Newspapers / The Progressive Farmer (Raleigh, … / May 14, 1895, edition 1 / Page 1
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PROGKESSIV 1 1 1111 THE 1NDUSTKIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF STATE POLICY. RALEIGH, N. C MAY 14, 1895. Vol 10. No. 14r EAEMBR rHE NATIONAL FARMERS' ALLI- ANV'C' ixrti- '""v UNION. Prcsident-J. iTwilletts, Topeka, KVice-Pre8ident-H. C. Snavely, Leb- reSryr-Col. D. P. Dun can, Columbia, a. . irrTTonnVE BOARD. MM S T) Mann Hi j tt: . T p "noon fage, vttt VnT.V. FT fl Dnm- Sine- Secretary. Harrisburg, Pennsyl Marion Butler, Raleigh, N. C. 7tUJJ" ' JUDICIARY, o a. Southworth, Denver, Colo, o V. Beck, Alabama, tf. D. Davie, Kentucky. CAROLINA FARMERS' STATE ALLI ' ANCE. president J. M. Mew borne, Kinston, '-President A. C. Shuford, New-eta'ry-Treasurer-W. 8. Barnes, uVfr-Cyrua Thompson, Rich waidJ. T. B. Hoover, Elm City, "aplain-Dr. T. T. Speight, Lewis r'keeper-Geo. T. Lane, Greens-tkntDoor-keeper-Jas. E. Lyon, DleratCirms-J. R Hancock, Wffii2 Agent-T. Ivey, Bal- SBusmes, Aeency Fund-W. a. Graham, Machpelah, N. . tXECUTIVTE OOMMTTra OF THE NORTH 0AR0USA FAR34ER3' STATE ALLIANCE. Marion Butler, Goldaboro, N. C.;J . r Eokft. N. C; A. F. Hileman, Concord, N. C. a TATE ALLIANCE JUDICIARY O03IMITTEE. Jno. Brady, Gatesville, N. C. ; Dr. J. F. Harrell. White ville, N. C; John Graham, Ridgeway, N. C. wtij Carolina Reform Press Association. Otfcers-J. L. Ramsey, President; iarim Butler, Vice-President; W. & tarnes, Secretary, PAPERS, nereeaive Farmer. State Organ, Raleigh, Whltakers, Ooi Rome. Beaver Dam, Ue Populist, Lumberton, Tue Peoples Paper, Charlotte, TfceVe;;bule, Concord, Tie Plow-Boy. Wadesboro, vlhot Blade. Peanut, n.c, N. C N.C. N.C. N. C. N. C. N. C. N. C. N. C. N.C. Each of the above-named papers are luat<o keep the list standing on he jlntpage and add others, provided ihey are duly elected. Any paper fa il mg to advocate the Ocala platform will . dropped from the list promptly. Our xopk can now see wlvat papers are !"liihed in their interest. AGRICULTURE. It is a fact that fruit trees can be greatly benefitted by spraying the trees with suitable emulsions. The quantity aad quality of fruit can be largely in creased. The same ia true of vegetables, etc. The feet of foals very seldom receive tie care and the frequent inspection so necessary to their future perfection of fam and soundness. Horses' feet, from thi3 cause alone, frequently become de formed, defective and unhealthy. It requires good judgment to buy Worses successfully, and it requires just good to sell them. Farmers should to know what kind of a horse ia wanted, and then if in their stock they have such a one to spare they can sell a profit. The easier way seems to be the bet to in strawberry culture. The matted rowa prove themselves bearers of larger and more abundant berries than when '-ev we kept in stools. This is an un inspected result, but careful experiment fcia shown it to be so. Grooming removes dust and secre tions thereby soothing the animal and tabling thft nores of thp skin fcn rpr form their proper functiDns. Careful aai regular grooming has an import t itfl aence on ihe health of the horse, &esidea adding greatly to its appear ance. mi iG9 eeedmin who makes the grow l3?of seeds thp hiisinpsfl nf his life em- Ulch snil and mih methods of tivat y to prevent revision, but develop 4 to fix a higher type. Ic ia not to Kent we owe the discovery of the vegetables we now grow in our srdsti?. lQeV TTT i 1 , 4uire mucn care. v im me ta day3 they love to go foraging to the Woodlands or the meadow, and thu 41 J UG 14 UaSo Ol UlStWbCl, UCVaUQO ' ay not return at night, ana the (Q y days are hard upon the young i but these tender turkey poults Btte be hardiest of birds when ma- BEANS AND PEAS. Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer. I am prompted to take up my pen from reading in a late issue about "home gardecs," "nutriment in pota toes," etc., and the following in the Evening Visitor: "The South is ad vissd to raise more corn, and the whole country may safely add to its acreage of beans. Nearly a million bushels of beans were imported last year, and ad vancing prices show that it is a neg lected crop." A good many beans were raised in North Carolina that were not harvested, the time being spent in harvesting cot ton or other crops. Beans or peas are a valuable food for man or beast. For man their value as diet can be seen from the fact that they contain the some elements of nutrition as flesh meats, only in a much larger propor tion per pound and cost much less. Beans and peas contain three times as much nourishment per pound as beef, poultry, fish or eggs. They contain the same elements of nutrition and in a proportion better adapted to the needs of the system than do fleshmeats. Besides oil, the system demands al buminous or tissue building elements and carbonaceous or heat producing, on an average of about one of the former to six of the latter. Beans and peas contain all these elements, but not in this proportion, the tissue or flesh pro ducing elements being somewhat in the excess, but not nearly so much so as flesh meats. To live on. either alone. much of the tissue elements would go to waste and would be a clog in the sys tem. Either should be combined with some article which lacks in tissue ele ment8, as potatoes, rice, etc. Wheat, oats, corn, bananas and dates contain these elements in the most per fect proportion, and each are used as the chief article of diet in some coun try. Gluten in wheat contains the tissue building, and starch the heat producing elements. In fine flour the gluten has been largely bolted out, so if people should live largely on bolted wheat flour aDd potatoes, they wculd get weak and would crave meat or somethin g containing more tissue-building material. Beans or peas will fill this want more cheaply than fl-sh mea s, and would be more healthy ; as most animals at best are more or less diseased, and meat decays more readily than legums or grains. Again it would be better for most people if more whole wheat or graham flour were used. There are some objections to the use of beans and peas. Tney have a tough, indigestible skin, but this can easily be removed after boiling by rubbing through a c slander, and then simmer a while. Generally beans are better baked. Beans or peas for health should never be cooked with meat or grease. To an unperverted taste they will relr'sh better and digest more readily. Yes, farmers, raise more beans and peas, and be sure to harvest and take good care of them. Then eat more and save your money and your health. R. A. Burdick. It is claimed that the output of all the manufacturing concerns in the United States sells for three times as much as the total sales of farm prod ucts. Great inequality somewhere. Perhaps it is because the farmers are not so well organized as the manufac turers. SWEET POTATO CULTURE. Correspondence of the ProgTetsive Farmer. Rocky Mount, N. O. I will write my mode of sweet potato culture and care. I see in Bulletin No 112 of the N. C. Experiment Station, that sweet potatoes cured in a tobacco barn would keep much better than in the sun or air. This I did not know, but I fully concur with the Experiment Station in many points. Except for very early crop, I find it much better not to draw the sprouts from the bed. I bed my tubers about 3 or 4 inches apart and let stand until vines run 3 or 4 feet long, then cut vines up in pieces with three joints or leaves and set two in the ground and leave one leaf out. In cutting vines I do not cut very close to the ground the first time, the second cutting the vine may be pulled up and cut all the vine up in short cuttings. I find I can set as much land from orle bushel of feed tubers in this way as I can from two or three the old way of drawing all the sprouts from the bed, besides I get better potatoes and more to the land and a better stand in dry weather from cuttings than from sprouts. If the weather is very dry I would prefer my cuttings a little longer and coil around the band and put the coil in the ground, though the potatoes will not grow as large when there is too much vine in the ground as with a shorter cutting. If this finds the waste basket, I will not be discouraged, but will write again soon. Hope I may be able to send some subscribers and renewals soon. If this gets in print and some one profits by my experience, its mission will be ful filled. J. A. Thomas 4 i i WEEKLY WEATHER CROP BULLETIN For the Week Ending Monday, May 6, 1895. Central Office, Raleigh, N. C. The reports of correspondents of the Weekly Weather Crop Bulletin, issued by the North Carolina State Weather Service, for the week ending Monday, May 6, 1895, indicate a generally un favorable week. The continuous rains prevented any plowing or other out door work until the last day or two of the week, and the week closed with the ground too wet for good work. The heaviest rains occurred in the eastern portion of the State and the least in the west. There was a large excess every where, except in the extreme west and northwest. Scarcely any sunshine at all during the week. The temperature was considerably below normal during first three days. Vegetation made good progress, however. The most serious result of the week's bad weather is the stopping of plowing and plant ing. Farmers are very far behind everywhere. Eastern District On account of the continued rainy weather scarcely any work was done during the week. Too wet to plow at all until Monday, the 6th. Lands were badly washed in some localities. Lowlands on the Roan cke and Cape Fear rivers and on many of the creeks were overflowed. Corn is not all planted yet ; early planted is up and the stand is generally good; acreage of corn will be large. A large ! TITO. ' We are pleased to call attention of our readers to the above illustration respecting theLightning Hay Press, manu factured by the Kansas City Hay Press Co. , Kansas City, Missouri. See their ad. in another column. Mention The Progressive Farmer in writing them ' v per cent, of cotton not yet planted. Strawberries are being shipped ; will be an average crop from present indica tions ; the heavy rains bf at down vines badly in some places. Tobacco plants are ready to be set out as soon as soil is ready ; transplanting will begin about May 6th. Green peas are being shipped. Rice reported late. Outlook for fruit still very good. The very wet weather may cause some seeds to rot in the ground, but the chief damage, perhaps, is in the delay of farm work. Central District There was not quite so much rain in the central por tion of the State as m the east, but there was enough to stop plowing until Saturday, and it could be done only on highest lands then. Cotton planting is very backward ; planting will not be finished before the 20 th in some coun ties. Some cotton that was planted early is up, with pretty good stand. A large portion of corn still to be planted. Notwithstanding the cloudy, wet weather and low temperature wheat, oal s, clover and grasses are all reported as growiDg finely, except in a few localities. Tobacco plants are plentiful and ready to be set out. Irish potatoes are doing well. Gardens late, but growing off nicely. Western District farmers were able to work during the last three days of the week in this district. In the x treme west and north w ss the rain has noc been excessive, but rather favor able to vegetation. Over most of the district, however, there was too much rain ; but little plowing could be done and planting is still behind. There is still much corn to be planted, as well as cotton. Tobacco plants are fine and plentiful; large enough to set out. Wheat, oats and clover all fine. Corn that was planted early is up with good 8tand. Irish potatoes coming up, but are badly damaged by bugs in some places. HOKTICULTURE PRUNING THE SCUPPERNONG GRAPEVINE. Among the old growers of the Scup pernong grape the idea has long ob tained that it is injurious to both fruit and vine to prune the branches, or to plow about the roots. Hence most of the vines have been allowed to grow unrestrained and without soil cultiva tions for years. All that is regarded as necessary ia to keep a good high trellis upon which the canes can freely spread and offer ease and convenience in the gathering of the grapes. Piling muck and leaf mold about the main vine at the root is also recommended when the soil is naturally thin, But recent experiments at the Ala bama State Experiment Station at Au burnas well as elsewhere have shown conclusively that injurious re sults do not always follow close and severe pruning of vines, nor from close cultivation about the roots with the plow. It may be said also that no de cidedly good results have been obtained in regular pruning of the vine. It was thought for a while that both siz9 and quality of the fruit were improved by the close pruning; but while this belief was questioned, or denied sharply, the facts in the experiments show that the great loss occasioned by the removal of many valuable fruit bearing canes cut from the parent stem in the prun ings does not have adequate compensa tion in the increased size of the berry nor in the supposed improvement of flavor. Connoisseurs tell us that the Scuppernong grape and its pure wines are good enough even as products of the unpruned vine. This appears to be one instance where it is well enough to let nature have her way, only assist ing her in making a convenience for yourself in gathering the fruitage. Toe Scuppernong is unlike the ma jority of grape vines in another re- - AJh - I spect. It does not come into full bear ing until nature has taken her own good time to produce sufficient roots and rootlets to sustain properly the fruit crop which develops on the cares. In the case of many of our best domes tic or cultivated grapes, the tendency is to overbear, and to overbear espe cially in the tender ages. And hence the necessity for the regular cutting back for two or three years before al lowing am fruit to grow. In some of the varieties, the vine will die before its fourth year if allowed to grow all the fruit its unpruned branches will start. The Scuppernong seldom produces a good crop before its fifth year. In the meantime the roots have run far be yond the length of the topmost canes, while the soil beneath is one mass of tiny and tough rootlets and suckers, which absorb and feed on every kind of fertilizer that can be reached by them in their ramifications. By all means eive the Scuppernong a liberal allowance of plant food, and then let the canes grow to their utmost extent and limit keeping a good and secure trellis underneath. American Agri culturist , RASPBERRY. The best method is to open a furrow six or eight inches deep, putting the plants in the bottom. The red kinds may have the furrow entirely filled at once. Blackcaps should not be covered deeply, two or three inches being sufficient, and then the soil should be drawn around the plants as they grow. Six feet between rows for the reda and seven for the blacks is about right, and eighteen inches and two feet between the plants respectively in the rows ia practiced. Upon heavy soils, early spring is the best time for planting. Care should be taken when removing plants at this time that the young sprouts do not get broken. When the shoots have grown eighteen or twenty inches they should be nipped back. This summer pruning causes the plants to thicken up and be come self supporting without stakes. Numerous side branches will grow out, forming a plant at once bushy and productive. These remarks apply par ticularly to blackcaps. After fruiting, the old wood should be cut away and canes of last year's growth and all wood of the main stalks above three feet, and the laterals trim med back to within one and a half or two feet from the main stalk. When a field begins to fail, which it will do after four or five crops, it is better to plant a new one and entirely destroy the old. Hill planting is often practiced with red raspberries, and in this case the hills should be five feet apart each way, using two or three plants for each. But two or three sprout s should be allowed to the plant, and if grown in this way summer pruning, as for blacks, may be practiced. SPRAYING FOR FUNGI AND INSECTS. That Paris green and kerosene emul sions still remain the leading insecti cides, and that Bordeaux mixture is the best remedy for plant diseases, is the experience of the New York sta tion at Geneva. The knapsack spraj er is generally used, though extensive growers need a machine of greater capacity. The suction pipe should always enter the tank at the top, and the pump should be made of brass or brass lined. Hand pumps should allow the weight of the body to be used on the handle while at work. Vermorel I nozzles gives a better spray than the disk machines. For spraying potatoes and tomatoes a nozzle is needed which can be lowered between the rows, and directed so as to force the spray up through the vines. The agitator is needed to keep the poisons in solution. The best forms work up and down in an upright tank, like the dash in the old churn. Where the pump piston has a packing this should be often re newed. For killing cabbage worms and insects, no liquid has been found equal to dry Paris green applied with a hand sifter. Powder guns are useful for applying dry powdered poisons, pyrethruro, tobacco dust and sulphur, Bamboo extensions should be used in spraying large treep. The spray pump should be adapted to its work. LEVEL CULTURE FOR POTATOES Almost everybody now agrees that level culture produces the largest and best crops of potatoes. But it is im possible to have level culture unless the seed potatoes are planted deeply enough for the tubers to form under the soil. The constant tendency of the tubers is to rise as they grow. Thi, if the seed has been planted only one or two inches deep, makes it necessary to draw dirt around the hill, making a mound which sheds the water on either, side. This also cuts the potato roots in the middle of the row. It requires dry and rich ground to make successful deep plant ing and level culture possible. But soil without stagnant water near the sur face is always necessary for the potato crop. If the sub soil is filled with water through winter and spring, it is impos sible to grow good potato crops on such land the following season by any method. m : m-T -JL&A , IKIm . 1 1 7. I POULTRY YABB' POULTRY POINTS. No food will make hers lay like a liberal supply of wheat in some shape,, and a regular ration of green cut bone. Remember that milk in any form is good for laying hens. It contains all the elements of egg food, in almost the proper proportions. We want our farmers to keep more poultry and we want to hear from those who are taking good care of their fowls. Let us have your experience. If the fowls have a free run, give them a light feed of grain in the morn ing and a full feed at night, and they will find the extras during the day. Sometime s hens are found dead under the perches, while seemingly fat and in good condition. Often the trouble is that they are too fat and die of apo plexy. Every one who keeps hens knows of one or two or more which are persist ent layers. These should be bred from as they will transmit their good quali ties to their progeny. Don't fail to plant some eut flowers this spring, for sunflower seeds are the best single grain for laying hens that can be given them, and it is surprising what a quantity can be grown in c dd corners. Farm News, Springfield, O. The American Agriculturist saysr . "No delusion has emptied the pockets of a greater number of victims in this country than the poultry craze. More money has been wasted, actually: thrown away, probably, for elaborate and unpractical poultry houses than on any of the other buildings connec ted with a village or farm establish ment. We are not in favor of making: new recruits to poultry culture by the wholesale, but we do believe that help ful information should be fully given to those already keeping poultry that they may keep it at a profit rather than at a loss, or if successful that they may secure still greater success. THE CARE OF YOUNG CHICKENS, Millions of young chicks are born in May, and far too large a proportion do not live through the month. They should have frequent but small rations of dry rather than moist food, partly because they will thus eat more slowly. The first feed should be boiled egg- cooked very hard, so that it will crumble in fine pieces. When a week old cracked wheat can be added to the ration, and this can soon be superseded with whole wheat. A very important point is to change the location of the coop as often as every other day, placing it on a spot that has not had a coop on it the present year. Thia will prevent the spread of disease among, the young chicks. SALT FOR POULTRY. It is a common error that salt is fatal to poultry. This arose from the ill effects of allowing poultry to get at salt when they had not had it as part of their rations, and once they got access to it they ate enough to kill them. All soft food given to poultry should be salted about as much as the same amount would be for human use ; and if this is done they will never eat salt to excess if they are allowed to run where they can get at it. Salt is on of the necessary elements of the blood, and if it is not furnished in some shape the health of the fowls will be impaired and their productiveness lowered. American Farmer. SALABLE TURKEYS." All commission merchants agree that' it is the medium-sized turkeys that sell the most readily and are the mcst profitable, says the Farmers Voice. The birds should dress 8, 10 or 12: pound, according to the proportion of toms and hens, they say, and should look plump and clean. These birds are the first selected, and the others go off more slowly. At over 14 pounds a re duction in the price is demanded, while birds at 18 or 20 pounds are almost un salable at greatly rec uced rates. Of course there is some demand for large turkeys for hotels and boarding: houses, but the private family will have none of them, for two excellent reasors First, the oven in the aver age city house is too small to accom modate such a lordly bird, and, sec ondly, the size of the family not being in proportion, its members would rebeJ at the turkey 'a too frequent appearance at meals. It would be well for the turkey raiser to keep both these points in view and regulate the size of birds accordingly. He will save in feed andi get better returns for his flock. The day of the enormous gobbler is past. v
The Progressive Farmer (Raleigh, N.C.)
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May 14, 1895, edition 1
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