pi
I,
THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OP STATE POLICY.
RALEIGH, N. 0., MARCH 5, 1889.
Vol. 4.
No. 4
ft
4 - ' - .
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v' I
DIRECTORY OF FARMERS' OR
GANIZATIONS. KORTH CAROLINA FARMERS STATU ALLIAKCI.
President S. B. Alexander, Chaiibtte,
C
Vice-President T. Ivey, Ashpole, N.C.
Secretary L. L. Polk, MeigVN. 0.
Treasurer J. D. Allen, Falls, N. C. .
Lecturer Dr. D. Reid Parker, Trinity
College, N. 0.
Assistant Lecturer-J). D. Mclntyre,
Laurinburg, N. 0.
Chaplain Rer. Carr Moore, Towns-
Tille, N. C. t
Door Keeper W. H. Tomhnson, Fay-
etterille, N. C.
Assistant Door Keeper R. T. Kusn,
Mt Gilead, N. C.
Sergeant-at-Arms J. S. Holt, Chalk
Level, N.C. w , J
State Business Agentr W. A. Dardeo.
XSCUTIVI COMMITTEE OT THE KORTH CARO
LINA FARMERS' STATE ALLIANCE.
Elias Carr, Old Sparta, N. C, Chair
man; Thaddeus Ivey, Ashpole, N. C; J. S.
Johnston, Ruffin, N. C.
THE NORTH CAROLINA FARMERS ASSOCIATION.
President Elias Carr, Old Sparta,
Edgecombe county.
B. F. Hester, Oxford, Secretary; S.
Otho Wilson, Vineyard, and W. E. Ben
bow, Oak Ridge, Assistant Secretaries.
VIRGINIA STATE ALLIANCE.
President G. T. Barbee, Bridgewatar,
Virginia.
Vice-President T. B. Massey, Wash
ington, Virginia.
Secretary J. J. Silvey, Bridgewater,
Virginia. .
Treasurer Isaiah Printz, Luray, Vir
ginia. , .
Lecturer G. H. Chrisman, Chnsman,
Virginia.
Asst. Lecturer J. S. Bradley, Luray,
Virginia.
Chaplain Wm. M. Rosser, Luray,
Virginia.
. Door Keeper B. Frank Beahm, Kim
ball, Virginia.
Asst Door Keeper G. E. Brubaker,
Luray, Virginia.
Serg't-at-Arms C. H. Lillard, Wash
ington, Virginia.
State Business Agent S. P. A. Bru
Tiaker, of Luray, Virginia.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. '
E T. Brumback, Jas. E. Compton and
, Geo. IL Chrisman. ... .rr ,.. . -.. : r
. i
THE QUESTION OF SALE OF TO
BACCOPATRONIZE ALLI
ANCE WAREHOUSES.
Blackwell's Alliance, No. 731,
February 16, 1889.
Mb. Editor: Ridge Farmers' Alli
ance was organized the 25th of April,
1888, with thirteen members. Its mem
bership has steadily increased until
it now has enrolled thirty-three mem
bers, composed of many of our leading
farmers and best citizens. While we
cannot point to any great feats ac
complished in the history of our Sub
Alliance, yet we feel we are doing
some good work and a vast deal yet
remains to be done. Like the most of
the agricultural districts, the "one
crop system " has been the utter ruin
and impoverishment of the greater
portion of our farmers. Being situated
in the old bright tobacco growing dis
tricts of North Carolina, our farmers
have made themselves complete slaves
to his one product. The great fluc
tuations in the price of tobacco of late
years have had such an injurious effect
upon the old tobacco growing districts
that many have, from force of circum
stances, been compelled to quit hiring
but very little labor for the production
of this article. We feel that the
warehouses, through the newspapers,
have done us a very great injustice
(not from any unworthy motives to
wards us, but simply to push "their
own business) by continually adver
tising some pig prices received for
tobacco and not saying a word about
the thousands of pounds of tobacco
sold every day for less than half the
cost of production. While, as we have
said, we do not blame the warehouse
men for pushing their own business,
yet we feel that it has had a very in
jurious effect upon the old tobacco
growing districts of Virginia and
North Carolina by stimulating the
production all over the world. Con
sequently the supply is so much in
excess of the demand that we are un
able to realize a bare living from the
profits of our tobacco crop. Yet
there can be no doubt but what tobacco
must ever remain the chief product
in the portion of the country for the
realization of money to supply the
needs of every household. AH other
crops must remain of minor importance
compared to this one as a marketable
product. . While tobacco has been so
remunerative to most of the manufac
turers o,f it, all should wish the pro
ducer should have at least a reasonable
share of the profits realized from this
crop. We pay at least from six to
seven per cent, to warehouses just to
sell our tobacco. As much as the rate
of interest on money for one year.
Our County Business Agent some
time ago was instructed to wait upon
the warehouse men of Danville, Va.,
to see if we could not make some ar
rangements (by the centralization of
our trade to a certain warehouse) by
which we could get our tobacco sold
at a less rate per cent, than we had
hitherto been paying. Our Agent re
ports that the warehouse men in that
place had obligated themselves in a
bond of several hundred dollars that
they would not reduce their rate per
cent, or rebate any charges. Not
withstanding, these same men are pay
ing some of their employees extrava
grant prices for their supposed trade,
when they could get fully as competent
men to do the same business for one
half the wages, only they are not in
the " trade." In some cases they lot
off a man certain districts and give
him one-half their charge on that trade,
just to " draw " it for them.
Now the aims of the Farmers'
Alliance has been to centralize its own
trade so that the money which is be
ing paid out to these so-called " drum
mers" may go where it justly belongs
in the producer's pocket. Such dis
crimination against the "horny-handed
sons of toil" should not sour or dismay
us, but it should be the means of stir
ring our noblest ambition, inspiring
our loftiest hopes, and standing
fabric of other great minds, and stand -upon
the dignity of our own man
hood, we predict that in the near
future, a new era of prosperity will
dawn upon the agriculturist who is
now being groun"d down in poverty
and shame. Member op Alliance.
THE FERTILIZER QUESTION.
Hadley's Mills, Feb. 18, '89.
Resolved, by Dry Creek Alliance,
No. 637, that we will not use any
guano at any price if we cannot buy
it through our County Agent.
I also add, as Secretary of Dry
Creek Alliance, that no Alliance man
ought to patronize any company that
will not sell to them through an Alli
ance Agent.' As farmers have con
stituted the Alliance and are the ones
who use all or nearly all of the fertili
zers that are manufactured, I think
we should be very careful about who
we buy guano from, as some of the
companies are so particular who they
make their agents. We have just as
good men among ihe farmers as any
class of people in the land and would
make just as good and faithful agents
as any they can get. If we succeed
we will have to close down on such
companies as repudiate us, and the
sooner the better. In my judgment
we would be better off without guano
than with it.
Dry ..Creek Alliance was organized
about the first of April, 1888, with
nine members and has increased
slowly until we now have 25 good
men, and are all willing and anxious
to unite with the brethren in any
cause that will benefit the poor farmer.
PLANTING CHUFAS.
Col. L. L. Polk. Dear Sir: I
saw in your paper of last week that
some brother wanted to know how to
plant and cultivate a chufa crop. I
have had some experience with chufas:
My plan is to break the land good, and
manure well; lay off the rows three
feet wide with a cotton plow, about
three or four inches deep, then drop
the chufas in the row, say eight to
twelve inches apart. Then ridge the
land in the same way as cotton land
and let it remain until the chufas be
gin to sprout. Then .drag the ridges
off with a heavy drag, that will de
stroy all young grass and weeds. As
soon as the chufas get large enough,
side as I would cotton. Two plowings
and harro wings are all that is required.
I pull out the shoots and replant in
missing places; but if you will put the
chufas in water and throw off all that
rises to the top, you will not have any
to replant, with favorable seasons.
The best land is old field well rotten
or new ground, that has been cleared
from one to three years, of a light and
sandy soil. Plant from first of May
to first of June. . I would not advise
any one to plant chufas on land that
is to be put in corn for the next three
years. There is a bug that follows
chufas that is destructive to corn. I
have known the bugs to go two hun
dred yards from where the chufas
were raised the year previous. They
are a large black bug with a long bill;
they stick their bill through the corn
stalk while young and suck it to death.
It is called the corn bill bug.
We have two members sick, and
one of them dangerously so. We are
moving slowly but steadily. - .
Fraternally,
Jas. W. Batts.
IGNORANCE, LAZINESS AND
EXTRAVAGANCE.
Enno, N. C, Feb. 14, 1889.
Mb. Editor: It has-been some
time since I wrote to you about Mid
dle Creek Alliance, No. 207, Wake
county, and as some of the members
want me to write again, I will send
you a few lines this afternoon. We
are still moving on and I think some
advancement. Nearly all the male
population who are eligible have
joined.- Some of the " weak-kneed "
are ft little careless about attending to
paying their dues, but we . have a
plenty of the right grit who are as
true as the needle to the pole. Our
meetings are quite interesting and I
think profitable; especially so was the
last one. It seems to b the fixed de
termination of our -Alliance to buy
less guano, less coffee, less meat, less
corn and less everything else, except
what our actual necessities require,
and raise more home-made meat, home
made manure, etc. We are tired of
having our meat house, corn crib,
manure pile, etc., in. Baltimore.
We are trying to instill in' our peo
ple that they must work out their
own salvation, else they will remain
" hewers of wood and drawers of
water."
As I see it, the three greatest causes
of oppression among the farmers are
ignorance, laziness and extravagance.
These evils we are trying to remedy
and think we are making some prog
ress. Many other things we are try
ing to accomplish. Our business plans,
for the present, we propose to keep to
ourselves.
The farmers ask for nothing but
what is right and just this all honest
men, regardless of profession, will
accord. When the farmer goes down
all professions will follow. They are
the bottom rail in this world.
They demand (while they are the
foundation upon which all stands) that
their rights shall be heard ; that they
shall, to some extent, be remunerated
for their services, and not forever be
the mud-sill without being sheltered
by the superstructure. Tliis they de
mand this they will have.
We are watching closely the Farm
ers' Legislature. We hope to see
much needed legislation.
We are glad to see The Progressive
Farmer in a new suit. I trust when
it is four years old it may be able to
buy another, and have every member
of the Alliance a subscriber!
Death has not as yet claimed for
its own any of our Lodge.
Long may The Progressive Far
mer live to wield its influence for
good over this fair land of ours.
Yours fraternally,
B. W. Burt.
THE GUANO QUESTION.
February 11, 1889.
Mr. Editor: You will find, by the
changes which I wish you to make in
my mail, that I am again roaming
around, and our people are always
treating me kindly and giving me
work to do. In my wanderings it was
my good fortune to fall in with Alli
ance, No. 444, a few evenings ago,
when they unanimously passed the
following resolution in regard to
guano which they requested your
correspondent to put in shape and
send to our organ for publication:
Resolved, That we will not buy
guano at the present high prices.
They discussed the subject well be
fore voting, and many declared that
the stuff manipulated at present would
not pay for the hauling and handling,
much less the money that annually
goes out of our pockets to pay for it.
We feel, Mr. Editor, that we have
been managed by designing manufac
turers and merchants until we must
call a halt or the whole of us will go
into the ditch.
Mr. Editor, why is it that we can't
put guano and their side shows (acid,
kainit, &c.,) on an equal footing with
meat, corn, &c, that the farmers have
to sell. For instance, if we take our
meat to market and sell it to a mer
chant or anyone else, (it is smoked
nice and looks well, ana as our old
friend Kornegay says, " smells good "),
the buyer finds after ' cutting into
it that nearly all the joints and tainted
around the bone, or the cotton is gin
cut, trashey or stained, or some low
scoundrel has watered' a bale. Now,
sir, what do they all do under these
circumstances? They raise such a howl
that the poor old farmer sticks
down .his head and has to run
his hand down in his pocket and
satisfy the damages or be dragged up
into court and made to feel the heavy
hand of the law; that says you
farmers must trust every man as you
would have him trust you.
Now, sir, put guano on this basis
and our people will hear less grum-
bling.
We were pleased with Thunder
Swamp Alliance, No. 444 ; most of them
are young men, good farmers, with
enough good old settled heads to keep
everything well balanced; they seem
to be working harmoniously. If thore
be any private biekerings it is all laid
aside for the good of our order and
they are standing shoulder to shoul
der under, the Alliance. One thing I
failed in, and -that was to find out
their position as to the State Agency
r una, but will before we come again.
Yours in the faith,
S. E. D.
CO-OPERATION THE FARMERS'
ONLY HOPE.
Fallston, Cleveland Co., N. C,
i February. 14; 1889.
p Mr. Editor: -Actuated with a de
sire that Fallston Alliance, No. 1,047,
be represented with" those that are
struggling for freedom; we therefore
solicit space for a short communica
tion, hoping not to be an intruder in
the columns of your most excellent
paper.
j Our Alliance now numbers fifty, all
true, energetic and irreproachable Alli
ance men. It is an .evident fact that,
by the co-operation of the farmers,
much good has been accomplished,
not only financially but socially. Its
reforming tendency has made itself
apparent. Harmony, not variance;
love, not ill-will; liberality, not selfish
ness, is a very conspicuous element
that the great movement has brought
about. We believe that the organi
zation is indispensable for the pros
perity of the agricultural interests of
the South.. If we foster the infamous
clandestine leagues, who by their pre
posterous, rascally tyrany, have stayed
the prosperity of the farmers, it is
reasonable to conclude that we will
ever remain an ill fated people. Shall
wq submit to combines and succumb
tt monopolistic power ? Shall we
2 1 to trusts and comply with the
demands of the pernicious money
kings? We must not the order
must be independent.
While commerce, manufacturing,
merchandise and all other professions
would be profitless were it not for
agriculture, yet we are groveling in
ignorance and poverty. . The cause of
this is obvious; they have been work
ing for self-interest and the farmer
has been working to the interest of
of others. They have been united,
while the farmer has been without
organization. They have been ele
vated socially and financially while
the farmer has been degraded. But
now we are invited, and in unison, we
should work together to advance and
elevate agricultural interests. We must
get up from the dust of oppression. We
must dwell in unity and brotherly
love, ever giving strict adherance to
the motto, " In things essential unity,
and in all things charity;" and soon
we will shout victory over all unjust
conspiracies and the agricultural and
laboring classes will be emancipated.
H. H. B., Sec'y.
A LETTER FROM ROWAN.
"
February 18, 1889.
Mr. Editor: I received my first
Progressive Farmer last week and was
very much pleased with it. I like to
hear from the different Alliances and
I expect Coal Chute would be further
along if we had subscribed for it
sooner, but we, like others, did not do
so for want of money. We have been
organized a little more than a year
and are moving about as others. I
hope we are learning something every
time we meet. We are trying to learn
as. fast as possible how to get along
with as little commercial fertilizer as
possible; how to make more home
made manure; how to diminish our
cotton and increase our grain crops;
how to get clear of the credit business
and become more and more independ
ent. We want to get so that when we
break our wagons down they will
break with the -tongue pointing to
wards town and that not with cord
wood. I am pleased to see how many of
the Alliance are of the same mind.That
is just the way we should be; all must
pull together if we would succeed.
We should be cautious how we pass
resolutions, and when we do pass them
stick "till the wool slips;" that's my
motto. But I see, too, farmers in
other plades are like they are here,
rejoicing at the low price of corn,
flour, and meat. Of course, under
present circumstances, its'all blessing,
but it's all backwards; farmers ought
to be producers as well . as consumers
of such things. I don't believe it pays
any farmer to raise cotton to buy corn.
But, Mr. Editor, I didn't intent writ
ing a letter; I only wanted to tell you
that on February 9th" the members
of Coal Chute Alliance adopted as a
whole the resolutions of Chatham
County Alliance in regard to high
salaries, &c, and ask you to mention
the same in The Progressive Farmer.
Come to our County Alliance at poplar
Tent in April. Success to The Farmer.
Fraternally yours,
E. R. G. Plaster, See'y.
AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANI
CAL COLLEGES.
The Theory and, Management of the
Mississippi A. & M. College.
No. 4.
fBy Gen. S. D. Lee, of Mississippi.
In this article we propose to exam
ine the theory and management of the
Mississippi A,& M. College, and to see
if it conforms to the spirit of the
State law, which is based on the Fed
eral law. Among the duties assigned
the Board of Trustees we find " the
establishment and maintenance of a
first-class institution, at which the
youth of the State may acquire a com
mon school education and a scientific
and practical knowledge of agricul
ture, horticulture and the mechanic
arts; also the proper growth and care
of stock, without, however, excluding
other scientific and classical studies,
including military tactics.
" They shall regulate the course of
study, rates of tuition, management
of experimental farm, manner of per
forming labor and the kind of labor
to be performed by students." These
quotations plainly define that the
" leading object " must be to benefit
agriculture and the mechanic arts."
Should other studies be taught they
must be secondary, or after provision
is made for what is especially pro
vided for, and as aids to more readily
understand the sciences which under
lie agriculture and the mechanic arts.
The organization must be such as to
familiarize students with and to edu-
VUUU UA-LVX. JULA 1UUO CAAAVl. VUOUVlQ UVS agliVUl
ture, horticulture, the care and growth
of stock," management of farms, man
ner of performing labor, &c. The
college must provide for the industrial
classes a general education, combined
with such scientific and practical
knowledge as will make them familiar
with the nature of the objects and
forces with which they have to deal.
This necessitates that special stress be
laid on the sciences intimately con
nected with agriculture, such as chem
istry, botany, geology, zoology, ento
mology, physiology, mechanics, phys
ics, &c. To comprehend these studies
requires considerable liberal culture.
The varied conditions contributing to
an intelligent understanding of agri
culture as a science and an art, com
prehends an education almost as broad
and liberal as that needed to master
any subject. This education must also
be practical and industrial in its train
ing, and must strive to create a taste
for agricultural pursuits.
The Board of Trustees in the or
ganization of the college and its equip
ment have had these views before
them. Through the liberality of the
Legislature a first-class institution has
been established, a farm of near 2,000
acres purchased, buildings have been
erected, such as a college building,
dormitory for 260 students, chemical
laboratory, mess halls, professors'
houses, barns, stables, cow sheds,
engine house, creamery and dairy
buildings and the equipment for man
aging an experimental farm as the
law provides. The college herd is
made up of about four hundred head
of cattle of thoroughbreds, grades
and common cattle. The chemical
laboratory, museum and other depart
ments of the college have been sup
plied with an outfit for illustration of
the sciences taught. All this property
is valued at $206,986.35, and makes
up the plant of the college or what is
necessary for its proper establishment.
This is an investment which is perma
nent and will last for a long time. It
is similar to the expenditure of the
State in the establishment of the State
University, the plant of which is
valued at $300,000.
The Board of Trustees has arranged
for both a preparatory and a collegiate
course (one and four years) to the
youth of the State the opportunity of
acquiring, as the law directs, a com
mon school education and a practical
and scientific knowledge of agricul
ture. It is remembered that many
farmer boys in the country have poor
school ad vantages; the preparatory
course is to meet their wants and to
be also a feeder to the college classes.
This class (one-third the attendance)
is taught such studies as grammar,
composition, arithmetic, algebra, ge
ography, United States history, pen
manship, declamation, &c. They are
also taught by text-book and lectures
the elementary principles of the theory
of agriculture, such as composition of
matter, of soils, of plants, of manures,
of -fertilizers; about plant food in soil,
farm drainage, preparation, of land for
crops, cultivation of crops, about live
stock, &c. . Work and contact , with
the experimental farm, college herds,
creamery and gardens, illustrate what
is taught, and gives even these begin
ners a good idea of improved and pro
gressive agriculture and hbrtictiltuVe.
, The college course: i? our .'yjars in
length English, m&tnea&tScs v. and
other studies run through . the four
years, and by gradual advancejnent
build up the liberal culture, enabling
students to comprehend and to master
the sciences related to agriculture,
and already enumerated in this article.
Great stress is laid on English . and
mathematics, and they are thbrbugnly .
taught, and their practical use fully
brought out to be in line withVtJie
practical illustrations in other studies.
Besides the sciences strictly under
lying or related to agriculture, horti
culture and agriculture are also taught,
both as a science and art, applyinjg in
the different classes, want is learned in
the related sciences, and as they .be
come applicable. To go more into
detail, the Freshman class is taught
six months mainly about the charac
teristics of all kinds of stock breeds,
and care of, about butter making, and
such studies, about the management
and care of gardens, manures, plant
ing, grafting, &c, which are taught by
lecture and text-book, and practically
demonstrated on the farm and gar
dens. This, too, in connection with
their other studies, English, algebra,
philosophy, drawing, geometry, his
tory, book-keeping, &c.
So I might go on and illustrate for
the Sophomore class, which is thor
oughly taught chemistry in a well:
equipped laboratory, three r months
theoretically, and six months, two
hours a day, at desk with practical .
work with blow-pipe, reagents and
other adjuncts necessary in analysis.
They are also taught surveying to
enable them to use the instruments,
and to work in the field. In agricul
ture, the principles of drainage, culti
vation, tile laying, use and care of
farm implements.
The Junior and Senior classes, as
they still further advance in liberal
culture and the knowledge of anatomy,
physiology, drawing, veterinary sci
ence, botany, entomology, agricultu
ral chemistry, and such studies,; are
instructed on the more difficult prob
lems of breeding, management and
treatment of sick animals, garden,
nursery, and orchard economy, vari
eties for different soils, pruning and
training of trees, farm economy, values
of different nutritive rations for feed
ing for butter, milk, or beef, compo
sition of manures, values of different
foods, manures, farm buildings, &c,
in fact, a thorough application of all
the sciences related to agriculture.
The studies are illustrated by stu
dents working on the well-equipped
farm, with crops, cattle, improved ma
chinery in the creamery and dairy,
in managing feeding experiments; as
an illustration, the Senior class man
age many of the feeding experiments
connected with the Agricultural Ex
periment Station, which is a depart
ment of the College, having learned
the sciences theoretically, knowing
what is wanted from the experiments,
they do the practical work, and make
the application.
It is claimed that the College is do
ing its work in accordance with the
spirit if the State law. Is not only
giving a good practical education,
suited to the masses, but also a scien
tific and practical knowledge of agri
culture and horticulture, also of the
proper growth and care of stock, with
out, however, excluding other scien
tific and classical studies, including
military tactics. As explained, the
mechanical department cannot bo
established till the Legislature pro
vides money to erect shops for wood
and-iron, and to equip them. The
military feature runs through the
College, as required by both Federal
and State laws, but is kept secondary
to the industrial features of the Col
lege. Military discipline is the disci
line of the College, and is administered
by an officer of the United States
Army, under the supervision of the ,
President.
Combination will be useless if we
raise a poor product by antiquated
and uneconomical methods. High
culture and progressive methods, re
sulting in a superior product at least
possible cost, will be comparatively
unavailing unless we join hands for
our own protection. High class soil
tilling and co-operation are the in
separable requisites of success,
Florida Farm and Fruit Grower.
J