural Association, Fayetteville, N. C. Aug ust 4th and 5th. 'Poplar Tent Fair, Poplar Tent, Cabarrus county, August 11th and 12th. No. 25, estate Stews. im Wilson, a negro, arrested in Robeson county for robbing a store,: cut the rope - with which he was tied while being taken to jail. He was pursued by a posse, run down at Pates, where he took refuge in a house and armed with a shot gun and a revolver opened fire on the posse. The posse returned the the fire, the first volley wounding and the second killing the negro. The town and vicinity was thrown into a state of excitement last Sunday by the appearance of a rabid dog. Mr. A. W. Reece, who lives about three miles from here, had a little girl severely bitten on the face. Mr. John Weedon's mad stone was telegraphed for and, when it arrived, was applied adhering for several hours. A number of dogs were bitten but most of them have been killed. High Point Enterprise. The Cape Fear & Yadkin Val ley R. R. issued $1,500,000 of six per cent coupon bonds, at the rate of $10,000 per mile of completed road. All of the issue has just been placed at Baltimore, at a most satis factory price. The credit of North Carolina is fast returning to its high ante-bellum standard when its bonds stood as high or higher than those of any other State in the Union. Raleigh News and Observer. The Congressional Democratic executive committee for the 5th dis trict was reorganized on the, 21st inst., and "John A. Barringer was elected chairman and R. B. Kerner, of Winston, secretary. Mr. J. Van Lindley writes us from Pomona that the Fayetteville people are alive over the prospects oftne.com ming fruit fair, to be held there on the 4th and 5th of August. I was there, he says, last week and met the committee of arrangements. They will be sure to accomodate all that will be there it it takes every residence in the city. The prospects are that it will be the largest Fruit .bair ever held in the state. Greens boro Patriot ERIMENTAL FARM. he ceremonies of the installation of the experimental farm near the fairgrounds at Raleigh were car ried out according tio the programme last Th ursday. Add resses were made ' by Gov. Scales, Commissioner of Ag riculture McGehee ; Hon. Randolph Harrison; Comhssk ner of Agricul ture of Virginia; P. Chazal, State Chemist of South (Carolina; Hon. W. N. H. Snfith andHon. A. S. Mer rimon, of ine Supreme Court; Coir Walter Lf Steele, F. H. Busbee, W. G. Upeburch, W. S. Primrose, Capt. S. A. Ashe, and Col. Wharton J. Green. The speeches were all of the progressive order, some of them abounding in facts very, creditable to North Carolina Mr. Harrison, of Virginia, was very compliment ary to North Carolina on her, pro- r gressive spirit and the good exam ple she was setting other States, an example from which his State had . derived much benefit, for she was a pupil of North Carolina in the estab lishment of a department of agricul ture. Mr. Chazal, of South Carolina, spoke in the same strain, saying that South Carolina had modeled her ex periment station after that of North Carolina. This is all , very gratify ing, and we hope the work of pro gress will go on until North Caro lina can point with pride not only to what she has done but is doing, and defy any of her sister States to show a better record. It was formerly a general cusj torn in England as it is still in France. and the Netherlands, to hang a bush j ui ivy a.L tue uuur ui a vhjici. iichuo the allusion in "As You Like It," where Rosalind remarks, "If it be true that good wine needs no' bush, 'tis true that a good play needs no epilogue." This plant was no doubt chosen from its being sacred to BacS chus. VTHR rai I I
The Progressive Farmer (Raleigh, N.C.)
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July 28, 1886, edition 1
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