Newspapers / The Progressive Farmer (Raleigh, … / Aug. 31, 1897, edition 1 / Page 1
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0 The Preffres tlTC Farmer is ft rood paper f at above the aver tge and possibly the best advertis ing medium in N. C" Printers Ink- "The Progres sive Farmer is a good paper fat above the average--and possibly the best advertis ing medium in U, C." Printers Ink. THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF STATE POLICY. Vol. 12. ItALEIGH, N, C, AUGUST 31, 1897. No. 30 , i 11 ft f IV 'l r.L Ti V ii 51 I I f 1 II II I I .lit M 1 I i t I El J r V, V IJSJCT tl II t . 1 1 II 1 II 1 ' " m c 55 NATIONAL FARMERS ALLS SI CE AND INDUSTRIAL UNION. t resident Mann Page, Brandon, 7. Vice President C. Vincent, Indian aooiia, Ind. Secretary Treasurer W. P. Brieker, Cogan Station, Pa. LECTURERS. J. P. Soapamon, Charlotte, N. O. Harnlii V. Pxre, Bird Island, Minn. F. H. Peirsol, Parkersburg, W. Va. NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. Mann Page. Brandon, Va ; It. A. South worth, Denver, Col.; John Brtv nig, W. Va. ; A. B. Welch. New York; F7. A. Gardner, Andrew's Settlement, Pa. JTTDIOIAHT. A. iouthwcrth, Denver, Colo, W. Bek, Alabama, r . D. Davie, Kentucky. . C2.r..)i.TA fc'BXXBS' fiTATS ALU uoiit; Dr. Cyrus Tr.ompjn, -i'rcbid.rt Jno. Grabam,Ri;p-r " -3 ury 'i'l oau cr W. B. iiarr -- , .7reV VrT. B. Hoover, Sim City, .-..rd Dr. V. N. SeawslI, Villa ' --r in Bcv. P. H. Masssy, Dur I ilr '-he -or Geo. T. Lane, Green-. : ct am Door keeper J ae. E. Ly cu, umftLn, N. C. rere mt at-Arma A. D. K. Wallace, 'iutiieri or J ion, N. C. ciato Easiness Agent T. Ivoy, Hula xro, N. C. Trustee Business Agency Fund w. i. vraham, Machpelan, N. C. S.TTlVa COMMITTKE CT THZ NORTH A. F. Hiicman, Concord, N. C. ; N. C. English, Trinity, N. C; James M. Hewborne, Kins on,.N. O. iIAT3 ALLIANCE JUDICIARY COMMTTTEE. John Brady, Gatesviile, N. C. ; Dr. i.F. Ilarrell, Whiteville, N. C; T. J. "Hndler. Acton. N. C e:Ua Csrchua Reform Press Association. QifL&grfi-J. L. Ramey, President; Jun Sutler, Vice-President ; W. S. ct?rri, Secretary, FAPEKW. 2rtt2lv rrnser. Stte Orgn. Ralelslii N. O. iw at y. Klckory, N. C. Ut:.r, WHliakers, N. O. li' Hose. BeaveT Dam, N. C. ;he o?ui!pt, Lumberton, N. C. The pjople'p Paper, Charlotte, N. C. vte Vestibule, Concord, . C. ?iie Plow-Boy. Wadesboro, . C. 'crcl'ii'i WfttcbciRB, aiinbury, N. C. ch of irz above-named papers are. vKC'Udto Jteep the list standing on Zrgi i7uga arf add others, provided, . ;: ac 'duly elected. Any paper fail ?r. i j czdiocetie the Ocala platform, will z . eppc-d from the lii promptly. Our 'y'i can now see what paper are -Vi'iice! in their iniefist. HE PLOUGHS DEEP. Ur. T. M. Brown, who resides in E.be-t county, Georgia, on the line of thp Southern Railway, is a successful farin-r. Mr. Brown bought hi9 farm about: fie years ago, and he aires to eel hi- returns by deep plowing and th uie cf comme rcial fertilizers and farm yard m inure. Be, inning cn poor and worn cut land four years htfo. ib&t scarcely paid the cot of tillage, he baa b- ught it up to rhat tta;e cf fertility th ensWcd iira to g-c.t li?t ytir forty err ba'e-j of cotton on fifty acres ar d 5 ' .) i u-he's of corn on twenty five Ecrca. t":ttl;er with cats, peas and oii:cr provision crops in abundanca. S:uihorn Sra:rs GOLD FIELDS OF THE SOUTH. The bi nuggets of gold exhibit from North Carolina at the Denver gold ci .ins convention and the specimens of orv.-a from Georgia and Alabama ex cited a ftreat deal of interest anions th8 niird of tho West in attendance tbem. Tho Southern reprctentativea were much pought after for informa tion c :nc-.Tn!Dg tho Southern gold de P i Hid tho nGWRp?pera took especial P'hj-s t .t interviews fom tbe geclo- u; cribiDg the formation of the '. and giving information as to or?: douo. Mr. M. V. Richard?, ri i industrial agent of the Suuth the land ern 1: ; A-ay, had prepared a pamphlet on -.- G-idfi2lds" Alorc; the Southern ,"' viv'c'i vas fr-ely distributed venti:n, and which wa3re.ad r.tt-r.-Bt. It consists of articles 3li deposits of Virini, the r - Gioria, Aiabimaand Ii.a8t , m iinly from the pens cf tbe oli-js, and is a plain state T'a,,. raeut ; tr,e gold belts of the South, the jaa were of development, etc. The uui b.--o.t is a beauty, typographically, Jtn a very attractive cover, and con iSIurtration3 of five of the largest J1'1 which have been found in the ' orth Carolina fields or in the country. "Scuthtra States. GOOD ROADS. OJi-repondence of the ProsTeesive Farmer. The farmer should bo particularly in terested in haviDg good roads; first, bo cause he is usually taxed heavily to maintain them as real estate cannot escape taxation and eecendly, for the reason that he has occasion to use them to a greater or lees extent in the prose cution of his business. And the last may often outweigh the first in dollars and cent, -when it is taken into consid eration the moving of heavy loads for a considerable distance over poor roads. Here ia a view of tho case that should not b3 lost eight of: It is tot thoe alone who drive for pleasure or bui ncpa over our highways that eheu'd uk for or demand their improved con dition. This is f.ir their inreicptand c nveuieLsce, it ii trua, and iigJitly ?oo, but tho farmer v;ho baa to move his ir-.du'e to market or piaco of bbip dh :ic, or in tbe daily prosecution of his '-ui's needs to U50 thereto, gams or ioceu in this direction in v.cc ruance v?nn the'r good or bad c it ion. Go :-d roads in f uch cac: mvaiisthe easing of tim, the greater uurabiuty cf vtLi'i'S and the weur cf team3. Nov the farmer, to s ;y r.othii'a: of tho cihers. can LlTjrd to pay a ftur or hb ral road tax, provided ho is a tsurea thut it will be bo expended as to result in a corrtf ponding improved condition of the roaas. Nothing will go eo far toward recon ciling farmers or others to the paj ing of what they might term a large high way tax, as to find that it is bing faithfully expended, and above all that a certain amount U devoted to improve ments cf a permanent character each year Tula ia evideuco that cannot bo overlooked or refuted, but is an ever present fact, a monument to tho skill and faithfulness of the intelligent road maker. We want just all of this kind of work that can practica'.lj bo devoted to the purpose. Here in Vermont one fifth of the tax for roads is to bo put into improve ments of a permanent chare cter. This is largely used in cutting down and lengthening the grade of hills, or in the building of stone or macadamized roads. Wnat little of this kind of work that has boen done eince the new road law went into effect, has proven so satis factory that it makes us wish that the good work could have been commerced many jears ago, then we should now havo something worih whiio to show for tho expenditure cf so much money. Here where etono is plenty and not too far away, it costs from four to five dollars a red to build a good road, something that should last many years, only requiring a little attention in keeping the ditched open and the cov ering in order. Taking tho worst pieces of road first, it will eooa be found that commendable progress i3 being made as thceo places were always requiring attention and neAcr long in a satisfactory condition. Good drainage for roadd should be sought for, as thi3 ia of the fitst im portsncr. The ditches should boploc d weil back from the road bed, eo as to prevent underdrawn ng or gullying UjIIh hcuid he carefully locked after an i the grade m?.do aa eay as possible. Tno surface of tho read ehculd bo somewhat rounded, so that tho water may readily paa-i off at the side?, rather than run along in the wheel tracks, washing away the dirt and forming holes and gullies. Tne surface should also bo kept clear of small stones that are always eo troublesome. Paeiag over the roads onco a month for this purpose ehculd be more generally prac ticed. Small repairs should always be at tended to ia season, as in this way large rxpenso can often be saved. It wi-l pay to go tvro miles, if it can not be obtained nearer, to get gravel with which to fill bad places in roads. In parts of the country where stone is scarce and gravel can be had, good road3 can be made by ueing this ma terial plentifully on tho surface. Of course tois meane that tbe road-bed ia first put in good condition for the gravel. Thia method in uped to eome extent ai the West, and oven here in the Ei, where stone uhound, whf re it can be conveniently obtained, is much prized. It is possible that in tho future port able stone crushing machines will be largely u-:ed in road making in the country, by means cf which thie plen tiful material can bo put to seme use ful purpose. Above all things, it should be the purpose to get tho bess men possible for the work of road supervision, and having obtained them keep them until others equally good or better can be found to take their places. Ia thi3 way, going slowly it may btv but turely forward in the right direc tion, tho time will not be far distant when a great improvement in our high ways will be apparent all over our land. E. R. To"WLE. Franklin Co., Vt. FIELD PKA FORAGE. Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer. The d filoulcy cf curing cow pea vines deters many farmers from planting a largo crop. The following plan will 1 6 found to give boet results, with leaps labor: Cu tho vine3 during the morn ?r g, the earlier tho better. H iver?ady a supply of poh s, about ten feet long leaving a feiv spurs to prevent settling, Wuh on iron rod, make hdes abcu: trrnty f ee opart, in rvhi; a t-et tb p hvJ, aad before night, nko &mh s:acks, not to exceed thr( e feet in diaai- e;er too atcc bocuia ce us mn a- t-" i go j-s tiv d rain. Wnca Hutficirntij cured, bf.ul to the barn. Try tti piar. a;.d rely moreupoa t'-o pea virwnich ctsn ba prcauced and Ik u d ut ont h'df the cost oi c-orn focider. Geo Allen ONE FAHM OF 1,500,000 ACRi S Tho biget farm in tho wcrid is in tho souihwescern part cf my state, 5' said Mr. P. G. Vinton, of Louisiana, at the Normaudia. l,It ia owned and operated by a syndicate of northern capitalists and embraces 1,500,000 acres of land, which were originally a big pasturo for cattle. The land ia devoted to the cultiva tion of cotton, corn, sug ir and rice. Eist and West the estate extends one hundred miles. The Southern Pacific runs through it for nearly forty miles. A good peal of attention is paid to rais , ing cattie, of which the syndicate owns 16,000 head, The company operaces several steamers cn the navigable riv ers that run through their mammoth farm, and they have also rice mills, a shipyard, ice plant, and bank."- Washington Pest. LATE CULTIVATION TOES. OF POTA- As the method of cultivation changes to a very light scratching of the eur face, so as to destroy small weeds and keep a mulch on the surface to prevent evaporation, farmers have learned that they can cultivate potatoes much later tban used to bo thought possible. The old plan of 'ioying by" the potato and corn crop before harveeting is now rarely followed and never by the best farmers. It belonged to tho time when a plow making deep furrows between the rows and setting potatoes in a hill was thought to be the last cultivation needed. Batter crops are now grown by level cultivation, which ir it is made shallow may be continued almo3t until potatoes are grown and without injur ing the crop . KEEPING THE CELLAR DRY. rao creas amount o that ha prevnih: d ail over tho c untry tbe past few wetks ha3 been mitigated by more wnclesorno atmo?phere in most places. Bat it lasted I; n enough to m5ke it highly probable that the humid atruoephere generally filled the cellars and basements of houses. It is doubtless stiii there. Moist air ia always heavier than dry, and if it once gets into a cellar, as it ia very apt to do, it will not leave of itself. Tho best thing to do is to take some kiln dried lime into the cellar and leave it to absoro the excess of moisture, which it will very quickly do. If the cellar has been long exposed to moist air it has prob ably developed miaema, and will need to bo disinfected. More sickness results frcm the damp cellars underneath most houses and the miof ma developed thereby than from any otber one cause. For this tako some chloride of lime, and put it into the cellar. On a part cf this pour h drccaloric acid. A dtnr e smoke will arisa frcm this, and it wiii pour cut of the cellar vrindowoas if the Wherever this smoko penetrates it kill3 every kind of germ, and will make the air in the cellar as pure and health ful it is possible for air to be. This preparation, clorida of limo ard hydro chloric &cid, is an excellent one to uge in sick rooms where injurious germs are feared. It will make the air safe to breathe for attendants. It is also good for clearing cut foul germs in etablee, and other places where infec tion may bo expected. American Qui tivator. SOME EDIBLE WEEDS. The Department cf Agriculture be lieves that the in the plant life of this continent may be found many addi tions to our dietary. Frederick V. Co ville, botanist of the Department, has spent considerable effort to examine many of the plants now classed as "weeds" which are capable of sustain ing vitality in man. Ho takes the po sition that a "wider use of green vege tables in the dietariee of most people, particularly those with healthy diges tions, would bo a marked benefit." Chemistry has demonstrated largely the eubstacces which the human sys ti m needs, and Botanist Coviila finds the essemials present in a great many plants, some of which are nowhere con faidcred as effective food for man, and eona cf which have only a lecal use as human food. Mr. Coviile points out that wild her luvofuus auimas leeu ou tno rats and t ji .- ..... -. . in thf iU. Tney fatten on thia dkt and gather in bodily fuel for the win ter. H:vi:jg exhausted thtir fuppty of fat by spriog r,hey make green herb ago the is principal food. Thisreres ineir muscular vigor and vitrlity. This dietary eybtem prevails among savage peoples, and is largely followed by tbe Indians of the Western States. Man's food has grown more artificial with the udvance of civilization, until, as Botan iat Coviile says, "foods are now selected naoro by custom than by instinct." The European races are more given to eating ealada and boiled green vege tables than are tbe people of the United States. Tho greater part of the plant food consumed by Americans ia made up of seeds, roots, and tubers. It is be cause of this that the people of this country are bilious. Tee first weed wh'ch Botanist Co vilie would have us oat is charlock. The plant grows as a weed from New England to the Pacific coast, and ia considered a troublesome weed in the I wheat districts of Wisconsin, Minne acd ortb, Dakota is cloeelyl. ht ra of the related to b!a mustard another truckera tnought right anf a want of familiar weed. Chatlock is known in N3w York State as "wild mustard," and is considered poisonous. Charlock was a common pot herb in Northern Europe centuriea ago, but it has not been recognized as food for man in the new worid. The leaves of the chicory plant are also good to eat, and in some neighbor hoods are thus utilized. It occurs as a weed in the Atlantic and Pacific States, and here and there in the interior. Its leaves grow in the form of a rosette, after the fashion of the dandelion. Yel low rocket is a weed common through out the Eastern States which man might eat. It is closely allied to the winter cress, which is used as a winter salad and pot herb. The dandelion is a weed which has already gained considerable favor as a food in the United Slates, though it is not grown for market. It is very com mon throughout the United States, ex cept in tho extreme South and West of the great plains, though it has rooted itself in certain parts of Washington and California. The truckers around Paris have been cultivating the dande lion for many years with good rt-.euits and have developed horticultural vari eties. There it is used largely as a salad, the plants being eaten green or blanched. Especial attention is called to the dock, two species of which, the broad leafed and the curled, occur as common weeds in meadotvs, pastures, and culti vated fields. Several species of dock are used widely as a pot herb in Europe Dock was used extensively by two tribes of American Indians, the Pimas and the Maricopas. Dock grows in the arid regions of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, where succulent vegetation ia rare. Limbr quarters, or pigweed, or goo80-foos is a weed whicn belongs to the earns plant family as the beet and soinscts, and ought to bo u?ed as a table vegetable. It ia cultivated in Europe, find is very common throughout tne United States. Mareh marigold, or "cowslip," is a native plant of North America. It grows ia samp land all ovf r the northern part cf the U oited States and British America. It has a local use as a pot herb, but its value in this respect is not generally appreciated. Pigweed occurs in many - fields all over this country, but the average American does not know its value as a food plant. It is eaten by the Indians of the South west and by the people of Mexico. In some parts of California it is cultivated by the Chinese. Pokewed is used locally in some parts of the South. The French people have introduced this plant iato their country and esteem it highly. The department thinka it probable that common nettle, milkweed, and round loafed mallow will come to be regarded aa good food. The suggestions made by the depart ment may bo c ff nsive to some paople, but then it wasn't so very lorg ago when the t:mato or "love apple" was thought to be poisonous, when the cucumber waa locked upon aa a fatal dose, and when people of tbe North were prr j odfeed against the banana. Farmers' Voico. BUYING BRAN. A great many dairymen fiad them selves obliged to uemiil product, and especially bran, during the winter asd orly epriog. Taere is rarely a season when it dos not pay, uoder euch cir cumstances, to make the purchase in the late summer and fail. Bran ru mog bui 20 pounds to the bushel ia a very bulky product, asd its storage requires a great deal cf space The mill-3, in preparing for the season, are glad to get; rid of tbe bran in order to save the space it occupies, and for that reason will generally eell it at aconsid erably lower price per ton than if they themselves are obliged to hold it over until early spring, and then sell it in face of the brisk demand that usually springs up then. The rule is, and for a good many eeasons has been, that when bran is needed it pays to buy it in tfco fall in bulk. Western Plow man. . TRUCKING IN CAROLINA This spring's trucking season in E &t Carolina was the greatest ia ten years. The Esst Carolina Fruit Growers and Truckera' Association has, according to Dr. E. Porter, of Rooky Point, ac compiisbed a good deal for it3 memberp. Last year when it met there was an unsatisfactory refrigerator service, a concerted action that all felt keenly. But everybody has pulled together since then and the truckers have got in part at least what they wanted. The freight rate on packages of truck was this season considerably less than it was last season and the refrigerator service has been very satisfactory. One of the mo3t important steps taken by the Association was the appointment of a shipping master, a step Tvhich eeema to have been in every way wise ly nit do. Southern States. RATS ON THE FARM. To the Editor: I note an inquiry in your last iesue as to how to exterminate rata. The rat causes about as much thought and ingenuity as anything on the farm. He is a cunning creature and will learn what you are doing to exterminate him, much quicker than you can think out a plan for doing it, and when he fitids out, y ou don't catch him, that is all. The best way to at tack a raS is to "treat" him in his hole, and the best way to do that ia to use bisulphide of carbon. The only trouble aboat that ia that ail of them may not be in the holo. But it is wcrth trying. Bisulphide of carbon which can be bought at any drug store is certain death to anything that may inhale its fumes, which b? iog heavier than air, always sink. It may be applied to a piece cf sponge or rag, and the sponge or rag inserted into the mouth cf the hole. 8ome people smear the mouth of the holes with tar, and when thf y be come smeared with tar they will leave the premises. Y'ou recommend ferrets, and they will certainly clean premises of rats about as completely as anything can. They go everywhere, in the holes, under the fl 3on?, through the buildingp, and you can hear the dying rats squeal ing about all the time. Wnat the do n't kdl will leav.. Ferrets and rata will notlongstayon tbe 8fim premises The ferret is not quite aa laraa a rat a:d is its natural enemy. Kerosene, if poured into the holr8, it is eaid, will drive th-rn away When rats become very numerous, they are a great; nuis ancs end I do not believo that premises thoroughly infested with them can be rid of them in any way except through the use of ferrets. Cats are of no use It is only now and then that a cat will master a rat, and farm cats are too well fed to take tha chances. It ia pretty dangerous to poultry, dogs, cats and sometimes hogs to use pciaons. If the war against the rat amounts to anything, it must be a determined and lively one when ence begun. Homeo pathic doses of treatment will not an swer. John H. Hobbs, in Western Plowman. gQBTICULTUHE SALT FOR THE CAB SAGE WORM. I am opposed to the mo of Paris green in any form for cabbage worms, as it ia dangerous. I have grovn cab bage for many years, and h ive never used this poison for the worms, but have a remedy that is sure death. Di lute strong beef brine one-third with water. Dip a whi3k broom into this mixture and fehake it ovor the plants at any timo when there is danger from worms. The solution is a fertilizer in itself and will not barm anyone. I have used thia for the last twenty years with perfect success, never fail ing to kill worms or raias fine cabbages. 1 6 will not answer for cucumbers, t quashes or pumpkin?, as tho salt1 will kill the so plants. B. B. Hanson, in American Agriculturist. BUY FRUIT INSTEAD OF CANDY, i wish," paid a docior the other day as he watched a group of school chil dren trooo out of a ca-y store, where thoy had bcm spending their pennies "that I could form a society among littio folks in which each member would take a pledge to spend ali his pocket money for fruit iaBtead of candy." It esemed a f jnny way of putting It, didn't itf Bat the physician was very much interested, and at the moment it probably occurred to him that, as children like club, an anti candy club would be a very good one for them. He wanted to do two things to stop their eating the unhealthful sweet and to coax them to eat more fruit. An apple or a banana or an orange can usually one or the other of them be bought for the price of a little candy, and the fruit is much better in every way than tho sweet. Naw York Times. . THE RED RUST OF THE BLACK f BERRY. Thi3 is the time of year when some of the blackberry and raspberry bushes may be seen with leaves of a rusty red or orange red color, giving ovidaiic3 that they are diseased. There is but one remedy cut and burn root and branch. If left, not only is the bush rendered worthless, but the disease is communi cated to other blackberry and rasp berry plants. And it will not do to burn branches only, for it is pretty well understood that a preceding form of the malady occupies the roots, and if the roots are left in tho ground, the bad work &oea on indefinitely. It will readily be understood that the sooner the cutting and burning is done the better. And no other blackberries should be planted on the same ground for several years Some varieties are more liable to the disease than others Kittatinny black berry, for instance and such kinds should be entirely discarded. With carefulness and prompt action, the malady may be checked and finally eradicated, but no half way work will answer. National Stockman. WHY RAISE STRAWBERRIES. I would like for tne Farmers' Roview to give mo somo reason why I should raise strawberries. Can't I raise a bushel of wheat that sells for 50 cents easier than I can raise 50 centa worth of strawberries? Then where is the philosophy of this continual drumming by the agricultural papers urging every farmer to have a fruit garden, and by all means to plant strawberries! An Old Fogy We are glad that "Old Fogy" has asked the question, for the same argu ment he has been used in our presence more than once. It may be true that it ia easy to raise 50 cento' worth of wheat as 50 cents' worth of strawber ries but there the argument fails. In the first place the ordinary farmer will not epond the money for the berries. If hia family baa to depend on stores, sometimes ten miles away, they will get etrawberries but eeidom, perhaps two or three times during a season. The farmer ia summer timo has too much to do to run to the village eev eral times a week, and when he does go he often has too much to look after to get the berries. So it 13 safe to say that the farmer that does not raise his berries will not supply his family with, them. By all means raise the wheats but also the berries. Farmers' Review; If the stock is to make a healthy, thrifty growth while on pasture, it ia very essential that they have acc3S3 to pure, fresh water whenever they want it.
The Progressive Farmer (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Aug. 31, 1897, edition 1
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