North Carolina Newspapers

the jwomwvmwt i15- L. L. TOLK, ; - -.- - Editor. D. H. B&OWDER, Business Makagsb. ; - Raleigh, : N. C. o - , :. SUBSCRIPTION: ' l!agle Snbf criber, One Year .;....:$ 1.25 . . Six Months. ...,,,....' .S ' fW SuDSCtibcrB,; On6 Year .... r.:. .... ...V 5.00 j: One copy one year free, to the one Bending Club & or Ten. - ' ' Ca&h-InvariaMi in .Advance. .. . Money at our risk, if sent by., registered letter or money order. ' ' Advertifliag Rates quoted on application. 7b Correspondents ; " Write all communications, designed for. publlca ttm. on one aide of the Daner only. -. t Z : ' wi want inteiHorent corresDondents in every 1 cwutl'y tn the State. We want fdcU'ot value, re- 4 truts accompiisnea oi vaine, .experiences i vu plainly and briefly told. One solid, demonstrated Address all communications to . " Thk Progressive Farmer, Raleigh, N. C; liAl2ElGHt: N. Cf, AUG. 27, 1889. ThU paper entered as second-class matter at the Fott :r t. Offlc in Raleigh, X. C ..'. The Progressive Farmer is the Official Organ of the N. C. Farmers Association and N. C. State Farmers' Alliance, and the Virginia-State Farm ers Alliance. IsPT Our friends in writing to any of our advertisers, will favor us by mention ing the fact that they saw the advertise ment in Ths Progressive Farmer. - The date on . your label tells you when your time is out. j - .: - - -. . .THE CROP OUTLOOK. , LATEST, returns - estimate ,,the' American wheat crop of 1889 at 500,000,000 bushels in excess of last year. This will : leave not less -than 150,009,000 bushels of wheat for ex port. Las t year the exports of wheat flour amounted to 121,000,000:bush els' notwithstanding the obstacle to the export trade that were createdby speculative operations in the Chicago wheat pit. In the present favorable conditions the corn crop of this year promises to be enormous. Last year's yield of Indian corn was estimated to be nearly 2,000,000,000 bushels, and it is probable that it will be exceeded considerably by the crop of this year. Last year's exports of Indian corn and corn meal amounted to but little more than 35,000,000 bushels. -But in consequence of the short crops of wheat and other cereals in Russia and Austria the exports of Indian corn promise to be greatly stimulated in order to supply the poor of Europe with cheap bread. X EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE. HE who would believe that' the great movement of the farmers and wealth-producers of this country is only a rippled surface, caused by sentiment or sudden ebulition of pas sion, should have witnessed the action of the representatives of Southern agriculture in their meeting at Mont gomery this week, and the great gathering of Georgia farmers in their State Alliance which, has just ad journed. He would have seen that the com motion is deep, and is moving with a force that will be irresistable. That principle and conviction are involved, and that the masses are being drawn together with common sympathy, common interest, common purpose and inflexible determination. The meeting at Montgomery was harmonious and earnest, and will bring forth good fruit. The resolutions, the essays, the speeches and the action of the body, all showed that the great material interests of the country are being zealously looked after, wher ever and in whatever capacity their representatives meet. .The Inter-State Farmers' Associa tion planted itself solidly, squarely and enthusiastically on the great platform of the Alliance: "Equal rights to all and special privileges to none :" It declared in emphatic terms -against jute bagging and the jute trust, and adopted unanimously the stalwart resolutions of the Hon. W. -J. Green, which were adopted by our State Alliance against trusts, pom bines, pools and monopoly. The As sociation elected its officers, exce'pt Mr. Youmans, of South Carolina was elected Vice-President from the State at large, and Mr. C. F. Vandeford, of Nashville, Tenn., was elected Secre-' tary. It will meet in the city of Nash ville op the third Tuesday in August next. I will give the proceedings more particularly hereafter. I was for- . tunate m having the privileged visit ing the Georgia State Alliance in ses ' sion in .-'this city to day, it was a large body of earnest, . intelligent, patriotic and bramy men. Indeed' cannot remem.oer ever to nave pen a body of farmers superior to tais, l n I. was profoundly impressed with the fact that they were, to a man, tre-1 mendously in earnest. But I must stop. Greatly worn by the excessive labors of the past ten days, I must seek " the sleep and rest so greatly needed. Let The Progressive Farmer tell our good brethren in North Carolina that Georgia and the whole South are with them in their resistance to trusts and combines; that we will throttle the bagging trust; that thousands of gamblers in futures all over the land are shaking in their boots" because the v cannot buv the - cotton aV the price at which they sold it;. that the .Trust and the Liverpool Cotton Ex change may resolve to their hearts content against . cotton bagging, but thej.wiU be forced to surrender to us; that the farmers must not listen to the speculators and conspirators, but stand firmly together, and a: brighter day- will soon dawn upon us.4-Georgia adopted a resolution urging every cot ton farmer in theSouth not to sell a pound of cotton for less than twelve and. a half cents per pound. -n All the States, as far as heard from, ado)t the constitution for the 'consoli dation! Hurriedly," L:L.P. ' P. S.-Ari Alliance man' a regular "Georgia cracker," came dressedout and out in cotton bagging. Three hundred - and sixty members: in- his county have uniform suits pt it ana they are. literally the, cotton, bagging A VALUABLE BULLETIN. R, VEASEr, Botanist Of the U. S Department of Agriculture, says the Chicago Farm, Field and Stockmdn, has just completed a newj bulletin .on the agricultural grasses of the United States, comprising not only the infor mation -contained in the bulletin on the same important subject, issued in 1884, but. a great many important ad ditions. There is" ah important, and interesting chapter upon " the 'cultiva tion of grass as an agricultural indus try," containing many historical facts,' and numerous very practical suggestions:- In addition also to the scien tific description given of each variety or species of grass for the benefit of more investigating minds, . the Doctor gives considerable information or a more practical nature" in regard espe cially to those grasses which have been found by experience to be the best adapted to the wants of farmers m ainerent sections oi trie country. Practical suggestions, for instance, in regard to the quantity of seed required ere, as to date of sowing, . best time for cutting, the soil and climate to which the various grasses are specially adapted, and in the case of pasture, suggestions as to the proper combination of different grasses to sedure the best results; all these facts are plainly set forth, so as to be with in the comprehension of any prac tical and ordinarily intelligent reader, however unfamiliar with scientific names The report on the chemical composition of American grasses by Mr. Richardson has also been repro duced in an appendix to the present bulletin, as well as a glossary of the terms used in describing grasses. The work will be embellished with 100 plates. The bulletin comprises a number f valuable comments both from botan ists and scientific observers, and from practical farmers giving their opinions and experiences with the different grasses. Altogether it is probably the most complete publication on the grass question yet issued in a prac tical and convenient form, and should be, . as it doubtless will be, found in the library of every intelligent, pro gressive farmer. EDITORIAL NOTES. The Eiffel Tower (Paris) was struck by a thunder bolt on the 20th inst. without any serious damage be ing done. . .g The .Chicago Farm, Field and Stockman says: "Never before i&Jhe history of this country has there .been such a desire and concentration of effort for the education and enlighten ment of farmers as at the present time." r . The Baptists, Methodists and Presbyterians of Norwood, Stanly county, united in a meeting last week. Up to Friday night there had been about" thirty conversions and the meeting was 'still going on. The awakening is interesting and wide spread. . . -. The farmers' Alliance in the neighborhood of. aurinburg in Rich mond county, will hold a grand- anti trust, basket picnic -next Thursday, the 29 th inst., to ; which a number of speakers ' have' been invited, among them the editor of this paper, and he will be present. -. Stanly county' voted last Thurs day ; ori" a proposition to subscribe $100,000 to the capital stock of Hhe Yadkin Railroado be built" from Salisbury to Norwood. The subscrip tion was carried by a majority of 701, and the prospect for the early build- ing oi me roaa seems to De good. " . J is sad that among the rnem bers Of the present ' Georgia Legisla ture , Jthere is an old-jtime typical darkey. Mis name is Mclver, and he represents the county of Liberty, the 'i 1 B Ml . l ' stamping ground oi ine numerous false Messiahs King Queen Marys. He is years old, " and has the the family carriage Solomons and more than 70 appearance of driver of the wealthy ante-bellum Southern planter, The Charleston News and Cou rier, of the 21st mst., says: "A well known dealer and exporter of rice said yesterday that the outlook for the rice crop is now exceedingly gratiiying. Keports from differen sections say that the rice is in excel lent condition, in fact better than for years. The crop on the Pee-Dee and D the South Santee -rivers is, howe ver, i under water to a great extent and is badly damaged. if .the cr9ps - Else where are. not overflowed .saidi-'.the dealer, and the weather is favorAble, you can make the . prediction that the crop wiu oe very nne. x, ougnt to commence "coming in within the next three weeks?" ; ; Latah county, Idaho, comes to th front with an ice mine. The dis covery was made in Pine Creek Can yon,- it is - said, two - tnousand' leet above the sea. -A chilline: cutrent of air, comming frpm the , directi on .of a bed of moss was the nrst thng,,tnat attracted the attention of - a oartv .of geologists to it.; They remov'edjthe moss and discovered a vein of ice 500 ieet long and from four to six inches thicks . The several layers of bowlders, debris and ice alternated to a depth of forty feet. The geologists think this formation belongs to . the glacial period. , . We are gladto be able to an nounce that Col. Mann Page, of Bran- doh, Ta., has consented to contribute - " i;- M vlii'f i- I'm . S m an article orreries oi arucies ror. xuje Pboobkssive Farmer'; on railroads. His well-known ability, his great op portunities for knowing the "true in wardness " of the situation makes him pre-eminently fitted for the task. The Colonel. is Vice-President of the Vir ginia State Alliance, and we appreciate and thank him for his compliment to Thk Progressive Farmer for taking the position it has, and adds " That every brother should ' subscribe for" their , papers and so encourage such papers as are willing: to lav before the people the naked facts in regard to the, management of chartered lines of public transportation how they are conducted and to whom partialitv is shbwn, and that cannot be bought up to remain silent for railroad advertise ments and free tickets' " :' L'J The 'experiment statioBis of. the United States are now said to employ more than three hundred and seventy experts in agricultural science and practice, and are - supported by a na- lonal appropriation of $600,0,00, to which the States add about $125, - OOU; $7z5,uuo a year may seem a arge sum to expend annually for agricultural experiments, but it is less than ten cents for each of the 7,500,- 000 farm-workers of the country, less than two and one-half cents for each of the 30,000,000 of our population directly dependent upon agriculture for their support, and less than one and one-fourth cent for each of the 60,000,000 of our people who consume the products of our farms. The farm ing lands, farm implements, and live stock of the country are estimated to be worth $12,000,000,000. : Tbe ex periment stations cost us, therefore, about $b.25 a year for every7 million dollars invested in agriculture. Or reckoning the annual value" of the products of our farms at $2,2u0,000,- 000, we are now spending about 33 1-3 cents for every thousand dol lars' worth of products in an attempt to increase the value of those products m future years. PORTRAITS. Echoes from our State Alliance. j. ibb vuuuiijr waa vcij iuituuatc 111 its selection. Bro. E. A. Moye is brim full of energy and devotion to the We gave you in No. 28 our ' impres sions of our President-elect, Bro. Carr, and we are disposed to add, un less we are greatly mistaken, there will be some effective work done in the next two years. Bro. R. J. Powell, of Wake, is a clear-headed, practical farmer, who was always on the alert and kept the good of tne Alliance ever before him. Cool, clear and lucid, he invariably made a good impression in his talks, j CoU Wharton Green, the classical, made a .very excellent speech. Hi3 wit was pungent, his illustrations to the point; and in short, he was master of his subject. We regret we could not accept his very kind-invitation. Bro. A. H. Haves, our newlv elected V " J Vice-President, is very tall a good type ot trie mountaineer. He is an able man, and will be found at his pusb, aiiu. uiu Axxiauce neeu nave no fear that our cause will' suffer at his hands. - ' '- - " -; The great constitutional defender was. Bro. Geo. Williamson, of Caswell. His devotion to first principles, his watchfulness lest our' oreranic law snouia De tampered witn, was notice jable, and he earned his title of " De fender " fairly.! : " Our. worthy brother Capt. ;W. A Darden, the retiring business agent, is a very effective and forcible sneaker. He was re-elected, but he could not serve on account of his health. He carries with .him the good wishes of tne entire brotherhood. Some one has suggested that Old Fogy's picture ought to be in The xtrogressive Jb armeb. You know what Burns says about seeing our selves as others see us: so. profitino- bv his thought, I submit ourffighting editor's picture of myself:- Sixty years of age, grey-headed, and with full long, white beard, sunken eyes, complexion similar to a piece of-chimney-corner bacon,- a little dried up old man, and a -natural born crank. " active in the , cause, ; and has taken a strong posit on in reference to rail roads, v and r we doubt not his people will stand by him." Would that every county would -pledge its members5 to support a Railroad Commission. , -. . . . -.. - Our Trustee, -Bro, Graham, is a live, energetic man. He has enough energy' to run a camp meeting" and have as much left as ord inary mortals have, -.Brim-full of life, his jpyousness of spirit permeates all around ;. him. His reports show him to be careful and painstaking. Why is it that' we do-not send sucH men to the Legislature as was sent up to. the State Alliance ? I would 'like to, place in. nomination- Bro. V. S. Wilson for the Senate. Our assistant lecturer well said that when he spoke, in every sentence there were " chiinks of wisdom- - v v ;' "' : Our retiring -Lecturer, Dr. I. Reid Parker, is tall and. slenderly built, of good address and he has done good work. It is said that he still "dreams." We think if he could lecture all over the State, the ".dry ing process would not have to "be continued.: . icr Bro. J. M. Mewborne ,was, elected to fill Bro. Tv Ivey's placets a mem- per oi ine executive uommittee. tie is a hard worker and is 6yer ready" to defend the . faith. The convention was very fortunate in the selection1 of its- officers,, and. : Bro. . Mewborne will not take second rank. Bro. Long,1 our Lecturer, is, we should think, abOut 55 years of age. He is a very distinguished look ing,1 ' high forehead, clear - eye, and said to be a very forceful talker. He was quite unwell and we were denied the pleasure of hearing, him. We predict that he will do our cause great good. Col. L. L. he Colonel, ess task to Polk. Every body knows and it would be a use picture the most polite and affable and at the man in North Carolina, same time the hardest and most eloquent de the Farmers' Alliance, is a broad national man, will prove it. worker in, fender of, The Colonel and ere long Our Treasurer, Bro. J. D.- Allen, illustrates a very important truth that the farmers of North Carolina have men in their midst that can and do know how to do business correct ly. He has no ambition to go to Canada, and when in our vernacular he "toted" in the shekels, he looked every inch a model treasurer Brother Thad. Ivey, our Past Vice- President, is a young man of much force of character, the original Alli ance man of North Carolina, and just as devoted to the cause as any brother can be. He will take a col lege course and had it not been for his refusing on the grounds just mentioned he would have been re-elected. There are many others that Old Fogy would like to write about, some of them we became acquainted with and enjoyed their company more than we can tell; otners, we were not intro duced to, but this article is already too lengthy, and to these brethren I would say read the 13th and 14th verses of the 3d Epistle of John. Did vou ever have the pleasure of meeting our Past President, Hon. S. B. Alexander ? If not, that is your loss. He is above 6 feet in height, well formed, fine physique, forehead broad and high, 1 his reflective facul ties large, quite cautions, and the ladies say he is very handsome. We are sure he enjoys the confidQnce of the brotherhood, i and deservedly so. Who has not heard of the ubiqui tous Julian Allen ? He was there in person. His circumference equals his altitude, and he is ever ready and willing to give to the brotherhood his ideas for the good op ' the cause. Whether it is the great subject of im migration which he- has at heart, or the relative values of food, .or phosT phatic formation, he is equally felici tous. ' Our hew Business Agent, Bro. W. H. Worth is a worker. He has plenty of it before him. He shakes your hand from the shoulder, and. we be lieve. will . acceptably fill' the place. Right here I would offer some advice. The Business Agency Fund is not yet raised. He oan do nothing but secure the- cotton -bagging, etc., and make arrangements for the fall supply of guano for the wheat districts. Do not expect more than this. His hands are tied. Raise the fund, and you will hnd that he will secure you bot; torn rates on everything. Do not imagine that he can furnish thousands of yards of bagging without funds. Make your arrangements to pay for the cotton bagging, and he will fur nish it. You have all heard of " the singed cat." We had one at the State Alii ance." He was a typical hayseed er. As we first saw him oh the street, his walk anything but ;gracefuW-hair disheveled, a short-stemed clay pipe in his month, he looked anything but an .orator. .But when Bro. J. 3. Freeman, of Henderson county, got aroused he had the undivided atten tion of his audience. I have listened to Hale, Everette, Daniels; Yorhees, 5?alandighamv to our own Yance fend scores of others, f but I; never, heard such a voice before. Not only great volume but ta. rythmitic sweetness that was wonderful. We. hope the "twin, babies " are boys and that they will take a up their, father's mantle, tx--.7C.-v.-.-. .-. : ::: : Old' Fogy: ALLIANCE: NOTES. . Always give the-name, .and number of your Alliance, your, postoffice . and . ypur county, plainly,; when you" write to " the Pre)siaent, Secretary, ' Trustee,' Business Agent or Chairman of Executive Com mittee" of the State Alliance.- ': ' -There are nineteen hundred and forty-three Alliances in' the State of North Carolina up to date. v "? - J)h August 9th Bro W.' L. For tune "organized Macon County Alii- anqe. There were represented thirteen ; Sub-Alliances. ,r rr--Southern Alliance Farmer says the ffeorgia, State Alliance is a pretty big , child f or,a j year and a half old and ' requests us to ."just wait until she is grown.". ,: '';. - D.;- P. Meacham, Lecturer for Wake County Alliance, will lecture at ; Dutchman Alliance; Saturday, Sept. 7th, at 10 a; in. : Also at arm Hill Alliance on Saturday, Sept. 21st;, at 10 a. m. ""' Y In Georgia there are i,030 A1U-; ances pledged against , jute ..-bagging, and 1,555 in ..Alabama and 1,943 in North Carolina, '. which will, give a healthy boom to tthe new cotton :bag ging enterprise. The Mitchell county (Ga.) Alli ance has arranged for ah imposing jute bagging funeral some r time this month. The pall bearers have been selected and all the details arranged. Rev. : Mr. Hoggar will preach the funeral. -Rock Ridge Alliance, in Nash county, .will have a basket pic nic and speaking on the 12 th of September. The editor of this paper has accepted an invitation to be present. A brother writes that they expect the largest crowd ever seen in Nash county. An exchange says: "Every cot ton planter in America should place his order for cotton bagging at once, and refuse to use jute if -presented as a free gift. Never mind the tare in England, leave that to 'Uncle Jerry;' he and Uncle Sam will attend to the tare." -A brother writes: "Bladenboro Alliance, No. 528, will not patronize any ginner who uses jute bagging. We are in good working order now, and to pledge Ourselves to do a thing simply means it will be done! Corn and potato crops are very good. Cot ton rather short. Long live The Pro gressive Farmer." There will be a call meeting of Nash County Alliance to convene in Nashville on Saturday, September 7th, at 1 0 o'clock, sharp. All Sub Alli ances that do not meet in time to select delegates are requested to have call meetings at once to select dele gates. Jas. . H. Exum, President; Sam. R. Hilliard, Secretary. With the present prospect for a big cotton crop we predict that two thirds will be covered with cotton bagging. The Alabama State Alli ance, at its recent meeting, said cot ton only for covering cotton. Have no fears for Georgia, gentlemen, she is in fii e shape and lots of cotton bag ging on hand and paid for. Atlanta Farmer; -- The wish of the Liverpool ex change to continue the use of jute is probably brought about by the Eng lish factors and brokers in compliance with - the wish of their clients, the English spinners, who, no doubt, are alarmed at the prospect of the large consumption of cotton that will be necessitated by the "manufacture of cotton bagging: R. G.' Russell, of South Lowell, writes us: If you will look on the roll of "r honor you will . see New Hope, if 6. 516, Durham county, is credited with $105.00. Now I know that, all who paid into this, fund were One horse farmers or rentersliterally ; yet! they could pay at the rate of six dollars . each- Comment is unneces sary. But you must ; let: this 3 be known. " . ',, ..- Brother Jas. B. Stanly,? writing from Jones county, says, "We have very sorry crops in ; this county . of both, cotton and corn, caused by ex cessive rains, tl- want to go around and visit the Alliances in this county this fall, and make an effort, to get every member of the order to sub scribe for The Progressive Farmer I find that the most active and efficient members in the order are those who are readers of The Pro gressive Farmer. Indications are that we now are on the eve of a new boom in our county in the Alliance cause. The very best of good feeling and profes- Biviio in uui wuuty towards the Alii ance. ine worse araw back that w Eave had to encounter was the war of a real, live county business age We believe we have now the S man in the right place. g 1 Bro. Wm. H, Williams sends u two subscribers and says he is doio kll he can to get the members of tl? Alliance; to;Aub'scribe fcr; The gressive Farmer. 'He says: '!. the necessity zof it Those whn j!? the organ of the Alliance are alwav ready to do all' they can to promm ine cause, xnose wno do not read are careless even-about attending meetings." The women are getting to L fine -.workers in our : Alliances. jf0 one knows so well as a woman hot to practice home economy. Men more extravagant by nature and often ustedixand . feje.s1that.her.husbay gyes -her due consideration, there no danger of her squandering either time or money. Southern Alliance. Winstead Alliance; No. 799, Pet son county, has installed the folio ing officers for the ensuing term: C A. ; Rogers, : President : D. D. LnnJ Vice-President; T. S. Clay, Secretary! N. L. Wagstaffj Treasurer: R. j Brewer, Doorkeeper; Jas. Chatham Chaplain; Capt. T. J. Stephens, Lec. turer, and A. J. Hester, Business Agent. We number - sixty-three and are in good working order. Bro. J., A. Ellis, of Louis W iliancef writing . under date of Abb i iu,. eo-vo.. -; vv urganizeu dan. 31st. 1888, with only enough members to fill various offices ; but we have steadily moved onward and upward and to day we number , seyenty, all hearty, hale and strong, and a more determined set never entered the contest. "We have adopted resolutions indorsing the action of the Birmingham Con vention in regard to cotton bagging and the consolidation of the Allian and Wheel. We have ordered enough cotton bagging to cover our cotton. Much success to The Progressiyi Farmer. W. C. S., of South Durham Alii ance, No. 750, says that while his Alliance as a whole is a noble band of determined brethren, he is sorry to say that it has been necessary to ex pel some for being dilatory about the payment of their quarterly dues. We have adopted the act incorporating the Subordinate and State Alliances and endorsed the consolidation of the Alliance, Wheel and Union, and will abide by the decision of the Birming ham conference in regard to cotton bagging. I think the best plan to raise tne pusiness agency fund wowa be to tax every male member of the Alliance the sum of one dollar to be paid on or before the first day of October next. Correspondent J. R. Roberson, o? Cross Roads Alliance, No. 1,058, Pitt county, writes: "Jos. L. Wynn, $ young man of fair promise, not yet out of his teens, but one of the charter members and Treasurer of our lodge, had been to the depot at Everettsville and loaded upon his cart a barrel of molasses and started home, when he met a team hauling logs, at which his mule took fright and ran away. One of the wheels falling in a ditch threw .the young man from the cart and the barrel on top of him, the rim of the wheel also striking his head. He was taken home, but died in about three hours. His funeral took place on the 23d ult., from the Church of Christ, Elder Ayers preaching the funeral sermon. His aged father has the deep sympathy of the entire commun ity. Crops are spotted and very poor. The great quantity of rain with severe freshets this year makes the country look like starvation. The damage to date, to cotton and corn, cannot fall short of 50 per cent. Wheat yield was good but a great deal was dam aged by sprouting. The potato crop is promising and so is rice and pea nuts. We number about 80, with about 16 of the fair sex. FIELD PEAS FOR FODDER. It is stated in the American Agri culturist that tba field or cow pea is one of the most valuable plants for the v South. vThe. writer has seen a crop of cow peas - which yielded four tons to the acre of most excellent fod-der-and?it"left 'the:ground in the best condition, for . sowing wheat. He knows of another farmer who sowed peas among-his corn at the last plow ing, cpvering them with the plow, and the yield of the two crops was a ton and a half of corn fodder and at least thirty bushels of peas to the acre, with, a large quantity of pea straw, which was. also a good cattle food From this he very sensibly concludes that the common opinion prevailing that the South is not a stock country is entirely unfounded. With the long growing season, the really rich, but badly-managed soil, and the great variety of fodder crops and feeding stuff, it is not at all exagerating matter to say that the beef cattle cafl be raised to 1,000 pounds in three years, at a cost of one cent per pound live weight, and in addition there is large quantity of manure which is really invaluable to the Southern farmer. -