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THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF STATE POUCYr
Vol. 2.
BALEIGH, N. O., JULY 7, 1887.
No. 20.
OUR FARMERS' CLUBS.
What our Farmers are Doing and How
the Work of Organizing is
y Progressing.
V' j
The farmers of Robeson county pro
pose to have a grand mass meeting
and picnic sometime during the sum
mer, due notice of which will appear
in The Progressive Farmer.
GRAND MASS MEETING AND PIC NIC.
"We are requested by the Trustees
of Cana High School, Davie county,
to announce that the farmers of that
county will hold a Grand Mass Meet
ing and Pic Nic at Cana, on Friday,
the 29th of July. The editor of the
Progressive Farmer will deliver an
address in the forenoon, on "The De
fects of our Agricultural System." In
the afternoon Rev. L. P. Gwaltney,
of Alexander county, will deliver an
address on "Education." Good music,
ice cream, lemonade and other attrac
tions will be on hand. The people of
Cana and the speakers earnestly re
quest all the Farmers' Clubs of Davie
county be present. Everybody is in
vited to come and bring the whole
family, and a well filled basket. They
expect a large crowd and a good time.
Let everybody go and spend one day
together.
A kind letter from a prominent
farmer of Robeson enclosing money
for our paper, says : "I am taking
several papers, among them two agri
cultural papers, but I want to encour
age our home paper and the formation
of farmers' organizations- They must
be organized, and I am anxious to see
the alliance, the clubs and other or
ganizations all united in one National
body. Send me extra copies of the
paper for distribution, as I wish to aid
you in the work of organizing the
farmers of our State.
This is the proper spirit, and this is
the way for the farmers to feel and
act. If we had one such working
friend in every township in North
Carolina, it would not be long before
The Progressive Farmer would be a
recognized power among our people.
Reader, will you not do like him
give us some help in sending our
paper to the farmers of the State ?
See our published rates to clubs. It
is the cheapest paper ever offered to
our people. Get us up a club.
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A COUNTY ALLIANCE ORGANIZED.
Thus far Mrl Sealy, of the Farmers'
Alliance, has organized six sub-alliances,
one each at Laurinburg,
Smyrna church, Laurel Hill church,
Spring Hill, Brownsville and Zion
church, in this county, all of which
have about 150 members. "With rep
resentatives of . these different sub
alliances he met here last Saturday
and organized a County Alliance, the
officers of which were elected are :
Peter McRae, President ; W. C. Cole,
Vice-President ; D. D." Mclntyre, Sec
retary ; T." D. Wright, Treasurer ; T.
H: Walters, Chaplain ; Dr. Daniel
Shaw, Lecturer ; S. M. Wall, Assist
ant Lecturer H. McLean, Door
Keeper : John O'Bryan, Assistant
Door Keeper; A. A. Malloy, I. G.
vvmtiocK ana J. a. uovmgton,
Finance Committee ; D. Z. Hardin
A. F. Bizzell and J. W. Snead, Exec
tive Committee. '
Mr. Sealy is in Robeson county this
week finishing up two townships down
there, and will visit the townships in
the upper part of this county next
week for the purpose of organizing
sub-alliances therein, and will go thence
into Anson county.
We hope this organization will
prove a means whereby the farmers
can and will pull together for their
permanent benefit. Laurinburg Ex
change. -
Ink stain may be removed from
white goods by saturating the spot
with water and then covering with
pounded salts of lemon. Put in the
sun for five minutes, wash with soap
and rinse. A paste of chloride of lime'
ancl water well rubbed in will take ink
stains from silver or plated ware.
Wash and wipe as usual.
THE CHINCH BUG.
The Way to Destroy It.
. We gave, last week, the remedy, and
the testimony of Maj. R. S. Tucker,
of this city, as to its efficacy, having
saved a forty aero field of corn with
it. And from a special Bulletin of
the Agricultural Department we see
that Prof. Atkinson, of the University,
has tried it with equally happy results.
He says :
"Mr. William F. Stroud, of Chapel
Hill, had a field of wheat, which was
infested with the Chinch Bugs. When
the wheat was harvested, they imme
diately betook themselves to the corn,
which was adjacent. Some of the corn
stalks, for a foot or eighteen inches
above ground, were literally black
with the mass of insects, and some
times, when they could not be seen
outside, they were found in great num
bers between the sheath of the blade
and the stalk."
We repeat the remedy, and ask our
readers to try it and report results to
the Progressive Farmer :
Dissolve one-half pound common
soap in one gallon of water. Boil it,
and while boiling hot, pour it into two
gallons of kerosine oil. Churn it and
stir and beat it until thoroughly mixed.
It should be tlwroughly mixed. Put
one part of this to six parts of cold
water and sprinkle or spray the bugs
by using a common tin water sprink
ler, which you can get at any tin shop.
Try it at once. Cut this out and keep
it where you can see it, when needed.
ORGANIZE.
Farmers should organize for theirN
common good. These organizations
are the best means for the discussion
of topics appertaining to agriculture,
as well as the dissemination of infor
mation relative to the most approved
methods in all kinds of farm work,
such as the culture of special crops,
making composts and saving stable
manures. Let the farmers of the
various counties organize, hold insti
tutes and, if possible, add cattle and
butter fairs, and exhibits of grain and
grasses in the sheaf. These are inex
pensive, but interesting and valuable
in stimulating local effort, and much
good results.
The revised laws governing the De
partment of Agriculture limit its ex
penditures to the minimum, which
prevents extending financial aid, but
provides that the Commissioner, or
ther officer, "shall co-operate and aid A
the formation of farmers institute
all the counties of the State. 1l4-
jzuuetin.
:
BEST BREEDS.
"The most profitable breed of
poultry is the most popular one. No
matter how large or handsome, or what
grand egg records they have made, if
mey are not the fowl that is on the
tpp wave of popularity it will be im
possible to realize the greatest profits
om them. It was not the innate
xcellence of a trio of Plymouth Rocks
hat made them bring one hundred
ollars, nor the intrinsic value of a
sitting of eggs from Partridge Cochins
that made them sell for twenty-five
dollars, but their popularity. No
doubt the ' purchasers of these fancy-
priced birds and eggs made money by
eir investments, but it was not by
lling eggs at six cents per dozen nor
lcks at a 'bit apiece. Thev struck
ile the iron was hot, and while the
aze ran in that particular channel.
e cannot all be fancy breeders, how-
er, and the next best thing to do is
do the best we can. Have a specialty
and stick to it. If it be eggs, get the
bkst egg-producers the country affords;
broilers, the earliest maturing birds,
or if dressed poultry be the aim, get
some of the large breeds. The one
point we insist upon is, keep nothing
but pure-bred fowls, let the breed be
what it may. Select only the best for
breeders. Let your standard of ex
cellence, be high and breed to it. One
with a pen of pure birds can always
sell a few, at least,, at fancy prices ;
bessides there is no advantage ' what
ever in keeping up a flock of mongrels.
LATE SUMMER CROPS.
In addition to peas there are a few
other crops whose planting may still
continue, success being dependent
more upon seasons. It " should be
remembered that late-planted crops
require rich soil 4np deep preparation.
Forage crops of corn, millet, sorghum,
etc., may still bemade, but will not
amount to much without good ground,
good preparation -and reasonable sea
sons. If such plantings be made and
the , plants started off in July, the
August rains are frequently sufficient
to mature fine yields. We have had
fine success with cat-tail millet shown
even so late as August 1st. The best
potatoes for keeping, as well as for
planting next spring, are made from
vines set out in well-plowed,-good soil
throughout the month of July, those
planted early in the month often ma
king as large tubers as may be de
sired, and the latpr, sufficiently large
for ordinary use and for seed. There
is no doubt of the" fact that later plant
ings produce belter keepers, and they
are much cheaper, as they make with
much less labor. Plantings of cut
tings on wheat, barley or rye lots are
almost certain of .a good yield of
smooth, fair-sized potatoes at very
small expense of labor. Very late
plantings should be in closer rows arid
the beds not thrown up so high.
Southern Cultivator.
SELECTING A STALLION.
When selecting a stallion look first
carefullv at his head. The nostrils
should be large ; see that the eyes are
f ull and bright, god breadth between
the eyes, ears short and tapering, these
indicate a irentle disposition. In a
horse of this kind with proper train
ing you can mould and bring every
muscle under your control, lrie loin
should be strong, the back well
coupled, quarters long from point to
point of hips. He should also be
Sound in wind and limb. A horse
that is driven about and hurried from
place to place, perhaps over-heated
and made to cover from four to six
mares a day should be regarded as un-
jsafe. The colt will lack vitality. 1
jhave often heard persons speak of
pending a stallion as being a low busi
ness. This is a mistake, for the man
who will give his time and energy to
the self-sacrificing business of improv-
ing the stock of horses in any of its
branches deserves the respect of the
intelligent people. There is no voca
tion in which man is engaged but
what this animal is used to further his
purpose. N. M. Alexander, in Farm
and Home:
SWARD-BOUND MEADOWS.
The complaint of meadows in this
condition is a very common one and
comes oftenest from neglect. Let all
stock be kept off the meadows in the
fall and spring. Economize man
closely to spread all that can bewared
from other crops on thijprofitable
portion of the farm at alLreasons of the
year, unless it is liable io overflow and
thus have the fertilizing elements
wasted.
I bed all stock thoroughly, add
plaster liberally sajr two tons to 100
loads o'f manure and spread the com
post in winter on the poorest places,
or spots, familia
y termed "hiae
bound " or moss co
ered. These spots
are harrowed thor
ughly. I like the
Acme harrow for t
is business. It is
surprising to watc'
the results, and
the increase of the
anure pile from
year to year where tius method is in
practice. One thing iv ; experience
has brought to prohtableuse is the
point that money spent on concen
trated feed is more profitably invested
than in commercial fertilizers. Be
sides increasing the milk and butter
and keeping the stock in slick con
dition, the value of the manure pile
and fertility of meadow are greatly in
creased, and the farmer receives credit
for being a successiul worker. e. J.
A., Litchfield county, Ct., in Home and
Farm. "7 "
ELEVATING FARM. LIFE.
A very important elem
t in the
work of elevating and
roadening
farm-life is in connectio.
with the
The diffi-
boys and girls of the fa
culty bf keeping them in
the
country
has been a favorite top:
of farm
jouralism. It is plain thatNjt can only
be accomplished by making a rural
career attractive. How? The distaste
for it has been acquired from the
hardships and limited range of mental
and social experience hinted at in the
foregoing paragraphs. It can only be
cured by the avoidance of them. The
advance in popular intelligence and
general culture, mental and aesthetic,
is felt by the young people of the
farm, and the fullness of opportunity
for social experince enjoyed in the
city is coveted. Compensating advan
tages, similar in tenor and effect, must
be given them, and an' opportunity
for the development of individuality
and a proper sense of independence.
The perpetual grind of routine labor
is peculiarly irksome to the young,
and the necessity for judicious fre
quent relief all the greater. A pro
gram of recreation would cause no
diminution of the results of labor, but
would be attendeded with greater
willingness, diligence and intelligence.
The boy of the farm should under
stand that the dolt of the family is no
longer considered the most eligible
candidate for succession to the man
agement of the farm. , It is now ap
preciated that a calling in which all
science, varied culture, business apti
tudes and social graces have an appro
priate and helpful place, stands on a
par in dignity and desirability with
any other in which a bread-winner
can gain a living. There are now
graduates from our highest institutions
of learning, who have chosen the farm
as the theater of their future career.
Nor are they lost to the world of cul
ture or of society by their choice.
When the physical, mental, and social
capabilities of boys of the farm have
adequate and equal opportunity for
development there will be no com
plaint of their distaste for agriculture.
It would be quite impracticable, in
a brief article, to indicate the myriad
forms which the idea of rural recrea
tion might suggest. The opportunities
are limitless; any view of them must
be kaleidoscopic. In the winter, the
season of comparative leisure, the
young people are at no loss for amuse
ment, with sleighrides, skating parties,
singing schools and social gatherings
under various conditions. There should
be a due admixture of instruction with
amusements during the long wintry
season, else recreation might degener
ate into dissipation, two ideas which
are essentially opposites in any true an
alysis. Reading clubs, literary or dra
matic societies, lectures, would be in
order, in some of which old and young
might participate. It is very desirable
that the elders should be aroused from
the lethargy of a sometimes stupid
lelude, and raentire household, the
whole community," f eer-the effects of a
social and intellectual takening.
Farmers Friend.
THE ALLIANCE, POLITICS, AND
pat?ttc:amc;htt O
Hie South West has received several
communications recently in reference
to the discussion of pohticial question!
in the alliance and the attitude of th
order to politics in general. It woi
appear that "touch confusion still exists
in the mindAof many even of the
members on Yhose questions, lhe
South West cannwsee why any misap
prehension shtfula, arise in regard to
them. The cause o all this trouble,
feeling, contention and distrust is in
confounding politics with partisanship:
confounding politicial questions as ab
stract principle with partisan measures
for party policy. Partisan idolatry
has so long held such supreme . away
over the masses of men, and partisan
prejudice born of party hate so distor
ted their views that many cannot' dis
cuss an economic issue or public ques
tion without associating ; it in their
minds with their party, position there
on or with partisan politics in general.
It is time that the members of the or
der at least should learn to discrimi
nate in this, and avoid that blunder.
Ii is time that they grasped the facts
that the Alliance is a political organ
ization ; political, as is every organiza
tion that makes legislative demands.
But it is not a qpaitisan organization.
It has nothing toNjo with any party.
It is organized fojspecial purposes, -and
one of theg7 and the principal
one, is to instruct its membership in
the science of government; to instruct
them on political questions. But when
they are so instructed, or think they
are, they must go entirely outside the
order to find means to carry their 1
views into practical effect.. Within
the organization there is no political
question that can not be discussed;
and the- more thoroughly and earnes
tly they are discussed' and studied the
better. Men of all parties are there,
and they are there not as partisans,
but as men and workers pledged in
the search after truth in an unpreju
diced, unpartisan, fraternal spirit. All
acknowledge that something is wrong,
that many things are wrong; they are
there to find if possible the remedies.
They are there to study political econ
omy. They are there to study . alike
their duties and rights as citizens, as
workers, as men. It will take time to
accomplish all this. The results of
years of apathy and inaction cannot
be overcome in a few months of
desultory effort.
But some in their zeal to correct
the current and glaring abuses, and
impatient at the apparently slight
progress made, ask : 'Why the work
ers in the industrial organizations do
not vote united and by united action
secure legislative relief. .
They "will vote united when they
believe alike through the thorough
understanding of true principles.- This
will follow as naturally and inevitably
as effect follows cause. Teach the
truth, disseminate correct principles,
and the results will take care of them
selves. This is the work in which the
Alliance and kindred organizations
are engaged. This is why thse edu
cational organizations are superior to .
parties. This is how they are distinct
and should be kept distinct from
parties.
If the members will by a little mo
mentum of mental effort grasp the real
objects of those orders there need be
no trouble over political parties. There
is no occasion, no excuse for intro
ducing party, or partisanship in the
order. Neither is there any excuse
for any man in failing to vote his con
victions or in failing to make the
proper effort to vote aright. When
the people understand the questions
they are now studying and rise to the
plane of intelligent manhood no party
can live which will not rise to the
same height. South West.
PROCLAMATION.
To the Members of the Farmers Alli
ance in the State of Mississippi.
GREETING:
Whereas, Official information has been received
that there is now organized and chartered by The
National Farmers' Alliance and Co-Operative .
Union of America, more than three County Alli
ances in the State of Mississippi, and formal ap
plication has been made in behalf of said County
Alliances for a State Alliance in the said State of
Mississippi ;
Now, Therefore, I C. W. Macnne, President of
the National Farmers' Alliance and Co-Opcrative
Union of America, hereby issue this ray official
PROCLAMATION, calling npon each County
Farmers' Alliance in the State or Mississippi to
elect and send three delegates to assemble in the
City of Jackson, in said State, on ,
Wednesday, 24th day of Aug., A. D. '87, ,
at 10 o'clock a. m.. for the purpose of organizing a
Farmers' State Alliance for the said State of Mis
sissippi, and to formulate and adopt a Constitution
and suitable By-Laws for such State Alliance, and
to elect officers for such State Alliance for the first
term, and to make each appropriations and lawa as
in their wisdom may -seem necessary to the more
perfect working and advancement of the Order In
the said State of Mississippi. ; . '-,
The said proposed State Alliance, if organized in
conformity with the laws of the Order, will be
granted a Charter by the National Farmers' Alli
ance and Co-Operative Union of America, making
it a branch of that body, under its act of incorpora
tion as a National Trade Union, with authority to
grant Charters to subordinate lMxlies. and exercise
exclusive original jurisdiction within that State. '
Given under my hand, m the City of Waco, and
State of Texas, this, the 30th day of June, A. , '87.
seal - : c.-w.'ifACOT,
Prcs't N. F. A. and C. U. of A
7 attest: "' '-' .- -c
E. B. WARREX, .
Sec'y N. F.
A. and C. U. of A
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