THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF STATE POLICY.
Vol. 2.
OUR FARMERS' CLUBS.
What our Farmers are Doing and How
the Work of Organizing is ,
Progressing. ...
,CUlah an; i Davie Co2, N. C., i
: . : :: - : . July 8, .1887. : !
' I see a piece in i your, paper of the
30th of . June: headed " The Home
stead, " that yoices my thoughts on the
laws of . mortgages and liens. ' We
want something to restore the confi
dence of the people," and I do not think
anything ; would do lt like the laws
modified that are , in the 'article spoken
of. I just feel so glad that y6u' have
spoken out in the interest of the poor
man, l that I want to say amen; and
continue. Your friend,
L. B. Walker.
Camp Call, Cleveland Co., N. C, 1
, : : July 4, 1887. ' :
In answer to . your request to send
the number of members and names of
officers of all farmers' clubs in the
State : We have organized a farmers1
club called the Union Farmers' Club,
with 21 members. E. T. Champion,
President ; G. V. Hicks, Vice-President
; S. E. Dickson, Secretary ; O. P.
Dickson, Treasurer, and G. V.' Hicks,
Corresponding Secretary. . Executive
Committee : E. T. Champion, S. E.
Dickson and G. .V. Hicks. : This is a
list of the officers of the Union Farm
ers' Club. - Postoffice m address, . Camp
Call, Cleveland county, nN. C. I re
main, Yours truly,
. : 1' r. r.-. n v.'.i.ViGi Y.rHlCKS, : .
Secretary :TJ--J?.'&
. For rj j Progressiye Farmer.
I see from nearly all parts of the
State that the farmers are moving on
the line of intensive farming. This is
a step in the right direction, and is
largely due to the circulation ; of The
Progressive Farmer, the . best agri
cultural paper (in my way of thinking)
that North Carolina has ever produced.
Next to the promulgation of the
gospel, the . man who instructs, - and
becomes the motive-power in' moving
tne tarmers, is tne gretaest oeneiactor.
I am highly 1 gratified to learn
(though unable to travel much) that
the farmers still continue to organize
and thus bring themselves into' a po
sition for higher ; education in their
line. ' I am sorry to say that the young
men of our State have heretofore con
sidered it a disgrace to own fanning
as their occupation, and have shunned
this noble calling to seek shelter ; in
some small town or larger city, 'and
sometimes behind the : counter of bar
rooms at low wages, ' and a still lower
calling to prevent sun-burnt hands
and faces. Ah ! - young men this is a
sad mistake. I trust and believe that
the day is dawning when this erron
eous idea will, vanish -like' snow before
a mid-day sun. Yes,- I pray for the
day to come when my children shall
look from the farmer-' down to the
President of -the United : States, for
upon this foundation rests the whole
fabric of our greatness. My brother,
' I want you to let no opportunity escape
without insisting upon a radical change
in our system of education.: ; First, we
need - this : change in our common
schools, and I insist that while we are
spending money (and we 'do not have
one-quarter enough) for normal schools
and teachers institutes, that this fea-"
ture should be made one of the most
- prominent ; not only I among the boys
and young men, but also among the
girls and young ladies. . For we '. are
expecting the present- generation of
young people to become the fathers
and mothers of our great country.
Education - means development ex-pansion-bringing
to light, not stuffing;
And we surely heed' development on
the line of agriculture. . r Next after
the common schools have made this
change, the higher schools and colleges
should all wheel into line and prepare
the minds of this . generation, for a:
practical agricultural college. ' Now-1
want us to look into the machinery of
our common schools alike. .You know,
that the school law requires a county
superintendent, and in. many cases
some lawyer, who knows nothing
about our needs is put in this place
and often grants certificates to people
who have no -tact for - teaching, and
know - nothing - really of what : educa
tion is. Again many of our commit
teemen have no children to send to
school, and some of them cannot read;
and are often appointed,. to subserve
political enas, or to pat in mns-ioiKs,
iere lies tne - iounaation oi :our
future, in the common schools. fr We
must ; have educated fathers and
mothers, and especially mothers. Now
when we get down to the solid foun
dati6n-the bed-rock and Jheri level
that foundation,' and- plumb the: walls
make the. sills and corner-posts of
sound r timber and securely cover the
illj?" ' t a ' " t ' ' ll 1 j " ' ' '.
. Duiiaing Dy . teacning. . our r ennareu
practical chemistry, how to make and
apply fertilizers when arid where to
subsoil, how t o - - use vahd utilize, bone
and all the waste material from the
kitchen , and wash-tub, t to turn every
thing to account, . and to stop buying
commercial fertilizers when they
know riot how to use them, but to
apply this money (I mean money used
without judgment) to home fertilizers,
then will .the. farm . and farmer grow
richer. " The . ' farmer r .boy should be
proud of his occupation and the pure,
chaste daughters" of the farmer be
worthy of the noblest husband.
Yours ' truly, M..
Randleman, N. C, July 7, 1887.
.THE LAND
OF BOOMS.
". And they sailed away te the land of booms!
' , The 1 above .might '.be made the re
frain of many , a melody r at this time,
for we are having booms all along the
line, In the East we have, oil booms
and railroad booiris andbooms of al
most every kind arid character; Therie
has been no period m the world s his
tory, when there were such a marked
activity in large industrial operations
as just now when there were such
wonderful developments in every
essential of the world's progress.
Never before- was , the' opportunity
presented for the rapid amassing of
large fortunes. " Millionaires and
multiple millionaires are as plenty
now as ; were those' 30 years - ago who
counted their wealth only by a few
hundred -thousand. Monopolies, cor
ners and speculations of every kind
are of daily occurrence at every im
portant commercial center, :. . Great
works of engineering in the damming
of streams, building of bridges; dig
ging canals, building railroads to far
off and what were formerly considered
unapproachable places. Huge leviathan
ships of several thousand tons burden
have taken the place of those of 500
or 600, which were . considered large
ships a few years ago.' Tiny cockle
shell yachts of a few tons burden are
now built to move through the water
at what was formerly considered an
unattainable speed. : ' ! !
. Gold, silver, copper and lead are
now raised in quantities which would
have been regarded as ? fabulous 40
and 50 years ago. f: Large sections of
country are .lighted up with , furnace
fires fed by the products of ; our iron
and coal mines, which are now yield
ing their output in : such immense
quantities as to tax the skill and capital
of both railroad and steamer to! move
them from pits to i furnace. There is
a veritable boom in every class of
jmining. A. jn e w boutn is j ust be
ing opened n Tap to the industry and
capital of the country; That genial
portion of tle Union was never so
alive to thejRund of the ax,.the.ham-
mer.-,tne.5aw-ana .me ,mm-wneei as
now ; tne Doom mere is genuine ana
unprecedented: "A great empire has
grown up within the life of a genera
tion in the great -Northwest; and an
other has made almost equal progress
on the Pacific Slope: f i ; z&:r.-tsri h
Pig Iron Bessemer said two years
ago that 1887 was to witness the be-
. m .1 1 i l 1 J.1
ginning ot tnd-. joiggesv Doom me
world ever saw his ;preaiction; is De-
ing more than verified.Tr-Pacic Rural
Press. ,.. -.,-,f "rr... y-f;'!--: I -4
fYes. there- is a grand boom . all
along, thTHneOiiainri opera
tions except among those who feed
and. clothe, the world. The farming
RALEIGH, N. 0., JULY 21,
world hears this booming of the
" booms " but it has little charm for
them when they feel their pockets
shrinking every day. '. , . t
CUMBERLAND AND HARNETT.
On Saturday f afternoon, July. 2d, a
goodly number of farmers, ; with5 their
wives and daughters, 'met f in the
academy at Little river and organize
a lively farmers', tclub with W L;
Williams, President A. B. Walker,
Vice-President, and W . D. Adams
Secretary. '""
This is a beautiful section of coun
try and well adapted to. ! strictly first "
class farming. ; r; . j
, The club is fortunate in securing
Mr. Williariis for President. He is a
splendid farmer works himself, does
everything in good tiirie and in a
workman-like manner. He lives at
home, makes his own bread and meat,
looks jolly and no doubt feels good.
Mr. Williams killed one hog last
winter that weighed 628 pounds net.
While many of his neighbors complain
of heavy losses from hog; cholera, he
never loses one. r ' He is . giving his
stock ample runs on grass and pasture
nexus aiiu ucienus iy utcn. irU-vy tie
little stick yokes oh their pigs and
turn them out to root hb and die.
You may expect, .Mr. Editor; a gopd
report from this .cljub. They mean
business.-- -? n r
There was also a. club organized at
Rhodes' Mills on July 1 st with , C. C.
McLellan, President!; I.- W." Godwin,
Vice-President ; Je( D. Barness, Sec
retary.;" -v j 1 ; -;-.V;" rrq j (
L--1 did not see Mr ; IcLellan's farmi,
but. learned from-his ' neighbors that
he need not be ashamed to stand up
in meeting" arid urge others to a higher
order, of farming! He does good work
on his own1 farm, and that is the very
best kind of teaching.
I hold, Mr. Editor, that people in
the main do the best they know how
for themselves. These Cumberland
and Harnett farmers are working
hard, and the most of them are living
hard, and they seem to think that the
only road to kingdom come lies, right
through the cotton field. But just as
long as they continue to haul their
corn from some railroad depot, on
their little bob-tailed carts, they may
expect to work hard and live hard.
. . f. j Very truly, &c. r - ;.,:.
J. Edom Smith, j
. Newcombs, N. C. '
INFLUENCE OFs THE ' GRANGE.
The neighborhoods where granges,
and farmers' clubs flourish are charac
terized by better farming,1 as well as a
friendly and social spirit ; among; the.
people. . No one man does or can
know everything about farming, .. any
more than about other things. Each
member contributes his ideas, and the.
stock of information about J the - best
farm : methods is largely; increased.
Even those who hold aloof are brought
. i ' Mi?:, i -rr tl
in, nowever unwnnngiVrf f ieenT od-
servers note the improvement .they
are secretly ina king, of ; if their farm-,
'.- - .i .i ' . . ' .
mg shows none oi tnese tney point to
it as a horrible example,- and as a
warning of the, bad effects of neither
learning w themselves, p or imparting
their .information to ' others. " Sonie
farmers who have en joyed the benefits
of the grange for many years say they
would . not live, in a neighborhood or
town where no grange existsAmen"
can Cultivator. ... . r - I
' Successful farmers, 'Whether dairy-
m x . ;
men, iruit : growers or siock raisers,
are those who consult the requirements
of the market rather, than their own
inclinations in the matter. Consumers
who pay their money : will always de
mand a voice- in the style arid variety
of goods they. purchase. Thus - it as
the . breeders of- grale draft horses
meet a ready, demand and good prices
for all the good heavy "horses as soon
as they are: old enough' for market;
The markets 1 of this ; country .and all
Europe are r eagerly , calling r for r more
good draft horses and of a heavier
t:roe7Tey"afu
the increased price for the extra heavy
teams when they can find them, and
1887.
so of the best stock of beef and dairy
cattle and hogs. -' The high grades arid
full bloods pay: best.- Unknowni'T
A-
"' Is it riot a curious kind of statesman
ship which permits a 'useless surplus
fund to accumulate in the public treae
ury; while the' peoplef are groaning uh
der; oppressive taxation ? Is it the
best Government under the sun in
which money is hoarded up in the pub
lic purse while thousands of its citizens
beg for the opportunity to work ? Yet
this is the statesmanship of the : lead
ers of both Democratic and Repub
lican parties; and this. Government is
supposed to be the best under the surii
Planter and Stockman. 1 V- 11 ' 5 1 '
- Last year I commenced a series of
experiments -.upon wheat, using xlis
solved bone on all but . my fresh to
bacco land. L have watched the
growth of my crop very closely, arid
now feel safe in' announcing my
success. rr.
I extend to the farmers' clubs of
Davie county, and to as many others
as feel an interest "in improved agri
culture, a cordial invitation to come
and examine my crop for themselves,
and be satisfied as to the reports that
have gone out concerning . it. 6 I4 will
say further, ' that I used about $4 2
worth of bone, ' applied with' a drill,
and the indications are, that the cash
value of my crop will be increased to
double that: ainount,' besides.' leaving
the land somewhat ipaproved. v,; v r f
, I desire to say further, that any
farmer,' who wishes to make two bush
els of wheat; with the labor that has
never produced more than' one, is weP
come to the result of my Experiments,
and further I will cheerfully aid, him
in securing the bone, at a saving of
from six to eight dollars on the ton.
Come and see the ; wheat and satisfy
yourselves as whether it will pay, and
don't take , my word for it. W. J.
Ellis, in Mocksville Times. " 1 "
'. , i : i ;
; f 1 :
Connecticut is one of the smallest
States in the Union, its area being a
little less than 5,000 square miles, one-.
eighth that of Ohio, or one-eleventh
that of Illinois. The last census enu
merated1 44.000 persons as engaged
m agriculture in Connecticut, against
3 9 7, 0 0 0, or nine times as m any, simi
larly' engaged in Ohio,- and 436,000,
or nearly ten times as many,1 in Illi
nois. Connecticut has within' her bor
ders one of the three greatest uniyer-
Slues . oi me . nawon, auu iier email
share of the national endowment for
industrial education ' was' turned over
to a department of this university--the
Sheffield Scientific School, of Yale
College. 1 This school, as its harrie irri-,
plies, is a scientific school'; : yet ' it
teaches the applications of ' science to
the' mechanic arts in an elaborate and
extensive system of shop-work instruc
tion;, the claini3, of agriculture on the
hirid-grant endowment c' being recog
nized .by a; course of lectures on agri-
cultural cnemisiry auu. ikiuureu lupiue.
In 1881 the legislature of Connecticut
established,1 and. has smce maintained,
an agicultural school on a ,f arm given
for that- purpose by Mr. Augustus
Storrs. The course of instruction 1 in
this school was liihited to ' two , yearsj
arid of this course practical f anri worls:
was riaade a part, i each student being
required to sperid a portion of his time
in manual labor , upon the farm. , Qf
course this labor was designed to illus:
tratethe teachings of the classroom
as far as. possible. ; What-' has -been
the result? . The last three catalogues
of this . institute show that the average
attendence has been 30 the full num
ber which the school can accommodatiB,
because of its liihited dormitory capac-ity-and
this notwithstaridirig the fact:
that the privileges of t the - school ate
confined to citizens of Connecticut.
These students i are aUgiudents of agricul
ture, and" of the. branches of learning
related thereto mechanics,-'literature
and general science Lbeing- provided
for in other institutions. . Now, - the
latest catalogues of the land-grant-eji-dowed
' uriiyeratiea.of Ohio and
TIlmdisMumerate
agriculture in each: those or Ohio be
longing to a course of the same length
No. 22.
as that of the Connecticut school two
years. A very little application of
the old "rule of three" will show that
these great universities are doing pro-;
portionately about one-thirtoenth ,as
much for agricultural education '.as,
this unpretentious, almost unheard of
school in little Connecticut. Farm and
Fireside ' ' ' !
THE
PROGRESSIVE FARMER
AND ITS FRIENDS.
It is known that we started this j
paper under most disadvantageous!
surroundings. It is not known how!
we have toiled and labored "in season
and out of season " day and night, ; to I
place it beyond the breakers. . We'
confess with pride and with gratitude'
to our friends, that it has succeeded
beyond our expectations. It has made
strong and true' friends. It has
enjoyed the courteous kindness, if
not co-opera-tion, of the press of the
State, for . which Itlexpresses its .pro
found appreciation. Kind words of en-:
dorsement . and encouragement -t are;
borne to us by almost every mail. ; For;
all this we feel gratified. . .. : , r
But we desire to speak a few plain,
earnest words to our subscibers.
Ours is an agricultural ; State, . Our
people are. supporting oyer one hun-1
dred and fifty newspapers and? jour;
nals. ' Over one hundred of r these are
political papers.- The Pbogressive
Farmer is the only agricultural paper
(weekly) among them all. It is de-;
voted , exclusively to the interests of
industrial classes. Is it unreasonable;
to claim that of the one hundred and;
ten -.thousand . subscribers to., all ourt
papers, a majoritv of whom ' must be
farmers, that The Progressive Farmer!
ought to have ten thousand subscrib-j
ers ? This would be an average of
but a fraction over one hundred to
each county in the State. Are there,
not twenty counties in the . State that
with little effort on the part of our
friends would give us five, hundred
each by J anuary next ? Are there not
fifty other counties that would give Us
two hundred each?. Are there not
twenty others that would give us from;
fifty to one hundred each ?- 1 If "ourj
friends in these counties will kindly;
give us their help and will give half
the number named by the first day .of
January next, we believe we can safely
guarantee to run the list up, to, ten!
thousand by. the first of June next. It
would enable us first, "to. reduce the
price of the paper to the uniforin price!
of one dollar. Second. It would enable;
us to increase the size and give pur
readers the model agricultural -weekly
of the South. . Third.. It would enable
us to employ ; constantly the.best e8i
torial ? talent in all its departments
and lastly, it would- give us a paper
that could and would wield a tremendj
ous power in , our State. Is not this
true ? If it be true, is it riot worth
an effort on the part of our friends: to
accomplish it ? Who ' will give us
their aid : 4n - securing five thousand
subscribers by the first of January T !
Iook. at these rates v !;; m , ?
to clues: i
1 snbscriber and under five, 1 year,' $2.00
5 subscribers and under ten, 1 year,' 1.65
10 subscribers and under fifteen 1 . , -r .
: year, . .r .;.;, .1150
15 subscribers and under - twenty, 1 r f
year, - 1. v '--' . VI 25
20 subscribers, ormore, 1 year, , . .1.00
. Srukly cash in advance. V.' "r 1J
Who will be the first to send us aelpb?
: Remember that for" any one of ice;;
above clubs, you get -the. paper: free
for one year. Will you not make up f
a club in your neighborhood in your
GrangeV'm vour Clubr in your Alii-
ance ? How many of our friends will i
join us in the effort to get the fave j
thousand-? Write to us for blank ;
subscription list and sample copy of (
the paper. Who will , help ? If fyou ;
can't do it, can you not get some one
to do so ? Show the paper to : your
neighbor-r-take it: with' you to; your fl
Club. Grange or iunance ana snow n
to vour brethren arid get them to take $
it. Who ttnic icrne jirsz jot fne.oianc t i
Join us in tne woric, ana lei. us. jiayu,
birthe bermmnsTjf
best piaper in the' wholeSbuth for oux
farmers. , .
i
i
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