T
1
Largest Circula
tion of any Paper
in the South At
lantic State ft.
ant Your Ad-
rtisement in
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- THE lNDU f IAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF STATE POLl'T.
Vol. 11. 3 RALEIGH, N. C, FEBRUARY 11, 1896. No x
i : i i i . g
i
3
1
ANCB AND INDUSTRIAL
UNION.
President J. F. Willetts, Topeka,
Vice-President H. C. Snavely, Leb
anon, Pa.
Secretary-Treasurer Col. D. P. Dun
ran, Columbia, 8. C.
EXECUTIVE BOARD.
a. L. Loucks, Huron, S. D. ; Mann
Page, Brandon, Virginia; I. S. Dean,
Honeove Falls, New York; H. O. Dem
ming, Secretary, Harrisburg. Pennsyl
vania; Marion Butler, Raleigh, N. C.
JUDICIARY.
R. A. Scuthworth, Denver, Colo,
a. W. Beck, Alabama.
M. D. Davio, Kentucky.
OBTH CAROLINA FARMERS' 8TATX ALLI
ANCE. President Dr. Cyrus Thompson,
Richlanda, C.
Vice-President Jno. Graham.Ridge
way, N. C.
Sretary-Treasurer W. S. Barnes,
Hiilsboro, N. C.
Lecturer J. T. B. Hoover, Elm City,
V C
" 8teward Dr. V. N. Sea well, Villa-
aow, N. C.
Chaplain Rev. P. H. Massey, Dur
ham, N. C.
Door keeper Geo. T. Lane, Greens
boro N. C.
AssiatantDoor keeper Jaa. E. Lyon,
Durham, N. C.
Sergeant-at-Arms A. D. K. Wallace,
Rutherforaton, N. C.
State Business Agent T. Ivey, Hi Is
boro, N. C.
Trustee Business Agency ifund W.
A. Graham, Machpelan, N. O.
XBCUnVE COMMITTEE OF THE NORTH
CAROLINA FARMERS' STATE ALLIANCE.
A. F. Hileman, Concord, N. C. ; N.
C. English, Trinity, N. C. ; James M.
Mewborne, Kius on, N. C.
3TATS ALLIANCE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.
. John B-ady. Gatesville, N. C. ; Dr.
J.F. Harrell, Whiteville, N. C; T. J.
Candler, Acton, N. C.
crtb Carolina Reform Press Association.
Officer a J. L. Ramsey, President;
tiarion Butler, Vice-President ; W. S.
Hamc, Secretary,
papers.
fTOSTs8lve Farmer, Stat? Organ, Raleigh,
Caucasian. .&15lgh'
Mwcirf. Hickory,
N. C.
N. C.
N.C.
N. C.
Rattler. Wnltakeiu,
nr,r Hnmf. Beaver Dam,
N.C.
N. C.
N. C
"Tie F-rmllst, Lumberton,
T-f ..... p.-.,- iH.rlottp.
The Vess-tibnle, Concord,
The Plow-Boy. Wadesboro,
Carolina Watchman. i?a ibury.
N.C.
N. C.
N. C.
Each of the above-named papers are
requested to keep the list standing on
ihz first page and add others, provided
ihey are duly elected. Any paper fail
ing io advocate the Ocala platform will
if dropped from the list promptly. Our
??j?le can now see what papers are
nti5i??1 in their interest.
aWeeds never ought to be suffered to
got any eiz", 'either in field cr garden,
and especially in the latter.
Good husbandry dictates that not a
pound cf ashes should be wasted, but
all should be eaved and applied to the
land.
x mere accidental "spurt" cr mon
strosity should never be given the dig
nity of a premium at our annual fairs,
for it is not in any way en agricultural
triumph. Let all the premiums be
given as a reward for earnest, intelli
gent toward raising the standard of our
products, There would follow greater
interest and better results.
Cedar oii:is not a email item among
i' the New .England industries. It is
1 nrnfitablv nroduced in eome regions by
distillation from the small branches of
the trees, which is a much more con-
venient and productive method than
( io distill from the shavings, as formerly
practiced, and may be made a profit
1 -ui ,.tt nrViarovor nnrl n r ornwH
The world.mcves. Old methods have
passed away. We do not stop now to
count the grains. We do not plant in
the moon any more. We are not eatis
tied with a full pail of milk, if it con
tains but little butter. Two blades of
.grass must now grow where but one
formerly grew. Improved machinery
and advanced'methods now hold sway
over the agricultural world.
There ia no business or profession
which requires so bright an intellect
and so deep study to fully comprehend
as that of agriculture. This fact is
really now beginning to realized. So
many conditions and circumstances
confront the farmer from day to day
that Ecore3 of points must be consid
ered before a step can bo judiciously
taken.
The industry of collecting and curing
the leaves of thewild sumac occupies
the summer months of hundreds cf
women and children in Virginia and
the Carolina3, and some of the stations
have been testing the advisability of
cultivating the plant. Sumac is used
in dyeing cloth and in the tanning of
fine leather. Nearly 200 tons are yearly
imported from southern Europe.
NE.
It is very easy indee administer
medicine to a cow, says Prof. Mcin
tosh After mixing your medicine
or gruel, let one man stand on the left
side of the cow and hold her by the
horn, if any, if not, hold her the best
way he can, and then the man that is
going to give the medicine stands on
the right side of the cow, take his left
hand and with his thumb and two
fingers and put that into the nostrils of
the animal, and the animal throws its
head up, arid then put a little medicine
down with the bottle, and a little more,
until you have given it all. The cow
is not like the horse. The medicine
will go down by gravitation, and it is
very easy to administer medicine to a
cow in that way. Bat you ought to be
careful not to pour too quickly, so as
not to choke her.
The majority doe i not appreciate
what vegetable matter in the soil does
for us, in the way of moisture, in the
time of drouth. If one or two crops of
vegetable matter are plowed under
during the summer and fall, the euc
ceeding crops are much surer if the
year is a dry one. We know that sue
cess in growing any plant depends
much upon the amount of moisture in
the ground.
9
HOW TO SAVE HOME-MADE MA
NURE. Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.
Raleigh, N. C.
We remember havingonce heard a
practical man make a remark about
the use of concentrated chemical fer
tilizers which appeared to have con
eiderable common senee in it. He said
that if we undertake to make a crop
with euch manures only, it would be
like a laboring man trying to do a good
day's work on one drink of whiskey.
The liquor would stimulate his stomach
and fire up his energies for a short time,
but his system would soon feel the need
of good, sustaining food. It is much
the same way in fertilizing land with
chemical mixtures.
Every practical farmer knows that
good stable manure and home made
composts are infinitely superior and
more lasting than many cf the chemi
cal fertilizers on the market, therefore
any contrivance to help the farmer to
accumulate and save such materials, in
good condition and at the least expense,
ia desirable.
Many of cur farmers allow enough
material about the barn yard and e tables
to waste and wash away by rains, to
make a 1 irge quantity of excellent ma
nure. Tney do this mainly for the Jack
of a convenient place for the reception
of tho was e mat erial of tho household
and barnyard. The sketch is intended
to ehow an efficient and cheaply built
manure pen which can be made by
any one at the cobt of a few pounds of
nails. '
As shown in the cut, it consists of a
rough roof of split boards, supported
by four posts and surrounded by a pen
of logs four or five feet high. The
corner posts are set in the ground and
support the plates and rafters. The
log pen is built up around the outside
of the four posts and are notched in the
style of a log cabin. All the frame
work may ba round poles and the roof
of split boards or slabs. Plank may be
used for the roof but cost more. A
shallow trench should be dug on all
sides, for drainage, and the dirt from
the trench heaped up around the bot
tom logs, to prevent the entrance of
rain water.
Into this pen should bo thrown all
the stable manure, litter and droppings
of the barn 3 ard, ashes and night soil
from the dwellings, slops, old bones,
dead animate, oak leaves, sweepings,
etc. Occasionally throw on some land
plaster or dry earth, especially if the
pen becomes offensive. The fact of
haviDg a handy place to deposit all
euch things will insure its being used
for that purpose and result in much
GIVING MEL
cleaner and more healthful premises,
besides saving a large amount of ex
cellent manure.
In the course of a year an astounding
quantity of manure will be accumu
lated, at almost no cost whatever, and
its qualities are far more lasting than
commercial fertilizers. The pen should
be conveniently located near the yarn
yard or stables, but not near the well.
It should be the duty of some one on
the farm, at frequent intervals, to
clean up and deposit in the manure pen
every available pound of material about
the bain yard and stables, allowing
nothing to go to waste. Occasionally
mix and stir the materials with a shovel
or fork, and if too dry, throw on eome
water from time to tinue so that the
whole mass may become a well rotted
compost.
Such a pen. 12x16 feet, will contain
960 cubic feet, if piled five feet deep.
That quantity of loose earth will weigh
over forty -five tons, but a compost will
not weigh quite so much. A pen of
that siz3 would probably be of sufficient
size for a two horse farm.
Those who have no better method of
saving manure will do well to try this
cheap, home made farm pen. It will
save many dollars, evea on the smallest
farm, in a year's time.
Thos. C. Harris.
Plant broom corn seed when the
ground is dry and warm, and on good
land which is free from weeds. L?t the
rows be three and a half feet apart, and
the hills two feet; if in drills, leave the
plants three or four inches apirt. Too
close planting will not allow full devel
opment of the plants, while too much
room makes the brush coarso and of
inferior quality. Give clean cultiva
tion THE CAUSE OP POTATO SCAB
AND THE REMEDY.
It is now generally believed by our
scientists that the chief cause of the
scab in potatoes is the ba steroid fungus
discovered by Thaxter. Hence, if the
germs of the diseaso upon the seed
tubers are destroyed, by so much will
liability to scab on the new crop be re
duced. This is easily done by soaking
the cut tubers 1 J to 3 hours in a solu
tion of 2 to 2 J cz. of corrosive sub
limate to 15 gallons of water, but even
after this is most carefully done, scab
will appear on the tubers grown in cer
tain soils and on stable manure.
This subject has received exhaustive
attention at the Khode Inland Station
and tho results are set forth in Bulle
tin 33. There, as well as elso where,
the production of scab is two or three
times as large when barn yard manure
is used as on high grade commercial
fertilizers. Wheeler and Tucker main
tain that upon acid soil, tho potato
ecab fungus is promoted by the pree
enco of air slaked lime, wood ashes
(which, like air-slaked lime, consist
largely of carbonate of lime), soda ash
(soda carbonate), and double carbon
ates of potash and magnesia, as well as
barn yard manure. Upon the acid
soil of Rhode Ieland, practical immu
nity from scab has been secured upon
three successive crops when none of
tho substances just named have been
used, but when these articles were used
the potatoes were scabby. Land plas
ter (gypsum or sulphate of lime) is the
only form of lime employed which has
not injured the growth of the crops or
promoted development of scab. Sul
phate of ammonia produced less scabby
potatoes than nitrate of sda. Com
mon salt (sodium chloride) reduced the
percentage of scab, and since seaweed
carries much salt, a satisfactory ex
planation is afforded for the opinion
commonly held that less scab results
from its use than without it.
It appears from these experiment'
that the character of the soil has a
marked effect upon the degree of ecab.
Also that by the use of sulphate of am
monia, muriate or sulphate of potash,
kaiait and common salt, in connection
with dissolved phosphate rock, bone or
boneblack, soils which now tend to pro
duce scabby tubers would become less
favorable to the disease. It is possible
that a rational system of rotation of
crops, which would include no beet3cr
other root crops and no cabbages (ny
or all of which may possibly contain
or spread scab germs), would also help
to alleviate the condition of such soil3.
American Agriculturist.
The Boston Herald sees in a possible
alliance of free silver Democrats and
free silver Republicans all that is nec
essary to bring about Republican de
feat. The eyesight of the Herald is
improving, evidently. Brockton Diamond.
HORTICULTUEE
PREPARING STRAWBERRIES FOR
FRUITING.
Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.
Fine berries and large crops depend
so much upon the treatment the plants
receive the spring of fruiting, that no
one can afford to neglect them then.
Where the soil is free from weed seed
the matter is vastly simplified. But
such soil is not always to be had; and
the richer the soil the more apt it is to
be infested with weeds.
Subdue the weeds by running a shal
low cultivator down the middles as
early in spring as practicable. Scrape
around and between the plants with
small, well sharpened weeding hoes,
which will remove all weeds and not
cut deep enough to injure plants.
Then apply over the rows, plants and
all about 500 pounds an acre of highly
soluble commercial fertilizer rich in
potash. Stable manure and unleached
wood ashes if to be had in sufficient
quantities, are excellent. Ten good
loads of manure and 500 bu9hels of
ashes an acre will do, scattered over
and around the plants; the ashes on
top, as they hasten the action of the
manure.
Remember that almost anything can
be safely scattered over and on straw
berry plants while in a dormant state
vyhile not growing. Should the appli
cation be unavoidably delayed till
growth begins, it should be applied
just before a rain, which will wash it
off the leaves into the ground ; or it can
be scattered around and between the
plants. Where the soil is not infested
with weeds as to need much scraping,
the manure and ashes are best applied
late the previous fall.
If weeus apoar after the fertilizer is
applied they must be dug out, or re
moved by hand, so as not to draw the
fertilizer or manure from the plants.
The weeds well overcome, apply
mulc h. It is best to scatter it over and
let tho plants grow up through it. The
berries then form above the mulch and
keep perfectly clean. Pine needles (ten
l-pda an acre) are best. But any straw
or hay chopped small enough not to
blow off will answer. With plenty of
manure no more mulching is needed.
Take the advice of an old grower of
strawberries: Keep your fields clean,
manure them well and, unless varieties
are worthless, ycu will not fail of your
reward. O. W. Blacknall.
Kittrell, N. C.
POXJXjTJRY yard
POULTRY RAISING IN THE SOU IH
AND HOW TO MAKE IT PAY.
Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
Why devote so much space to the
poultry industry? The industry ex
ceeds in value that of the hog or cattle,
aggregating near S3ven hundred mil
lion dollars annually, and is on the in
creaso. The South, because of her
genial climate, can produce poultry in
the winter, when in the North it is far
more expensive. The South could and
should supply the United States with
first class poultry and fresh eggs. This
industry should aggregate four hun
dred million dollars, and when we
have established a correct system cf
distribution, will aggregate one thou
sand million dollars. Biddy and the
cow furnishes U3 with the means to
produce more delicacies than from any
other source.
The demand for first class poultry
and fresh eggs to supply the demand of
first class hotels and restaurants great
ly exceeds the supply, and millions of
dollars' worth could be sold every year.
How can the South supply this demand
while our farmers pursue a policy that
makes it impossible to supply the de
mand from that source? Poultry, to
bring first class prices, must be well
fattened, tender, juicy and nutritious.
The improved breeds well hand'ed and
fattened under right conditions, will
supply this demand while the article
from our farmers will not. A small
capital at right points can establish
this industry all over the South. The
incubator must take the place of the
hen for hatching chickens for the mar
ket. The industry can be started at any
point on the railroad where you can
get cheap rates. Two or more farmers
could start this industry who live on
the line of railroad. One hundred and
sixty acres would furnish room for an
immense industry of hatching and
keeping non setters to furnish the eggs.
It would be better to form a company
and put in a house in which to hatch
chickens and contract with the eur
rounding farmers to furnish the eggs
from full blooded stock. If the farmers
have not the money to buy the poultry,
let the company fur.on them the
chicks and take the pay in eggs. The
price of eggs ehould be such as to jus
tify a first class man giving his atten
tion to the poultry. Every arrange
ment should be first class as to feed,
shelter and hygiene so the eggs will pro
duce a vigorous chicken.
Increase the industry until you can
ship a car load in a refrigerator car
every three weeks. The reduction in
freights over shipping by express will
pay big dividends cn the investment.
Let all these local organizations co
operate and sell through their trusted
agents in all the principal cities in the
United States. Let them cooperate
and sell under the name of the South
era Poultry Company. Adopt stringent
rules eo that nothing inferior will go
on to the market, and expel members
who furnish articles that do not come
up to the standard. Let the associa
tion act as a whole. Have a head center
and all poultry from different points
consigned as directed. Do not throw
your poultry on the market anddepre
ciate prices. Hold and sell as there is
a demand at fair prices.
This is the age of co operation. Those
who co operate and control prices can
live. Competition means low prices
and financial ruin.
Houses for poultry can be built as
warm as an ordinary cellar. Get the
best breeds of non setters that will pro
duce the most flsh in chicks at eight
to ten weeks old.
This industry will be started here.
We will hatch mostly ducklings from
the Imperial Pekin ducks. Several of
our farmers are ready to contract eggs
the year around at 20 cents a dozen
from hens and 25 cents a dozen from
Pekio ducks.
Corn should not be fed to layers ex
cept in winter, and then very sparingly
in conjunction with other feed. Young
poultry must not be fed corn or any
grain rich in carbon until the fattening
process begins. Eight weeks should
be devoted to a growth of bone and
muscle, and two weeks to fattening,
which should be on cracked corn.
Chickens raised by the incubator will
put on a wonderful amount of fat in
two weeks. Twenty pounds of fat can
be secured for every bushel of corn fed
and the fl?sh will be tender, juicy and
nutritious. Each pound will be worth
twice as much for the table as the
usual poultry furnished. Ducklings
can be sold the year around for 25
cents a pound raised and fattened in
this way. The city of Chicago will
take millions of dollars' worth every
year.
There 11 money in this industry if
conducted on business principles. There
is no money in any industry conducted
on the competition plan. It is the igno
rant man who advocates the competi
tion system. Co-operate and fix fair
prices. Why compete for that which
you produce?
The writer would not put a dollar in
any industry where the promoters are
too ignorant to co operate. The farm
ers compete on the market of the world
with capital that hires labor for 5 to 20
cents a day, and this competition is
crushing the life out of them.
Ducklings can be made to average
nine pounds a pair at ten months old,
and will readily eell for $2 to f 2 50 per
pair to the rich. The rich and well to
do demand the best, and they will pay
good prices to a responsible company
who guarantees all they sell to be first
class. There is a demand for millions
of dollars annually of first class fat
tened poultry. There is always room
on top, but it is wida awake men who
get there, and they do it by co opera
tion. The class that refuses to co
operate and protect their interest, to
say the least for them you can, is to
call them stupid fools.
We have a class of theoretical poli
ticians who are the advocates of com
petition. The farmers have followed
the advice of these theorists until their
industries are on the ragged edge of
despair.
The farmers sail their staple products
on the market of the world in competi
tion with capital hiring labor at one
fourth to one twelfth the price paid the
same class in this country and armed
with improved machinery, they can
produce as much, man for man, as the
best American labor, and this competi
tion is forcing prices down with a rap
idity that is appalling. We want no
competition in ours. Co-operation is
the talisman that will bring success.
We want to correspond with co-operations
all over the South who are ready
to put a little money and land in this
industry and have nerve enough to
stand for their rights. We have no
secret, though we have that knowledge
which, when put into practice will
make money these hard times, and
when a new industrial system is estab
lished will increase the poultry indua
try in the South' to one thousand mil
lion dollars.
There is a large number of live farm
ers among the readers of The Progres
sive Farmer who are ready to co oper
ate and start an industry that will
bring prosperity in every community
where it is located. There ia no im
pediment, but ignorance and lack of
pride, to prevent every farmer from
having an abundance of eggs and poul
try of the finest quality. We are estab
lishing an experimental farm in con
junction with our incubator farm. Wo
expect to demonstrate that we can put
on twenty pounds of fat in fattening
the improved breeds of hogs and cattle.
From time to time we will give the
result of our experiments to the world.
We have no use for any other kind
than the best. It is the best that pay,
and live, progressive men who are up
with the times will have the best.
In our nest we will write about th
egg industry and how it can be made a
success during these increasing hard
times. Money you want these hard
times, and if you are live, full blooded
Americans, full of push and pride in
your calling, you can get it. If you
are one of these conservative moea
backs who think the old way is good
enough, you need not apply. This ia
the age of progress. Nine tenths of the
improvements since the dawn of civil
ization is the product of this century,
and we have hardly started. Let us
force the South to the front.
James Murdock.
Bryson City, N. C.
THE SITTING HENS AND THE
EGGS.
The hen ia seldom at fault if the eggs
do not hatch. The fact that two or
three chicks hatch show that the
warmth is correct, and if one chicken
hatches, all should hatch. This applies
to incubators as well as to the !e of
hens for hatching. When a clutch oi
thirteen eggs is placed under a hen,
and she performs her work faithfully
for three weeks, she can do no more.
She may bring out a single chick, but
that lone chick will be her evidence
that, so far a3 ehe is concerned, all the
eggs should hatch. All failures of
hatching, however, are charged to the
hen, when the real cause ia far back of
her, and over which she has no control
whatever.
If more attention could be given to
the selection of the eggs used for the
incubator, the losses ia hatching would
ba reduced to a minimum. When a
large number of egg.i are used in an in
cubator, or by allowing a number of
hens to sit, there are more chances in
favor of a msj ority of the eggs failing
to hatch than otherwise, especially if
the eggs are procured from different
yards. There ere eome farmers who
keep their stock inbred, while some
have no males with tho hens, or per
haps the males have been frosted and
are of no value for service. Fat hens,
sick hens, immature pullets and ex
posed eggs all contribute their share to
bad hatches, yet the sitting hen re
ceives condemnation which she doea
not deserve.
A great many incubators fail because
they cannot perform tho impossible
work of hatching eggs that will not
hatch. When an incubator hatches &
portion of the eggs, there is no reason
why it ehould not hatch all of them, if
the eggs are what they ehould be.
The early eeason is the time for mak
ing preparations. If good hatches are
expected this spring, tho selection of
laying hens should be made when the
yards are full and a better opportunity
is presented for discarding those that
are defective. It ehould be an impera
tive duty to select male birds from a
distance, and so u?e only pure breeds
on the male side. If this is done, thft
los3 of vigor from inbreeding will b
avoided, and right here it may be re
marked that nearly all of the poor
hatches are due to inbreeding or to the
hens being fed heavily and mada too
fat. If eggs of a normal size not too
small or too large and free from im
perfection of the shells, are eelected f or
hatching, the liability of loss would be
greatly reduced. Farm and Fireside.
Farmers who are most successful
with poultry do not confiae themselves
to one kind, but often try their hand
with hens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and
even guineas. They can thus produce
most at least cost. No enterprising
poultry man will attempt to make it
pay with other than the pure breeds.
It costs no more to keep the best. Qual
ity brings the best prices. Remember
that feed will not make quality. There
ia nothing to prevent every farmer
making a profit on poultry, if he take
advantage of variety and methods.