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... ml I 7 - f T v gfre , Farmer ia a rood ppftf"""s. above the aver age fld possibly the best advertis ing mediam ia N. C." Printers' Ink. li 4 -KCW tive F&rcsr is a ccod paper tet above - the aver cjje- -and pcsziblj the best advertls is medissi ia ZJ. C" Printers Ici, fi V i A Tv T WW THE DTOUSTBIAL AND EDUCATIONAL IHTEEESTS OF OUB PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS Of STATE POLICf. Vol. 12. EALEIGH, I?. C., JUNE 8,. 1897.' Ho: 18 n i ,i h iin OOJi V iL tzz national farmers alli liice and industrial union. president Mann Pago, Brandon, ft. Vice President 0. Vincent, Indian- fvilis, Inu. Sec re tary Treasurer W. P. Bricker, 3ogan Station, Pa. LECTUREES. t P. Sossamon, Charlotte, N. C Hamlin V. Poo re, Bird Island, Minn. F. H. Peirsol, Parkersburg, W. Va. KATIONAI EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. Mann Page, Brandon, Va.; R. A. South worth, Denver, Col.; John Bre iio W. Va. ; A. B. Welch, New York; V7?A. Gardner, Andrew's Settlement, Pal JUDICIARY. H. A. Southworth, Denver, Oolo, B, W. Beck, Alabama. II. D. Davie, Kentucky. JQSS3 CABOLTJSTA FARMES3' STATS ALLI ANCE. President Dr. Cyrus Thompson, Sichiands, . C. Vice-President Jno. Granam,Ridge- ray, N. O. Secretary-Treasurer W. B. Barnes, anisboro, N. O. " Lecturer J. T. B. Hoover, Elm City, 5 O Steward Dr, V. N. Seawell, Villa iow, N. C. ChaDlain Bev. P. H. Mas3ey, Dur- ism, N". O. Door-keeper Geo. T. Lane, Greens- loro, N. O. Assistant Door-keeper Jas. E. Lyon, Durham, N. C. Sorgeant-at-Arms A. D. K. Wallace, Sutherfordton, N. O. State Business Agent T. Ivey, Hills oro, N. C. Trustee Business Agency Fund W. V. Graham, Machpelan, N. 0. iiscunva oossrms ct tits zoimx C1E0LISA FAE2EEES STATS ALLIAH03. A. F. Hileman, Concord, N. C. ; N. j, Eiiglkh, Trinity, N. C; James M. iiewborne, Kins:on, N. C. TAT2 ALLIAUCT JUDICIARY COMfflTTZX. John Brady, Gatesville, N. O. ; Dr. f.F. Harrell, Whiteville, N. C; T. J. handler. Acton. N. C. Utth Carolina Reform Press Atiodatlea. G3&rJ. L. Rameey, President; Marion Builer, Vice-President; W. & Scne$, Secretary, PAPERS. ressiv Farmer. SUte Orgaa, gJe!arh, N. O. itrcnrv Hickory, N. C ."r E' rrie, Beaver Dam, N. C. r. o.v r.'Kt LnmbertOTi, . C The People's Paper, Charlotte, N. C. fLe Veetibule, Concord, N. C. Tte Plow- Boy. Wadesboro, N. C. roilna Watchman. Salisbury. N. C. Sach cf the above-named papers are touted to keep the I tit stanaing on It tr&l page and add other, provided Jc3 are duly elected. Any paper fail s io advocate the Ocala platform tcul i dropped from the list promptly. Our i&'le can now eee xc?Cat papers are r.blished in their interest. G KICXJLTXJRE). A bare soil loses nitrogen, and that :? -where the error comes in when advo ating a bare fallow to restore fertility. Clover is rich in mineral matter and vrotein. Corn and corn fodder are rich. .3 starch. They even up well when fed cgether. The Ne-v York legislature has appro riated $25,000 for tie purpose of en oaraging the farmers of that State to ngage in the sugar beet industry. A cry common error lits in putting 3 much manure on convenient parts t tho farm or field and lettiDg the back is and iaconveiient acres go without The art of agriculture consists in tree thiugs in keeping the soil rich, ght and free from weeds. This done, ny plant will grow vigorously, if not one, no plant will grow. If mineral food elements be Ecant and itrogtnous matter in excess, potatoes re apt to be most luxuriant in their rowth above ground. Especially louli ihero be a supply of potash and hosphorio acid. Tbera is no better sign of promise for ie future of agriculture than that our tfmersand farmers' eons are seeming appreciate the value of a higher edu itioti in things applying directly to -o r occupation. Th- "wasteful" farmer, irs'ead of avk.g an easy pair of stairs to climb r . 1 the hay loft, has not even a xc-;, ladder, but scrambles up by the ttr .r post 3 and braces, at expense of and muscle. T.ore ia nothing better to make 1 ing pig grow than a patch of peas to vhich they may be turned an hour ' every day until the peas become scarce that all day is required to tisfy them. They furnish the same i of nutrition that milk does, and & much cheaper rate. When thus i their frames will grow rapidly, and iey can be given corn feed later in the &30EL without the iD jury that cornea hogs summered on grass and clover, suddenly changed to corn. WEEKLY DIGEST Of Experiment Station Bulletins. No. 72. BACTEBIA AND EOPINESS OF MILK. The Michigan Station has been con ducting some studies and experiments in Bacteriology and ia issuing a series of bulletins on the subject, twcTof which, Nos. 139 and-440 are out. No. 139 'explains the meaning of eome of the terms used. Bacteria are minute plants so small that it requires a pow erful microscope to enable the eye to eeo them. Some of these are rod shaped and are called Bacillus, which means one plant, or Bacilli, which means several or millions of them. Others are ball-shaped and these are called Micrococcus, or Micrococci, ow irtg to whether one or more than one is meant. Others are spiral shaped and are called Spirillum or SpiriUL These small plants exist in millions in the dust floating in the air, in water, and in the soil. The surface of clothing curtains, walls, furniture, in fact every thing upon which dust settles, teems with myriads of these little plants. Some of these Bacteria are harmless, some are very beneficial, and some of them are deadly poison. One kind produces the poison known as typhoid fever, another consumption, another lockjaw, and so on. Laborers in a paper mill who sort and handle rags shipped from a city infected with yel low fever, cholera, or emallpox, will draw in with their breath, the bacteria of those diseases. Laborers in tanner ies who sort and handle hides contract authax, or char boa by breathing the air loaded with the special bacteria that cause that disease. Typhoid fever is caused, generally, by drinking water in which bacteria float. A rusty nail I covered with dirt is apt to have lock jaw bacteria on it. Some of the bacteria which are bene flcial to men are those which cause yeast to rise, others cause wine or cider to ferment, others cause cream to ripen, others, which cling to the roots of clover, peas, and other legumes (podded plants) cause the soil to be enriched by stores of nitrogen taken from the air, and others give good flavors to butter, cheese, eta Bicteria play a very important part in the dairy. As noted, they cause cream to ripen, give bitter, aromatic, or other flavors to milk and butter and now it is found that they cause rcpiness of milk. The reason boiled milk keeps sweet longer than raw milk is, the bac teria in it are killed by the heat, and it cannot sour till it absorbs others from the dust floating in air. Hence, the benefit of sterilizing or pasteurizing milk. Some kinds require a higher de gree of heat than others to produce death, and some require a longer period of heating t han others. Repeated heat ing to a low degree and then cooling down ia as effective as one heating to a high degree, and avoids giving a cooked flavor, which seme people do not relish. A special study of rcpiness leads to the opinion that it is due to bacteria that cling to the cow's udder and teats, probably in s we rape. In such cases, wash the udder in a strong solution of formalin before milking. It is also well to wash the vessels, stalls, etc., with the same, and sprinkle the floors with it. VEGETABLE GARDENING. Bulletin .79, of Alabama Station, is full of caution aud common sense to would be truck growers for Northern markets. It calls attention to the fact that all adjoining States greatly excel Alabama in the extent of this industry, though in points-of soil, climate, and transportation facilities Alabama's ad vantages are equal to those of any of the other States with the pcesiUle ex ception of Florida. But competition has become so great, shipping rates are so high, commission men so uncertain, and the products so perilous, that the Station does not feel warranted in ad vising any very great expansion of the business at this time. The risks are many, the expenses heavy, and . the skill, industry, care and business ability required" ure of a high order. But, every man should look ahead and pre pare for the future opening that is sure to offer. Consumption of vegetables from the Southern truck farms in creases every year, and cheapened pro duction will increase the demand, so that when better times return, there is apt to be good money in this business for those who are prepared to enter the field. In the meantime every farmer should acquire skill and experience, and at the same time shut off a large part of living expenses, by growing a great abundance and variety of veget ables for his own table. To supply them with the necessary knowledge, the Station will issue, from time to time, short plain bulletins giving direc tions for preparing ground, fertilizing, planting, cultivating, spraying, and harvesting vegetable crops in Alabama. Bulletin 44, of Arkansas Station, also treats of vegetable gardening. It states that the dwellers of Arkansas may easily gather fresh vegetables from their open gardens 10 months in the year; yet few have them half so long and many not at all. This bulletin gives a list ot. SO vegetables that were gathered in abundance at the Station garden up to Nov. 11th, on which date 12 were injured by frost. On Dec 6sh another was cut down. On Jan. 4th the hardest freeze of the winter occur red, and on the 6 th 17 varieties were still all right. These were beet, cabbage, carrot, celery, collard, cress, kale, letr luce, mustard, onion, shallot, spinach, parsnip, parsley, turnip, garlic. Probably nine of every ten failures in vegetable gardening are due to a lack of proper preparation of the soil and of sufficient manure. The soil cannot be too deeply or too finely pulverized. Of course no subsoil should be turned up, but it should be loosened up as deep-as possible. Then the soil should have an abundance of decayed vegetable mat ter in it, and should be free from the seeds of weeds and grass. All manure applied should b 3 thoroughly rotted, and after you think you have applied twice enough just double that dose and it will probably be about right till next year. . Trucking cannot be learned in one or two years,' and it requires more capital than most people guess. Begin a small scale and learn and extend the business as you progress. Such things as cold frames, sashes, hot beds, drills, spray ing apparatus, etc., etc., cost mcney and it does not pay to procure these and fit the ground for gardening for a 812 gle season with the expectation of then going back to cotton. Start right, prepare well, and then remain with the business for several years at least. The bulletin gives directions for cold -frames, seed bcxas, hot beds, thoughts on seed selection and sowing, care of young plsjata, transplanting, cuHivat ing, harvesting and marketing, the varieties best adapted to Arkansas. Among these are asparagus, beans of all kinds, bees, spring, summer and winter cabbage, cauliflower, collards, carrots, celery, cucumbers, cantaloupes, garden corn, upland cres?, egg plant, kale, lettuce, okra, onion?, parsnips, pepper, potatoes, peas, radishes, salsify, spinach, squash, tomatoes, turnips and watermelons. Bulletin 42, of New Hampshire Sta tion, is a finely illustrated treatise on tomato Growing and Breeding. The best soil is a good, level, upland loam, but moderately rich. Seed were sown in greenhouse March 16 ih, in trays, 2 inches apart each way, and the young plants were afterwards set in cold frame, 6 inches apart 'each way and were transplanted to the open field May 26 jh, 3 feet apart in rows 5 feet apart. E ich plant was tied to in ordi nary bean pole to keep it from sprawl ing on the ground, and freqient culti vation was given till they were too large. They were pruned slightly. Ponderosa gave the heaviest yieid.with 40 in each 1,000 rotted ; Belmont stood second, with 10 in 1,000 rotted; Presi dent Cleveland third, with 10 in 1,C00 rotted. The worst to rot were Thor burn Now York, 150 in 1.000, and Buck eye Ssate, 110 in 1,000. 'Fifty Days the Earliest" had but 3 in 1,000 rotted. Fordhook First was 8 days earlier than any othe variety, and was one of the best. These, with Stone, Livingston's Beauty, Acme, Belmont, County Fair, Dwarf Champion, Early Michigan, Brinton's Best and Red Cross are recommended. The breeding experiments show that careful selection produces rapid im provement ;that seeds should be selected from fine plants rather than from fine fruits; that there is no advantage in selecting seed from the first to ripen; constant selection is necessary to keep up the breed; that solid . varieties are not always the best keepers; that the offspring of a cross of red and yellow variety will be red ; that varieties mix readily, that rotation is as necessary with tomatoes as with other crops ; that crossing varieties of different charac ters produces weak offspring. MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS, The hard pan lands c! Southern Illi nois have acquired fine reputation for growing wheat and other winter crops; but crops requiring spring culture and summer growth have generally failed on them except in years of heavy sum mer rains. The soil is so fine and com pact that most of the rain falling on it runs off instead of soaking in. The residents of that region took it for granted that tiling would do no good, since the soil would not permit water to sink down to the tile. But the State Experiment Station proved that if the tile be laid on an even grade, with close joints, the results are highly sat isfactory. Air pores established be tween the tile and the top of the toil cause the moisture to sink and remain as in a sponge, till the roota take it up. It was found that 100 feet apart was near enough, for the lines of tile. Corn on the tiled land gave one fourth bet ter yield the first year, and subsequent years will show still greater improve ment. Bulletin 34, of Iowa Station?- gives pictures and the life history of some 23 species of insects that prey upon grass lands in that State. While their work is not often noticed, the total loss must be enormous. In all, 60 species were found feeding on grass and 60 others on other plants in grass fields, and these were bred and studied in the in sectary of the Station. Some of these were found to produce one brood a year, most of them two, and some three, but all laid their eggs on the stems under the sheaths or boots of the blades. A few bunches of grass were cut and allowed to dry, and on these no eggs hatched, though those on the bunches left standing all hatched. On examin ing the dried stems with a microscope, it was found that as the stems shriv eled in drying, the eggs were crushed. Hence, it is recommended that infested grass be closely mowed the latter part of June. This will destroy most of the eggs of the first broods, and will at the same time prevent wild rye from going to seed, and causing ergot poisoning of stock from its smutted heads, so com mon in Iowa meadows. The tar pan, or uhopper-dcz3r"alsodestroysmillions of thesa insects. . The same bulletin gives directions for home propagation of flowers, bulbs, and plants, and for planting tree seeds, nuts, eta, and for budding, grafting, layering, top grafting, inarching, root .iig cuttings, etc. The actual worth of potatoes as a stock feed is greater than any analysis will show because of the value of .the tuber as a promoter of both good con dition and appetite. It is a question whether it will pay to sell potatoes at twenty cents a bushel, when we have hogs to which to feed them. WHAT CHANGES. Twenty five years ago the only leaf tobaoso that suited England was the rankest, darkest, smoke-house, hickory wood, hard fired leaf. It was bone dry and candled, I e., rqueezed between cylinder rollers, which led to much fraud, as the longer leaves covered up the shorter and inferior ones, while tho length was apparently the eameln the bundle. The rolling round bundles oftenest greased with molasses and lard, were difficult to cooper, or sample, or handle in the hogshead or by sample. It was a queer taste or fashion that created this demand, which socn died out; the costly handling made it all the worse tobacco. Yet this stuff sold crop round for 15 cents to 20 cents and over per pound in the latter sixties and seventies. Happily the demand re verted to the flat prized, dry, heavy darks, the quality of which cannot be disguised by grease and "candling," yet the rankest dark was still taken for export. Gradually since there have been remarkable changes. Burleys got a hold in conservative England; then along with it came our increasing ' ly famous and popular Virginia brights, which more than hold their own. First a few cheap grades sold, then the higher, then the great variety of grades was in demand, particularly due to the American Tobacco Company's monop oly, which forced shippers here to risk other grades than theretofore sent to England on that market, and hence to day England takes almost all kinds of brights. Sha carries our stock for ua a big surplus always. We pay her in terest and charges. We get cheap money. Sometimes we get a little profit out of the transaction, but we have a market for the tobacco that the Ameri can Tobacco Company would not buy at home, against monopoly creed. Now, there is another creed. This year English manufacturers one or two, at least will know what it is to have real red sun-cured tobacco to offer their customers. There is not much at best of this, costly kind of mild, arc- matic sweet tobacco, but as one gets it another will want it. The demand in this might easily outgrow the always limited production, which is only about 3,500,000 pounds, all told. Sun cured of the '6 crop is as sweet, ripe, clean ard desirable as any crop in seven years, and is selling well at 2 to 3i for lugs, 4i to 6 for common to fair filler leaf, 6 to 8 for medium leaf, 9 to 12 for good to very good, 13 to 18 for fine to very fine, and 20 to 30 for extra and select wrappers. Southern Tobacconist DEEP PLOWING. Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer. In your issue of April 13 ;h you say: . "Jumping from shallow to deep plowing all at once usually results in a decreased crop yield at the succeeding harvest The soil should be gradually deepened by letting the plow bring up a little of the subsoil each year till the desired depth is reached." I beg leave to differ with our brother on at least a portion of the points raised above. It'" 13 generally" cenceded that if the soil be broken to a creafedenth: 4 and especially if the subsoil be thrown out on top, it should be done in the fall or early winter. If the subsoil be thrown out late in the spring serious damage for several years will follow. The soil should not only be pulverized to a great depth, say 12 to 16 inches, but should also be reduced fine. There fore, much will depend on the kind of plow used and time when the work is done. In order to reduce the soil fine, it should be crossed and re crossed, deepening gradually, until the desired depth is attained in one season. Bryan Tyson. With the exception of three or four elements of fertility, all ordinary soils are practically inexhaustible. With proper tillage land will wear a thou sand years in general make up, save sandy knolls, perhaps. BEANS ON THE FARM. The bean is one of the beet crops for the general farmer, where intensive culture is practiced. There is a constant daily increasing demand for all va rieties of dry beans, but the supply We import over one million bushels of beans every year, when our farmers are sitting around and growling because the farm does not pay. I have grown sixty bushels of nice, marketable beans an acre, and sold them for two dollars and forty cents a bushel without leav ing the house to find a market. Any man who will stop one minute to inves tigate the cost will agree that growing beans for market is a profitable and easily managed business, says Farm and Fireside. The method of growing beans is easy, and requires but little work. The land is put in good condition and furrowed out, about three and one half feet be tween the row, Water is run through the furrows to see that everything is in good condition for future irrigation and to supply enough moisture to germi nate the seed and start the plants to growing. I use a csrn planter, and drop two or three beans in a hill put ting the planter not too deep, about twenty inches in the row. When -the plants are all up and can be seen along tho rows, I use a three shovel cultiva tor between the rows, taking care that no soil is thrown against the plants, as that destroys their productiveness. Th's is followed in the course of ten days by a similar cultivation and weed ing between the hills, when the plow ing ceases. The best varieties I have cultivated are the White Navy and Bush Lima. I cannot see where it pays to handle any of the pole-beans, except those that can be planted in the corn. I never irrigate a bean field until the vines are in blossom, and then only apply the water twice. When the vines are wet with dew or rain I do not even walk through them, because wherever touched by soil when in that condition they will rust, and the blossoms will blight No cultivation is permitted after the vines begin to blossom. If weeds get too nu nerous, I go through and pull them when the vines are per fectly dry. These weeds must be car ried out of the field, for if thrown upon the vines the yield will be diminished wherever weeds are permitted to re main. - The horticulturist loses much unlc ss he is acquainted . with his companions, the birds. Their interests are so mutual that there should b? an intimate ac quaintance. At the feame time it is a pity that everyone ia not interested in birds, be hia occupation what it may. THE LITTLE LEAKS. The little leaks on the farm amount to a considerable sum every year un less they are carefully looked after end stopped. Every hill of corn miased ia planting or rooted up in cultivating, reduces the crop without reducing the work of cultivating it. A leak in a roof that might be stopped in a minuto may be the means of spoiling a dollar's worth of grain, and is a warning to look for other leaks. If the barnyard drains into the road and the road ditch runs into the creek, a good many dollars maybe washed out of the manure pile in the course of the season. Tools and implements left in the weather are wearing out faster than they would if in use for the same length of time. More wagons are worn out by standing in the sun and rain than by use, and it is not an uncommon " thing to see costly mowers and harvest ers standing in the fields where they were last used last year or in a corner of the barnyard with no covering but the blue eky. - . In a tr in" across twn Rt.n.tf tvA ntViAi day, tho .writer noticed numerous fields where a corner or a strip at one side, or , a piece in the middier&f -thtTfield hd been left unplowed, while the ether 1 part of it was plowed and planted. These pieces had evidently been too wet to plow and the season being late, i the owner had abandoned them for this year rather than wait for them to get into workable condition. There was hardly one of these fields that might not have been drained by a day's work, but the matter had not been attended to at the proper time and a pretty big leak had been left in the revenue of tho farm. No day cornea when it seems handy to prune the orchard, and the water sprouts grow and eap the vitality of the trees, which should have gene to the support of the fruit and a leak in the crop reduces its value because of the fewer bushels produced and the lower quality of .the fruit The workman does not stop to clean the collars of his work harness ;when- -he finishes his day's work, and eoon there is a horse with a sore shoulder and capable cf dcin0; lei vrcik thr.n fcewreC"''"" r;"'?"" , All of these things, and dcz?E3 of others that might be mentioned,- are in significant in themselves, but they are of importance in more ways than one. The man who looks after the little leaks gets into the habit of being thorough in all his operations and his work is well done, no matter how unimportant it may seem, and in the end he obtains the largest crops, whether the year be good or bad, for with careful management it is possible to so plan the operations of the farm that with ordinary weather success is attained. After all, the secret of success inl. farming is attention to details, good drainage and perfect tillage, and the man who attends 'to these will look after the little leaks and be a model for his less careful neighbors to pattern after. Farmers' Voice. A FOUL ASSASSINATION." We are indebted to a Morganton at torney for the maiden speech of a young lawyer before a court in Eastern Tennessee. The defendant in the caso stood indicted for cruelty to animals. The prosecutor was Jack Edwards and the defendant Leander Simmons, who lived at Flag Ponds, near the line of Madison county. Edwards' sow stray ed cut and got in Simmons' corn field and he set dogs on and killed her. Here is the prosecuting attorney's speech: - "Gentlemeh of the jury and may it please Your Honor: Since the days of the assasssination of the lamented President of the United States, to wit: Abraham Lincoln, no such foul crime has stained our country's escutcheon as the assassination of Jack Edwards old black and white spotted eow I Gentlemen of trie jury, and may it please Your Honor : Think of the cir cumstances 1 On that lovely morning in May, when the earth was dressed in her robes of green ; when tho air was filled with the odor of sweet scented flowers and enlivend with the voices of merry songsters; as that old sow walked forth in her innocence down that little stream, listening to the mur muring of the waters, little did she dream that before the king of day hid himself behind the western horizon, she should be coma the victim of a foul asmssination." Here, it is caid, the judge and jury fell over in convulsions and the t came to an untimely dose.. Mcrgastcn Herald. roved me aruuuS. ijxu. " M rJ.wu m nuincsr cpmaica." n-n. v - wuvu.u.v, T" .... ' p . - V .... - : " l,:Js ' f
The Progressive Farmer (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 8, 1897, edition 1
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