... . ...... ,,. ..... . ... . y
MMMMMMWMJWMW'W . . .
r f i-
f
f ;
v.- '
THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF STATE POLICY.
Vol. 1.
WINSTON, N. C., DECEMBER 22, 1886.
No. 46.
OUR FARMERS CLUBS.
What our Farmers are Doing and How
the Work of Organizing is Progressing.
TRINITY CLUB.
Subject Beneficial Reading for the
Farmer.
Dr. B. lleid Parker. Allow me,
gentlemen of the club, to, suggest
i few primary treatises on subjects
of absolute importance to the farmer.
Get some good work on stock, their
diseases and general management.
Harris on the pig. Harris' talks on
manure. . How plants grow, by
Johnson. Waring, on drainage. How
ard's Southern grasses. Yille's lec
tures. How the farm pays. The
chemistry of the farm. After read
ing these elementary works light
will begin to fall on the agricultural
pages and you'wHl pass onto higher
studies. Besides these standard treat
ises there are many very valuable
weekly and monthly publications
that are absolutely indispensable to
the farmer.
The farmer to-day must read and
think or ingloriously surrender and
leave the field without any further
ado about it. It is monstrous non
sense to ridicule book farmers, for I
have observed that the most intelli
gent and successful farmers aro those
who read books and papers and
think. You had as well deride a law
yer or a doctor for reading and call
them book lawyers or doctors as
to make little of the farmer for try
ing to keep up with the best meth
ods in his own calling.
A farmer should be familiar writh
the nature and requirements of all
farm animals how to raise, feed
and manage them for profit. And a
man is not born into this world with
this knowledge, neither does he learn
it in the schools and colleges, and
if he ever becomes informed on this
subject he must therefore do it him
self. Too many of us know just
enough about the hoar to imitate
him in eatinir and
livinr
and this
seems to satisfy our ambition for
knowledge.
Ever- farmer with a family should
be well informed as to all needed
sanitary measures about his premi
ses location, pure water, etc. The
comfort, energy, usefulness, the
moral and religious character de-
pend, in a great measure, upon one s
digestion. And this in turn depends
largely upon what a man eats and
how it is prepared. The everlast
ing frying-pan, hog meat and soda
bread are making of us a generation
of thick skinned dyspeptics heavy
bread and bad cooking tend to
shorten life, kill out all manlv ener
gy, crowd our pathway with blue
devils, fill us with all manner of
wickedness and then we go buy
patent medicine, thinking to purge
away all these "dismal stains'' and
thereby only plunge the deeper into
the "gulf of dark despair." Any
farmer in North Carolina, 1 don't
care in what section he may live, or
what crops he may grow, that will
mortgage his farm, crops or stock
to buy Western side-meat and there
by banish peace and comfort from
his home deserves to be haunted by
the most hideous hobgoblins that
"'round about the caldron go."
Wake up, my farmer brother, and
learn your duty in this matter, and
then, teach your wife and children
how to cook and eat, and live for
u noble purpose. Buy books and
papers and go right to work
now. It is a grand field of use
fulness. The field is white for
the harvest, the laborers are few
and the demand is urgent enter
now and begin the good work.
In raising stock we pay some at
tention to the law of selection, we
'ed and groom with an eye to im
provement; this is all right and com-,
mendable and if this be true with a'
blooded colt or a Jersey bull calf,
how much more urgent the neces
i ty to gi vo bur farm er boys a chance
to grow up to the stature of ; first'
class men. The country boys are
all the strong support of "the formers'
of the State and Nation. It is folly
to rely on city-bred dudes, they are
too often dissipated and have not
the physical or moral stamina upon
which to build good citizenship. If
these fellows who have been brought
up in idleness and schooled to ras
cality all their born days be our
only resource for wholesome laws
and good government, then verily I
say unto you our country's future is
almost hopeless. The highest ambi
tion is place and "boodle,", regard
less of the sufferings of the many.
In the name of the noble, self sacri
ficing, patriotic sons of toil and our
common country I cry for speedy
deliverance from these insatiate vam
pires. The young man from the
town or city or country with
nothing to do but lounge around
and dissipate and loaf and idle
around had just about as well be
bitten by a cobra and at once be
put out of the way, as to tho good
he is ever likely to be to his father, his
mother, himself or his country.
Farmers, gi ve your boys som eth i ng
to do and show them yourself how to
do it well. Don't allow them to idle
away these long winter evenings,
but furnish them freely with good
books and papers to read and study.
It will pa you, it will pa- them
and it will abundantly pay the
State. Every one knows that there
is a vast amount of disease, crime,
poverty and misery emanating
from idleness and dissipation, but
no one knows how to prevent all
this, for no one knows how to
make the great mass of the people
wise and contented. Nevertheless
it should be the constant endeavor
of every father and mother in the
land to heroically meet this tidal
wave of destruction ere they see en- j
gulfed in utter ruin everything they j
hold dear this side of Heaven. There j
is before the well developed country
boy the grandest possibilities and I
have an almost unbounded faith in
him. Don't wait for the schools j
and colleges to make great men out
nf your boys do it yourselves. To
succeed in all this it is absolutely ;
essential that the farmer study
books and men and read every day
the great volume of nature ever
onen before him. lie must De a i
close student as well as a hard
worker.
Of all men in the world farmers
as a class are the easiest to humbug
and victimize. Just let some slick
tongued, well dressed chap come
along with some patent canning
fluid, or some county and farm
right, or some self-boring auger and
he will straightway gobble up the
unsuspecting farmer, who does not
read or think for himself. I posi
tively would not give a bushel of
leached ashes for a whole car load
of these rights. I don't care what
they claim for them, or promise to
perform. Mature wisdom crieth in
the streets and says don't! don't!
Subscribe at once for the Progres
sive Farmer, the Southern Cultivator
or the American Agriculturist take
at least one of them next year and
all of them if you can, and I do not
know a farmer in this section who
could not take them all and be prof
ited thereby. Try it brethren for
one year and if you find it does not
payyoulwill foot the bill. Head
the many good things in these
splendid papers, reflect, digest and
thereby appropriate what you go
over with your eyes. This kind of
reading gives definite, exact knowl
edge which is the key to success.
One hour a day thus employed will
make a man well informed and
intelligent. Don't say you can't for
1 know you can. To use the language
of the immortal bard, "Ignorance is
the curse of God, knowledge the
win8 wherewith we fly to' Heav-
,P -
en.
D. M. Payne. The demands for
farm literature are more urgent now
than they were in the earlier stages
of the country The channels
through which it 'can be obtained
have largely increased ,? while its cost
has proportionately decreased ' The
laws of supply and demand are easy
and excuses for these in need of it
are eliminated. That jug bf whis
key costs ybu more than a whole
year's subscription to a first class
agricultural paper. The, results are
as different as rs Hades arid' Para
dise. The person who claims the
ability and liberty to purchase the
former and the inability to purchase
the latter is a well what is he? I
would like for some one to classify
him. He certainly claims for himself
the right to spend more .money for
nothing than he is able to spend for
something clearly beneficial to him
self and family. It is evidently plain
that we do not intend to advise the
purchase of whiskey or any of its
kindred, instead of farm literature.
They are as irreconcilable as truth
and error. One, if persisted in leads
to destruction, the other does
not.
Agricultural literature consists of
all such as have a relation to that
business. There are many phases
to this subject. To know when and
how to do everything on a farm
requires study immense study. We
should know how to destroy as well
as how to grow. We ' must know
how to build and how to tear down.
We should learn how to destrov the
lives of nests and pronairate such
others as are adapted for food, cloth
ing and labor. We need and use
power, and therefore ought to be
able to comprehend its sources,
as the lever, the pully, the: screw
and the incline plane. Farriery
should be studied sufficient to enable
one to treat the common ailments
of stock. There is a multitude of
literature that would be of benefit
to-the husbandnian, and invites
his perusal. They are all proper"sub
jectw for the man who engineers a
farm.
lie who bosses a farm should
know something of the food prop
erties of farm products, and tho
most saleable in order to select a
leading crop. The labor and pains
taking in these studies should not
be considered a burden, for the
enjoyment arising from it, aside
from tho profit, is ample satisfaction
for the time and expenditure. To
accomplish all this does not require
an expensive library, though some
books are necessary. The most of
it can be had through periodicals.
They come fresh and in the proper
season, and generally well up with
all the late improvements Head the
late ones. Don't depend on old files
of them bought by father or grand
father. At the same time preserve
them for occasional perusal. To
destroy the file is as wrong as to
neglect to purchase them. There
are hundreds of periodicals that are
good and wholesome reading. The
Progressive Farmer is one of which
and not the least at that.
How a farmer can do without
something to read on agriculture is
phenomenal. Without reading pro- j
irress would be reduced to a snail's
gait, and gullies instead ot rich
fields would be the attraction. The
result would be as plain as these
yawning caverns. Gullies are great
eye-sores to a good farmer. Noth
ing so contemptible. If 1 were
asked for the most disgusting sight
on a farm, I would answer without
the least fractional part of a
moment's hesitation, gullies. I have
such a profund dislike for them that
lam almost ready to brand those
who have them on their farms as
cowards, too trifling to defend them
selves, but then I consider that
they inherited or purchased them
and are in some degree excusable.
In such cases they have an elephant j
on their hands an enormous eater
and no use for him. With such
consumers and short crops it does
not require prophetic skill to divine
the result. After the creation this j
great fiat was sent out : "Till and
keep," It looks as , if .the greater,
portion' failed to notice . that Jast
word keep. In general practice it
appears " as if i t were understoooV
"till 'and waste." Keep or preserye
is'as binding as tillage. ,ItS neglect
is as "fatal as 4 to neglect the latter.
It is even more so as the tilling can
be resumed next season but waste
will take many seasons to restore.
I have often wondered if the negli
gent man ever considers the time it
would take to replace the soil moved
by a single freshet, that could have
been prevented by a few hours spent
in the construction of a water. fur
row or ditch. In order to properly
construct them he must think, read
and act at once after ploughing a
field that is subject to such destruc
tion. It is now late in the afternoon of
the nineteenth century, and there
has not been enough recuperation
done. Take warning. Make amends
for the mistakes of the past, and try
to steer clear of them in the future.
As the Christmas holidays approach
put on dignity and manhood and
make our festivities festive, without
the toddy bowl or any of its evil
producing allies to mar the occasion ;
and when they are over be able to
review them without remorse, that
harrassing word that ought to be
made obsolete.
Will H. Bobbins the
following resoltrtiny''
adopted : y
offered the
which was
i Resolved: That the
ltv Ajrneultu-
! ral Club heartily fav
ofs anq endorses the
calling ot a rarmeryMate (Convention to
meet in Raleigh' scmietime in January
next and that thU club vi 1 send dele
gates to the samel;
i m o . , c,.
SANDY RIDGE CLUB.
As w have not had an item in
your val.iable paper for some time,
I wish you to know what we are do
ing. We are holding our meetings
twice month At, our meeting
before the last we added 11 new
names to our list, making a total of
55. At our last meeting which was
held December 18, at 7 o'clock, we
had a splendid turnout. A resolu
tion was passed, making it the duty
of each member present to speak on
any subject that may come before
the house or excuse himself. II. T.
Reich was elected assistant secreta
ry, after which the question how to
best improve our farms was taken
up.
J. II. Cox. Farming is a science
and requires a great deal more study
than it receives. We must.sow more
grass and clover seed. We are
behind in that respect. Wo should
stop clearing land and turn more
attention to making manure. Haul
more loads of leaves into the barn
yard and fewer loads of wood to
to town. Plant less tobacco and
make it better. Don't sell any hay
but keep enough stock to consume
it all and keep it on the farm.
M. II. Ogburn. It does not pay
to buy so much fertilizers. I find
that there is big pay in grass and
clover One year ago I bought $43
worth of rough food. Now I can
sell that much and still have plenty
to do me. Move the weeds and rich
dirt out of your fence corners. Give
more attention to making manure.
Make more provender, keep more
stock and don't be afraid to
feed. Sow more wheat and clover
and plant less tobacco.
J. II. Reich. I have always made
enough on the farm to do me, but
we must plant less and sow less and
prepare our land better. And give
more attention to making manures.
We must stop buying fertilizer or
go under.
The subject for discussion at our
next meeting is, "What is the great
object of the farmers' clubs."
J. L. Armpield, Sec'y.
SPANISH GROVE CLUB.
This club met on the evening of
the 18th inst., and I am pleased to
inform you that we had. a larger
attendance and more interest mani
fested than at anyNpreviouW meeting.
Six new members wereadded to our
club which increajseur number, to
thirty-one m.mbers iVe, are resol
ved to stand by and, do anything
that is honorable in. support of those
who will lead the farmer and
chanic to the possession of the funds
arising from the Land Scrip. Cum .
we get the legislature to movo n
matter? v If the presort applica
tion of thXand Scrjp is where t
should be, why are pot the farmer
and mechanicsof4tbje State realizing
the benefit? If itMsdoing us any
good we would lie to kitow jt so
that we could enjoy it and fee thank
ful. The question for discussion at our
next meeting is, "Whether it would
or would not be beneficial to the
farmer to use convict labor on our
public roads."
We have our meetings on the first
arid third Saturdays of every month
at 7 o'clock.
- In a vote taken in our club on
the Watson road law or the Old sys
tem, there were 13 in favor the new
and seven in favor of the old sys
tem. E. C. Dull, Sec'y.
V THE FARMERS OF PITT.
The farmers' club of Pitt met in
Greenville December 11th and dis
cussed subjects relating to the best
methods of conducting a club to
make it more attractive to the farm
ers and obtain the best results. It
was decided to change the day of
meeting from Saturday to tbe first
Tuesday in each month aritl have a
subject for discussion ateach, meet-
ng selected ,, the meeting previous.
he Mibject forvthe next meeting is
relief trom the hnarieial depression
ot the present:
The Secretary vas instructed to
communicate wih L. L.'Polk, of
the ProgressivetFarmer, and invite
him to address he club on Tuesday
Ja'nuarv. 11th J 887. .
The following resolution was I
unanimously Adopted : l
Resolved: That the members of the
farmers' club of Pitt county view with
deep concern the depressed condition of
the farming interests of our country and
desire to join their efforts with tho.-e of
their brother farmers throughout the
State in working for the advancement of
the cause of agriculture. That we rec
ognize the demand now being made for
a Farmers' Convention a.s a move in the
right direction for the best interest of
the State and we believe the city of Ral
eigh the proper place, and during the
sitting of the next legislature the proper
time for such convention. That we
pledge ourselves to aid in the movement
and work for the promotion of agricul
ture until it attain the prominence due
to a cause of so much importance to
AVPrv n t ovrivi witliiii run- Vkrwlovc
After further discussion it was js.
Resolved: That this club appreciates
the efforts of the editor of the Pro:ups-
si ve Farmer in behalf of the agricultural r
interests ot the State and receives with
pleasure the announcement of his' com
ing into our midst on the lfith inst.. and J7I
win welcome mm to our iioines.
The secretary was instructed to
forward these proceedings to our
county papers and to The Progres
sive Farmer.
Francis Joyner, Sec'y
December 11, 188G.
As work progresses on. the new
Baptist church we are enabled to
see what a beautiful structure it will
be when completed. It will not
only be a credit to the denomination
for whose place of worship it was
intended, but will be an ornament
to the town.- Mr. Joshua Lowe
killed a pig thirteen months old
which weighed 463 pounds. Mr. J.
E. Hinson killed a pig of the same
age which weighed 325. Monroe
Express. .
The C. F. & Y. V. railroad is
now running to Pond northward
from Greensboro.- In traveling
over Stokes county we have seen
several good long strings of fence
built in part or altogether, of wal
nut rails.- ;We hear; .little . said
about burning off land for v tobacco
beds. . It seems Stokes farmers aro
about to make up their minds that
they cannot raise tobacco at three
dollars. , per hundred, buy, corn at
75 ccrpts per, bushel s and ; pay, nfor
hauling it from hirtytn, forty miles
home. Banbury Reporter.