n
PROGBESSIVE
iMMER
THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF STATE POLICY.
RALEIGH, N. C, JULY 9, 1895.
Vol. 10.
No. 22.
""NATIONAL FARMERS' ALLI
TS ANCE AND INDUSTRIAL
UNION.
pident-J. iTwiUette. Topeka,
fce-Preeident-H. C. Snavely, Leb-
.'ry-Treasurer-Col. D. P. Dun
Columbia, S. C.
EXECUTIVE BOARD.
t Tnrka Huron, S. D. ; Mann
fl Brandon Virginia ; I. E. Dean,
BfSdls New York H. C. Dem
SretaxV Harrisburg, Pennsyl
rrSutleRaleigb, N. C.
' JUDICIARY.
r A Southworth, Denver, Colo,
o W Bock, Alabama.
D.' Davie, Kentucky.
.0BT3 CAROLINA FARMERS' STATE ALU-
Preeidcnt-J. M. Mewborne, Kinston,
-Fresident-A. C. Shuford, New-eSrj-Treasurer-W.
8. Barnes,
tukCyrus Thompson, Rich-iaDsard-J.
T. B. Hoover, Elm City,
S'aplam-Dr. T. T. Speight, Lewis
tCDoor kCeeper-Geo. T. Lane, Greens
SiIantDoor keeper-Jas. K Lyon,
Durham, N. C. TTanrmnk
gergeant-at Arms J. uancocK,
XBusi'Agent-T. Ivey, Hal-
Graham, Machpelah, N. C.
ixEcrmvE coimrrrEK of the north
FARMERS' STATE ALLIANCE.
Marion Butler, Goldsboro, N C.; J.
J. Long, Eoka,K C; A. F. Hileman,
Concord, N. C.
ifArr alliance: judiciary committee.
Jno. Brady. Gatesyille, N. C. ; Dr. J.
F. Harrell. Wnitevme, . ; juwi
crtD Carolina. Reform Press Association.
Oticera-J. L. Ramsey, President;
tanon Butler, Vice-President ; W. 6.
-nrnet. Secretary,
PAPERS.
Progressive Fanner, 8Ute Organ, Rlejgh, N. C.
Kr Hic::c.
a5i Whltakers, N. C.
Sr Home. Reaver Dam, n
Tie Populist. Lumberton, U.
The People's Paper, Charlotte, N. C.
Tie Vestibule, Concord, N. C.
Tie Plow- Boy. adesboro, N . C.
'jsslow Blade, Peanut, N. C.
Each of the above-named papers are
WMtstedto keep the list standing on
U first page and add others, provided
Aey are duly elected. Any paper fail
ng io advocate the Ocala platform will
m dropped from the list promptly. Our
wiple can noxo see what papers are
-vblished in their interest.
AGEICULTURE.
Plants will starve in any eoil, how
ever fertile, unless water is present to
dissolve the food elements and prepare
them for the plants' use.
Southern farmers are now. more than
ever determined to grow all the hay
and forage needed, instead of depend
ing on the North for them.
Reports from all parts of New Eng
land show that vegetation is suffering
considerably for the lack of rains. The
hay crop will be unusually light in
noet sections.
A3 much care should be taken to
fceep water away from a well con
structed road as is taken to keep it out
of the cellars of the houses, or from
leaking through the roof.
When on the pasture you can keep
the lighter breeds of mutton sheep in
flxiks at large, but it is better for them
and any sheep to be kept in as small
lota 6s it ig convenient to do. When
thousands; run together the Merino
would do tbe best.
It is an absurdity to suppose that a
tree can produce a full croD of sound
fruit after its hor;zontal roots have
been
cut away by deep plowing or
epaaiog, or when large limbs have been
cat away from the sides of the trunk
by a sudden pruning.
Remember that the trade once
topped becau38 of bad packing and
Pr fruit is hard to regain ; if it ever
be. Send your good fruit sorted
"J Itself, and if xrnn aarA nnnr fruit:
, . j v f T
uJQttOn outvmii nntncA with ennd
. . -e)v. o
a; you will rue it if you do. If you
a'tda the packing yourself, watch
kU man who does.
should not be hoed during
et weather. Tne moisture on their
;eavea will prevent them from drying
? while the roots against the moist
looened earth will get a root hold
ani send out new fibres. A weed once
r twice transplanted is almcs", as diffi-
al5 to kill ag a perennial. The only
ay to kill such a weed is to cover it
wet with moist goil Then the
!?? tQQ weed will cause it to rot, and
r8 wiU effectively check new growth
V4 we root.
YANKEE INGENUITY.
Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.
Washington, D. C.
"The world do move," and first
among those who "do move" with it,
will always be found the ingenious
Yankee.
The latest product of the Yankee
brain is an invention by which common
corn pith, which has been considered
a worthless raw material heretofore,
can be used in the place of cocoa cellu
lose, as a packing for the cofferdams of
ships of war.
With a view of proving the merit of
this new material, the Navy Depart
ment conducted comparative tests of
the cocoa and corn pith cellulose, at
the Indian Head proving grounds re
cently, in which tests the corn pith
was found to be greatly superior to the
cocoa cellulose. This very gratifying
result has awakened a lively interest
in the matter, and opens up the way
for the establishment of a new indus
try in this country.
As above stated, coacoa cellulose is
used as a packing for the ccfferdamsof
war ships, and while it is manufactured
in this country at Philadelphia, and in
California, still the raw material is a
foreign product, and its importation,
coupled wrh the fact that the convert
ing of this raw material into cellulose
is virtually a monopoly, makes the
manufactured article very expensive,
besides the fact that it compels "Uncle
Sam" to depend on a foreign country
for material with which to protect his
ships from tbe ravages of the ocean,
when wounded by these same for
eigners.
The Navy Department has recently
had its attention called to this new ma
terial, under the name of "Marsden's
American Cellulose, and the tests con
ducted at Indian Head were made with
this home product.
Secretary Herbert was seen by a
representative of the Associated Trade
and Industrial Pres3, and his opinion
asked in regard to this matter. Hav
ing been absent himself when the last
tests were made, he referred the re
porter to Conductor Taylor, who was
a member of the board who made these
teats. Mr. Taylor stated that the corn
pith had proved, under a savere test of
firing, much more satisfactory as a re
sistance to water than the oocoa cellu
lose, ar d that the only question now to
be settled by the board, before the
adoption of the American cellulose
would be recommended, was the dura
bility of the corn pith material. It had
been urged, he said, as an objection to
corn pith, that the presence of vermin
would sooner or later render this home
product unsatisfactory as a packing
for cofferdams, when compared to the
foreign product. Tois objection, (even
admitting that all corn pith was a har
bor for vermin) could be overcome by
the fact that the corn pith was subjected
to 8uah pressure as to obviate any dan
der to the substance from this source.
However, no official report of the re
sult of these tests can be obtained until
further experiments as to these points,
(which are now in progrf s ) are con
cluded. Nevertheless, Mr. Taylor gave
it as his opinion that the American
corn cellulose was greatly superior and
more desirable as a packing than the
cocoa cellulose now in use.
The object in packing the cofferdams
of war shif s with cellulose is to prevent
water from sweeping through shot
holes in the ship's side, and to thus
overcome any danger of the vessel
sinking, no matter how fierce the firing
from the attacking vessels may be.
B ing an indigenous plant, the fibres
of cocoa and corn, are so complicated
and so thickly woven that they exclude
a fluid; and it is this quality which
makes them so valuable as a resistance
to water which would come through
the ship's side when pierced by a shot.
In the stems of an indigenous plant
across section shows no distinct ring
of wood, and no separation into pith,
wood and bark ; but bundles of woody
fibre are irregularly scatterred through
the cellular tissue, orpith, though they
are less numerous in the centre than
at the circumference of the stems. The
corn stalk is an illustration of an an
nual indigenous plant stem, which
while young has an epidermis, but no
separate bark. Each one of its fibrous
bundles contain all the elements of the
exogenous stem. It is this peculiar
quality of its fibrous bundles, and the
fact that they are "more numerous at
the circumferences of the stems that
will make our corn pith so valuable as
a cellulose. Cellulose es made from
corn stalks, in the loose state is very
light, and susceptible to high pressure,
A test of the merit of corn pith cellu
lose, made in April, elicited the follow
ing facts :
A cofferdam was prepared and
packed with corn pith to about the
same density as cocoa cellulose, which
is about seven pounds per cubic foot.
Thi3 cofferdam was fired at with a 6
pounder Drigg's gun ; in one portion a
single hole, and in another portion at
the same level, five shots grouped in a
circle of about 4 inches radius. A head
of water was kept up, varying from
four to seven feet on one side of the
shot hole, and after three hours no
water had come through on the other
side of the cofferdam, the thickness of
the belt being about three feet. At
this time an examination was made,
and it was found that the water had
penetrated in the case of the single shot
hole to a depth of eleven inches only
from the orifice, and in the case of the
group of five holes to a depth of twelve
inches from the orifice.
Th( S3 results appeared so remarkable
that the Navy Department determined
to make further tests, as cocoa cellulose
has not been entirely sati -factory, and
in these tests a very decided superior
ity has been shown over the cocoa cellu
lose now used.
It has been the desire of the inventor
of this American cellulose to offer to
the government a material practically
inert and free from faults, with a view
to its general adoption on all vessels; a
native product both in growth and
manufacture, as well as in invention
He claims, with pride, that in put
tiDg before the public this corn cellu
lose, which will utilize a hitherto use
less raw material, he is able to offer a
clean, healthy, American product",
superior in every way to any known
material, and grown on American soil,
(which naturally ben fits our farmer)
free from acids or other injurious in
gredients, and with a low density of
one pound four ounces per cubic foot,
(cocoa celluloee being three pounds
eight ounces.) It is nearly two thirds
lighter than cocoa cellulose, and can be
made absolutely incombustible.
The corn pith cellulose will not oxid
ize iron or steel, and has no injurious
properties to act on or destroy any part
of a vessel.
This material has been patented, and
from the present outlook it will be
adopted as a substitute for cocoa cellu
lose, in which case our farmers will
come to the' front in a new line.
Manures usually increase the moist
ure contents of a soil, by improving the
mechanical arrangement of the soil
grains, and in this way becomes a
means to make its own food elements
better available to the plant, besides
unlocking fertility in the soil itself not
before available to the plant because
of insufficient moisture to dissolve it.
WEEKLY WEATHER CROP BUL
LETIN For the Week Ending Monday, June 29,
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 Saturday,
June 29, 1895, indicate another generally
favorable week. The temperature has
averaged one or two degrees above
normal, with about the average amount
of sunshine. Scattered showers occur
red on several days at a large number
of places, but there are points in all
districts, especially in the northeastern
part of the State, where rain is now
needed. Local heavy rains, with some
hail, occurred on the 26th and 27ch
without any serious damage. Cotton
is blooming in the SDUthern portion
of the State. Corn is doing very well,
and is being laid by generally. Thresh
ing wheat has just begun. Fruit is
coming in very abundantly.
Eastern District. The past week is
generally reported as having been very
favorable in this district. Good show
ers occurred, but poorly distributed.
Only one place in Co'umbus county
reported an excessive rain-fall, but in
the northern part of the district rain is
beginning to be needed. The tempera
ture has been high, with plenty of sun
shine. Crops are in a healthy condition
and continue to improve. Corn is tas
seling; laying by is general. Tobacco
is looking well and some beginning to
top. Blooms are reported to have ap
peared on cotton at Elm City, 26th,
Laurel Hill, 27 tb. S weet potato plants
are still scarce ; many are still to beset.
Large crop of field-peas being planted.
Berry crop ripe and very large. Melons
are late.
Central District. The rainfall this
week has been irregularly distributed,
with enough rain, however, at mcst
places to keep crops in a thrifty con
dition. Heavy rains, with hail and
high wind, did some damage in parts
of Cumberland, Chatham, Anson and
Forsyth counties. A few stations re
port rain needed badly. Corn is silking
and tsssehng in the South ; old corn is
being laid by. Cotton blooms are also
reported. Wheat nearly all harvested
m good condition and being housed.
Threshing has begun and will be gen
eral next week ; many farmers report
good results; others inferior. Oats
about ready also. Spring oats are get
ting ripe. There are a number of com
plaints of chinch bugs, especially in
northwestern portion of district. Peas
are being planted in stubble land.
Blackberry crop is very large and fine
Peaches ripe. Fruit coming in in
abundance.
Western District Tae week has
been warm, with frequent showers;
some places are becoming very dry, as
in Caldwell county and the wes where
gardens are beginning to suffer. In
general, however, it has been another
week of fine growing weather, farmers
from all sections reporting crops mak
ing good progress. Wheat, except in
extreme west, where it is now ripe, has
been about all cut, and is being hauled
in. Threshing has begun with what is
thought to be a very good yield. Spring
oats are looking well. Old corn is be
ing laid by. Pea sowing has begun,
and there will be a large crop planted
this year. Peach trees are full Fruit
ia plentiful in markets. Melon vims
are poor. Gardens and potatoes are
fiue.
.
A sheep that loses her lamb early in
the sees n will almost necessarily be
come too fat to make a good breeder.
The best that can be done with such is
to feed them extra, so as to fatten rap
idly and turn them off to the butcher.
The loss of lamb, unless it is from acci
dent, one season is almost invariably
followed by a like less from the tame
ewe the following year.
SECURING THE HAY CROP.
Correspondence of the Progressive Jarmer.
To the dairy farmer especially, a crop
of the finest qu ility of hay, harvested
at the right time and secured in the
best condition is one of the greatest im
portance. For them s' prtficable're
sults a variety of grasses, best adapted
to any locality, is desirable. It is sup
posed that proper attention has been
paid to this matter by the farmer.
Now concerning the harvesting and
preparing for use. Bth science and
practice have demonstrated the fact
that early cut hay is much the best for
the production of milk and butter. The
point at which the grasses are consid
ered in the most profitable condition
for this purpose is conceded to be as
nearly as possible when in bloom. If
cut earlier than this there will be a
loss in quantity and an immaturity of
crop ; while if allowed to stand too long
there may be a greater bulk but the
q iality will have ssriously deteriorated.
It will then contain far lcs3 of the
most nutritious and digestible qualities,
so much to be desired as a dairy or
stock feed. Those farmers who have
paid particular attention to the matter
have found out thesa facts.
With the average farmer it will
hardly be possible to secure all of the
hay crop when in its best condition, as
there will not be sufficient time for
this purpose, but with good manage
ment and propf r harvesting appliances
this work can be so conducted as to be
reasonably satisfactory.
First there should be good tools and
machines for facilitating this work, as
much will depend on this. Be ready
to commence when the first of the
grasses are ready for the harvest. It
may even be better to begin a little too
early than to be much too late in finish
ing
In modern barns there should be
room enough so that ttie different kinds
or qualities of hay can be kept separate.
This will be found of much advantage
when coming to feed and want
ing a particular quality of hay for
a special purpose, as for dry cows,
those giving milk, or ycuDg animals.
On most farms there will be some
pieces or may be fields of grass that to
make an average or fair quality of hay
must be harvested quite early. These
are the wild or water grasses, and
those places where the white daisy or
other kinds of weeds largely predomi
nate. The native wild grasses are held
in considerable esteem on some farms
where they particularly flourish, and
with proper management always cut
ting at an early stage possess consid
able value as stock hay. The others
are decidedly interlopers and should
be no longer tolerated than possible to
get them out of the soil. Cutting them
before going to seed is a step in the
right direction, after which the farmer
should make them give place to a far
more profitable crop.
After these kinds of fodder have been
secured and placed by themselves in
the barn, then the newly seeded fields
which are largely composed of clover
should be ready for harvest. There
comes perhaps the most difficult part
of haying, especially if there is a large
amount of clover to secure. This is
calculated to make the best kind of
hay for milch cows when secured in
right condition, but if it is allowed to
stand too long" before cutting, or is
badly cured, then it may rate second
or even thiid in quality.
For my own use I much prefer to
have the first new seeded crop com
posed of a mixture of the medium red
and alt ike clovers and timothy, for my
locality. Where this is the case theae
grasses can be readily and nicely cured
with little more labor than is required
for the timothy alone, and they make
the bess kind of hay for all kinds of
stock, except perhaps horses.
With the red clover alone it will be
necessary to go through with a more
elaborate process, cutting when the
dew is eff, perhaps in the afternoon,
and the next day after becoming par
tially wilted putting in cocks where it
may remain for a few days to slowly
cure and then after a little airing be
ready for the barn. The idea should
be to cure with as little exposure to the
hot sun as possible, and thereby retain
tbe leaves and blossoms the most di
gestable portion as well as the delicate
aroma for which this kind of hay should
be distinguished.
After the clover has been secured,
then the timothy, red top and other
later maturing kinds should receive at
tention. With such crops of these as
the farmer should aim to grow, and
harvested at the right time while yet
quite green and succulent, considerable
work ill be required to secure in the
be3t manner. But it will be found more
profitable to do a little extra work here
if necessary, thu3 securing the best
quality of hay, than to allow the crop
to stand until ripe when it will require
very little drying and be far less as a
milk or fl sh producing food. With
the use of the tedder the process of
curing can be greatly facilitated, the
hay being secured in less time and in
better condition. As to how much
hay should be dried will depend on
conditions. It should be dry enough
so as to come out of the mow bright,
free from smoke or rust. Hay for
hoisrs may be allowed to become a lit
tie more mature than should be the
case for cows, and in this way with
proper foresight and management the
entire crop on a well ordered farm can
be secured when in its best condition
for all kinds of stock, as with the pres
ent appliances for harvesting and the
improved condition of our fields, the
hay crop should be secured in one half
the time required or occupied a genera
tion or two ago. E E Towlk.
Franklin Co., Vt.
HORTICULTUEE
HORTICULTURAL HINTS.
Some species of fungi have neither
roots, stem, leaves, fl owers nor seed
and derive their nourishment through
pores.
In cultivating your apple trees you
may raise corn in it for a very few
years, providing you don't plant it too
near the trees, and will cut it up and
haul it out early in the winter, and by
no means make a shock around a tree.
Whether you plant yearlings or five-
year-olds, they will be about the same
size six or seven years after planting.
with the chances in favor of the
younger trees being the most firmly
rooted. But up to that time the older
trees will have paid decidedly the bast.
One thing is certain, as a rule the
horticulturist lives a little better than
the average of men, as he always has
plenty of fruit and vegetables to eat.
He uses 400 to 500 loads of manure an
nually, and his grounds show it. His
soil is an excellent one naturally.
TRAINING TOMATOES.
On this subject the Farm News says:
There are several plans that are good.
One is to drive four stakes around the
plant about two feet apart and fasten
crcssties to them, making a square sup
port and training the vines to grow 11 p
over these and droop down the outside.
This does very well if the' vines are to
be allowed to grdw as rankly as they
will, and where the crop is of any eiza
is about the best way we know of. For
the cumber of plants that are grown
in an ordinary garden we prefer to tie
each vine to a single stake three feet
high, ar d keep it pretty well pruned.
We allow a branch to start out and
grow until blossoms appear on it and
pinch it eff just above the blossoms.
All the numerous branches that spring
out along the sides are looked after
and kept pinctei eff and the whole
strength of the vine is reserved for a
few Lunches of fruit. This causes the
fruit to be larger and to mature better
and in the end about as much in weight
will be produc id as would be if the vine
were allowed to run wild. Tomatoes
stand any amount of fertilizing and
need a great deal of water if the weather
is dry, though they will survive the
severest drouth. We cover the surface
around the plants with tccapings from
the barnyard and gradually work this
fertilizer into the soil in the course of
cultivation. When we have occasion
to water the plants we put not less
than two gallons to each plant, and
the next nr rning cultivate the ground
thoroughly. Tnis liberal watei iog will
do for three or four days as the cultiva
tion makes a mulch of fine soil on the
eurftca aid prevents rapid evapora
tion. Tomatoes respond readily to
good c ire, and it pays to give it to
them.
IMPROVING CURRANTS.
E ery one is familiar with the c om
mon neglect of currant bushes, often
growing in grass under fences, and fre
quently treated with entire neglect.
Old, overgrown bushes, which have
grown into a mass of bush, should be
thinned and old stunted wood pruaed
out, and enriching and mellow cultiva
tion given. Or, often still better, the
whole bush may be taken up, divided
and replanted. The great point, says
a writer, is -to give rich, mellow and
continued cultivation
CAULIFLOWER.
The caul.fi wr ought to be much
more generally grown by every farmer
and every owner of even a small
kitchen garden than at preseLt, says a
writer, and it ought to constitute a
much more frequent part of the bill of
fareii every household, rich or poor
Ic is one of the most nourishing, easily
diges'ible, delicious, and easily and
quickly prepared vegetables grown.
There are scores of recipes for-cookhog
this moat del'cite esculent. While
cabbages require four and one-half
hours for digestion, cauliflower c in bo
digested in the course of two hours,
and may be enjoyed with benefit by
persons to whom cabbage would be
ruinous o ving to weak digestif e organs.
FROM MECKLENBURG.
Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.
Charlotte, N. C , June 24.
I wish to say for the encouragement
of the Alliance brethren throughout
the State, that my Alliance district is
on a bigger boom, alliancely speaking,
than it has been since it left tbe Demo
cratic party and went into politics.
You know the besses said that was
what hurt if. I organized a new Alli
in Charlotte in March, that now num
bers forty good men, and reorganized
Polk Alliance, three miles from the
city. They number about twenty-five.
They were dormant for two years. On
the 15 ;h icstint I organized a new Alli
ance in Concord with a good working
membership. On the 22ni, last Satur
day, I reorganized Davidson Alliance,
in this county. Derita Alliance," in
this county will be reorganized before
the county meeting. Mecklenburg
county meeting has been postponed till
the 25 th of July, for two reasons : First :
the farmers will be well up with their
farm work by that time, and will be
able to turn out. In tbe second place,
the Hon. A. C. Shuford, Vice President
of the 8tate Alliance, has promised to
be with U3 at that time.
To close, Mr, Editor, I will say if you
hear any of the old ring tailed bosses
talking about the Alliance being dead,
just say to them that they had better
keep their off eye on the old corps.
J. P. ossaman,
Organizer 11th District.
Orchard growers in taking their an
nual look through the trees of their
orchards for the apple tree borers
should not forget to pay the mountain
ash a visit. The S3 beautiful ornament
al trees are favorite hiding places for
the borers. As these trees are often
planted by roadsides, and receive little
care, hundreds of borers may be bred
in them and afterwards make their way
into the orchards.