North Carolina Newspapers

The Progret Farmer is tood paper far Jborc the arer-:e--and possibly & best advertis laZ medium in N. 0 printers' Ink. "The Progres sive Farmer is a good paper fur abore the average- -and possibly the best advertis ing medium in N. C." Printers' Ink. on n THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF OUE PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF STATE POLICY. Vol. 12. RALEIGH, N. C, OCTOBER 5, 1897. No. 35 ffi gc 'JATIONAL FARMERS' ALLI HCE AND INDUSTRIAL UNION. president Mann Page, Brandon, Vice President C. Vincent, Indian lalSfi tar v Treasurer W. P. Bricker, an Station. Pa. LECTURERS. j p. Sosaamon, Charlotte, N. C. Hamlin V. Poore, Bird Island, Minn. F. H. Peirsol, Parkersburg, W. Va. 5ATIONAL EXFCUTIVK COMMITTEE. unnn Vnctr Rr.andnn. Va.: R. A. j,auu - 1 ttith worth, Denver, Col.; John Bre A. Gardner, Andrew's Settlement, Pa. JUDIUIAUX. 3. Southworth, Denver, Oolc. 5 y?". Beck, Alabama. p. Davie, Kentucky. OKTH :iSOLI5A FARMERS' STA1K AL!V president J no. Graham, Ridgeway, KVic President W. B. Upchurch, HSrSary urer-J.T.B Hoover, Hft?terBuess Agent-T. B. Parker, Bilisboro, N. C. Q.OTO.n Vi,l. Lecturer J-r. v. xi. m -now, N. C. Assistant lecturer - hnue, Msckov Ferry. N. O. Chaplain vv. d. iu.ci.uci., u.wjrv"., r-keeper Geo. T. Lane, Greens boro N. C. m mutant Door-Keeper uuo. v, D aham, N. C. rr nr11ftlM tegoant-at-Arma . u. xx. i ouou, Butineea Agency Fund-W. a "raham, Macbpelah, N. C. EKCUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE NORTH CB uINA FARMERS' 8TATE ALLIANCE. J. W. Denmark, Chairman, Raleigh, N 6 ' John Graham, Ridgeway, N O W. B. Fleming, Ridgeway, N. C. A. F. Bileman, Concord, S. C. Dr J B Alexander, Charlotte, Is. o Thomas D. O.dham, Teer, N. C. STATE A-.UANOSC JUDICIARY COM11TTEX. Dr. J. E Person, Pikeville, N. U. W. S. Barnes. Rileigh, N. C. T. Ivey, HUleboro. N. C. i .tih Carolina Reform Press Association. Of;lcer-J. L, 2iansey, President; mrion Butler, Vice-President ; W. S. sr ej, Secretary, PAPERS. .tsiftMlT Fnner. Stte Orgia. Raleigh, .ucssI&q. aelgn' iirwarv Hickory, jKUe- Whit&kers, iirHonns, Beiver Dam, Its Populist, Lnmberton, fae P.jple's Paper. Charlotte, fhe Vestibule, Concord, Tie Plow-Boy. Wadesboro, Xro'Jna Watcnnian. Salisbury. N.C. N. O. N. C. N. O. N. C. N. C. N. C. N. C. N. C. JJ. C. ach of the abcve-narri&i papers are etiedto hero Uls list standing on frit page and add others, provided are duly elected. Any paper fail- no Clnln nhitfcrm Will dropped from the list promptly. Our . .atmm tyf can now see u.vct- j-y' -vMnhed in their interest. AGRICULTURE. Tne article on "How toPck Apples." by the famous seed grower, J. J. II Greeorv. is a very timely one. Tbi ib &e eesson of year at which m03t North Carolina aonles are gathered, and we think uo farmer that raieea apples will regret time spent in reading the article i'din carrying out its instructions. Wet weather eeem3 to have been as rta; a trouble to Northern farmers as dry weather has been to those of the Sw.h this s?ascn. Wo learn that c ops of all kinds through the Northern S-ate aro generally late, owing to fre TWat rains. The effect of raintah m Eakic? soil cooler, by the evaporation from ttie surface which goes on when 5oj1 ia wpt in not anDreciiated as it 6ou!d be. Tcis has, undoubtf dly, in i'lred both the corn and potato crops. m sm-ill grains were too far advanced ken rrina bean to be injured, ezcepc fcy wet weather in harvest time. A kfc crop is generally a poor crop, and ce li4bQ to injuries of all sorts than Nearly crop. ,Whli n An. -rr.ltVt n Knltrir VirrV lfl problem the Horee World claim3 to C3 80lvfvi. Tr. nivs- Whfin fl hOFSS jr bow ugly he is, do not beat him. a-a t throw sand in hi3 ears, don't use 6 rtPe cn his front legs or even burn Jw Ua.L-r him- miitltr out and him r.n tV.a Vsias4 rvimont fftVft A. "iSimi. -i vi, ur even piCK. up u buuuo uttu tu ST rn.if 1 J V oil- ofill tisliaee. hold thrm ouietlv while 'lllft Uri f ithor frrrf. trn. crilTA Pftfh a light tap and a good smart tap the -tv .... i j,,, irus. urop nis toot qui3Kiy, - fca cnirp for him to go. In ninety cases out a hundred the horse will a tt along about his business, but i j-i . ""o aity iiio iuiD3 lauu auu m ' ur pun mm Dacs. xne secret thic I:... ... . iuue trick is simply diversion. OPPOSE THE USE OF GUANO. Oorreepondence of the ProKressive Farmer. The folio ving resolutions were unani mouely adopted by Smith Creek Alii anca, No. 351, of Warren Co , N. C, on the 18l;h of September, 1897. Whereas. Auother year has more thoroughly developed the fact that the use of fer:il;z?rs are deceptive and the drain upon the crops to pay for the same is alarming. And wherea?, it is all important that the farmers should make known some cf the evils existing in the manipulation as well as in the use of fertilizers. Therefore be it Resolved, That we, as farmers, are dieguated with the shrinkage iu the grade of fertilizers from year to year, causing the upq of from five hundred to one thousand pounds par acre, there by adding double freight to the cost, without value in comparison with the grade ten jears ago, when half the quantity would make better crops. 2. That the price has not lo vered in proportion to the grade leaving out the additional freight and expense of haul ing. 3 Tnat the entire cost of fertilizers when the seasons are bad, is a total loss to the farmer while under favor able seasons the profits will not justify the risk. 4. That the next legislature should enact that no fertilizers shall be sold in the State at a commercial value of less than thirty dollars per ton., 5 That we will commence now to think and make plans to dispense with the ueo of fertilizers at present prices and grade as much as possible and im prove our lands by other methods more permanent and profitable, for we have failed to real zi either by the use of fer til z?rs. But on the other hand its use, as a market crop food, we are impov exishiog our land trying to pay for it. 6 Tnat theee resolutions be published in The Progressive Farmer and News Reporter. W. F. Bish p. Secy. TO KEEP SWEET POTATOES. Correspondence of The Progressive Fanner. Tnreo points are essential. 1. The potatoes should be ripe when dug. 2. Tney should be put away at the right time. 3 Tney ekculd be put away in the right way. If the above three points be properly observed potatoes can easily be kept in good condition through two winters (1 ) To ascertain when ripe, remove a few potatoes, break in two pieces and throw down on the ridge. If ripe, the milk that runs out, when d-y, will be white; if notripoit will be dark. In the former case the potatoes may be relied on to keep ; in the latter case there is doubt, but with care may keep well. Potatoes should be planted s-offi iient ly early to ripen before they are dug. when to Dia Potatoes ohould be dug soon after the frost kills the vines. Some, how ever, advise that they be left until the weather turns cool. But when thus left, if the weather be warm, they are apt to sprout in the ground. The farmer must dtcido between tbo two plans aceordiog to his own experience. It may bo well to try some by each p;an until he is convinced. I prefer early digging -soon after the vines are killed. airing the potatoes. Thi may be done iu several ways. If aired in the patch, poles or rails should be placed on the ground with proper spaces intervening. Tne pota toes should be placed thereon and cov ered with stra w or other litter to pro tcct from frost, in case there be any. Let the potatoes remain thus for about nine days, or untii the first whito frost thereafter; they will then ba in proper condition to put away. If preferable, the pole? or rails may be placed on a floor and the potatoes piled thereon in the way described. This plan will caue the air to get under the potatoes and, as it abends, (the potatoes will be warmed SLffi Gently by bulking to cause this) all portions of the bulk will be evenly cured. putting thh potatoes away Af fcer the potatoes have been prop erly cured there U only one safe way to putthem away, and especially if it be desirable to keep them a long time the air must be excluded. To exclude the air, dry sand or road dust must be employed. The potatoes may be pj.aced in a potato house, a cellar, a large box or a hill, and dry sand then powdered over them, which will fljw and fill every crevice. If dust be used, it will be necessary to place alternately a layer of potatoes and a layer of dust, AGRICULTURE At-Trans Mississippi and International Exposition to be Held at Omaha, June ist to November ist, 1898 Through the courtesy of the man agers, The Progressive Farmer is en abled to give its rtadeis a eplendid picture cf the Agriculture Building at next year's great Exposition, as it will appear when completed . This building will cost, we understand, about $100, 000. Agriculture acd live stock will be made prominent features cf the Ex position. Architects who stand pre eminent in their profession are now perfecting the plans of the main buildings Agricul ture, Art, Electricity and Machinery, Mines and Mining, Manufactures and Liberal Arts and Spectator ium. On either side of the Administration building stands 'Mines"and Agricul ture," twins in size and general form, acd the largest of the Exposition's main buildiugs. TheAgricultural build ing is located just west of the Twen tieth Street axis of the Kounze tract, and faces south on the lagoon. Its architecture is free Renaissance, with details conventional in proportion and arrangement but natural in subject and ail indicative of the purpof e of the budding. There will be capitals of corn and wheat, festoons ad cornu copias of vegetables, fruits and flow ers. The strutting turkey cock with epreading tail very successfully re places the anthemion in one of the most impcaftai friezes. The fitness which marks the choice of motives throughout will extend to color decoration. The mass will con form to the general old ivory tint of all the buildings, while in the ornament the colors of nature will be adhered ta The yellow of corn, purple of grapes, red of apples and green of foliage will predominate. The eff-ct will bs en nanced by focussing. Thus the cen tral niche will blsz with color and as Iho latter will not flow; and it wou'd ba b3tter to employ the same method for sand, thus preventing the potatoes from touching. If a potato house is used it U prefer ably constructed of stone, with two wail3, an inner and outer wall, the space between being filled with earth or dry eand. If a cellar be used it should be lined with a stone wall. In either case a etone wall will reduce the temperature in summer from 7 to 10 degrees, and will be Sufficiently warm in winter. If a cellar or a potato house be em ployed the same sand or duat, as the case may be, can be used for an indefi nite time. One party, who used road dust, constructed a large box and placed is in an out house. Tne same dust was used here for about 20 years and answered as good a purpose as could be desired. Tne box, to prevent freezing, should be constructed with two walls about six inches apart and properly filled between with duat or sand. When the air is thus excluded by employing either sand or road dust the potatoes by the following spring appear to undergo but little or no chaoge. One seasou I placed sand among the potatoes immediately after digging There was a heavy frost the night pre vious. Tne potatoes not only kept well, but the following spring the milk would flow from a freshly broken po tato the same as if freshly dug, having seemingly undergone no change what ever. While the potatoes kept re markably well on this occasion, I after wards learned from actual tests that it is very unsafe to thus exclude the air from them while in a green state. Heat i3 apt to be produced and when once generated it is impossible to save the potatoes. Curing the potatoes is there fore of two fold importance: 1. To sweeten the potatoes. 2 To prevent heating. If the potatoes are eufficiently cured to prevent generating heat for a week after they are put away, we need not fear the warm falls known as Indian BUILDING. here on either side of the doorway will be paintings, the 'Sower" and "Reap er" of Millet. The structure is something over four hundred feet long by about one hun dred and fifty wide, and averages fifty feet high. Tne main entrance is a hemicyole in plan, surmounted by a oircular, niche, atd is central in the south facade. Smaller doors pierce the sylobate at intervals along the whole front. The ends have triple doors with loggias above. The roofs are low, showing only balustrades above the cornice, except where broken by central and corner pavilions. The monotony of the sky line is relieved by groups of statuary, appropriately rep resenting the seasons, with Prosperity supported by Labor and Integrity dominating the whole. Oyer the main entrance there will be a statute of Abundance, flanked by lesser figures and the arms of State and Nation. The sculptured subjects include groups representing the signs of the Z)diac, the favorable winds and the seasons ; ind everywhere panels and friezaa will bear the names of patrons of agricul ture, its celebrated inventors, and ap propriate inscriptions. It is doubtful if any exposition has yet given its agricultural show as beau tiful and elaborate a setting as this will be. When ono reaTIzhajjn from across, the lagoon, Agriculture and Mines with the Administration, Arch and connecting colonrades will present an unbroken front one thou and feet long, and that the effect will ba doubled by reflection in the water it his feet, a very good idea may be had of the scale of the coming display. A fuller detcription of this great Ex position may be found in The Pro gressive Farmer of July 6ih. summer. But it is important that the smdirjg or dusting be done of a cold morning, and that the sand or dust be firs- exposed to the air so as to become as cold as possible. Tne sand or dust, as the case may be, should be thorough ly dry. hills. If hills be employed, the potatoes may be piled direct from the pUeh, putting not more than 25 or 30 bushels in a circalar pile. But by making the hill long any desirable quantity can be placed, being cheaper than round hills Place two plank at right angles suffi ciently raised fcr the air to pass be neath, then pile the potatoes thereon and finish by hilling in the usual way, leaving the top open. You will thus have four places at the bottom to admit air. At the end of nine days close these places, and when the weather is sufficiently cool finish by pouring eand in at the top until full. If this plan adopted it will be necessary to provide new sand every year. COTTON SEED. Cotton seed is one of the most con venient methods known for putting away potatoes and should be employed for at least a portion of the crop. They may ba put away in a barn or any room that is not over a room in which fire is used. Place on the fl or about six inches of cotton seed, then the po tatoes the depth of about three feet and cover lightly with seed. As the weather becomes colder the depth of cotton seed on top may be increased to six inches. Thip method is convenient for using purposes and appears to have no superior as a keeper. Old seed thought to be better than new. Bryan Tyson. Long Leaf, N. C. TO MAKE FARMS BEAUTIFUL. Many farms and homesteads have a desolate appearance because the odd corners and bits of ground are left un tilled and grow up in unsightly weeds in summer and become dreary and barren looking in the winter. It is too often the case that whatever plots of land are unsuitable for cultivation be cause of their smallness, or because in conveniently situated, are left in this wild condition, and mar the effect of an otherwise well kept farm or beauti lul home. In a recent report on "Experimental Farms," issued by the Canandian Gov ernment, W. T. Macoun, foreman of foresty, makes many suggestions as to how these unsightly spots may bs made attractive and productive. Mr. Macoun says: 'No matter how small the plot of ground or how situated, there is no reason why it should b8 an eye sore. It is this utilization of every nook, corner and cranny, and the making of two blades of grass to grow where a weed grew before, that ha3 made rural England so beautiful to the eye and so pleasing to the se thetic sense.. The agricultural and pastoral landscapes in England, where the little farms are green to the very door,' have been described as 'j wel scenery.' There eeems to be no good reason why the rural districts of New Jersey, New York and of other Stales could not be made equally attractive and fruitful." Mr. Macoun has utilized all of the waste piace3 about the effi-jes and buildings of the Forestry Department at Central Experimental Farm. In his report he thu? writes of the improve ment of these odd corners : 'The land adjacent to the effi e and other buildings, which has been de voted to the cultivation of ornamental trees and shrubs, looked better this year than ever before. As the trees increase in siza from year to year, the landscape becomes more beautiful ; the effects, also, of the grouping are more apparent, and show pleasing combina tions and contrasts of color and form. A number of the species are also be ginning to bear freely their white, yel low, red, scarlet, purple and black fruits, which still further heighten the effect. The flower borders and beds were a mass of bloom from early in the summer to late in the autumn, cannas, gladioli and asters b?ing par ticularly fine. More hedges have been planted, and some email additional areas seeded down. Tne trees and shrubs planted during the last two seasons now add very much to the at tractiveness of this section of the farm." Tne foreman also calls attenti n to a large number of the trees and shrubs suitable for hedges and ornamental purposes. He now has hedges of sev enty five different species. Among the ornamental trees, Mr. Macoun men tions several beautiful varieties from Japan and China, such as the syricga, the katsura tree, the Japanese quince, and the exquisitely beautiful maiden hair tree, or gingko biloba. The director, writing of the result of this utilizing of all small plots, says: 'The number of specimens which have been planted along the roads from the entrance gates to and about the build ing is 2,742, and the cumber of species and varieties among these is about 4 0. With so many different types of beauty spread out on every hand the visitor fie da objects cf interest to claim his at tention at every point." In many places on the farm the fruit trees could be used so that they would be at once objects of beauty and profit. Even in the smallest plots and corners the weeds and stones could be replaced by flowers, to the aesthetic delight and mental improvement of thoso whopas3 their lives on the farm. New York Times HOW TO PICK APPLES. Thsre are three ways of securing the apple crop by shaking the fruit from the trees, by gathering it by hand and then droppirjg the apples into the has ket, which may be hanging on the lad der two or three feet below our reach, and the third way of gathering the fruit by hand and carefully laying each apple in the basket. The tremen dous crop of last season here in eastern Massachusettes affords the opportunity to test the comparative merits of each of these three plans when carried out on a large scale. The argument of those who practice tbe first named plan was that the apples were so plenty and consequently cheap, tnat it would not pay to hand pick them, and the shaking of them eff on the second crop of grass growing be neath the trees would bruise but a small per cent, of the fruit. An Atlan tic cyclone, which descended on us soon after we had begun apple-picking, gave me, to my exceeding regret, an opportunity to test the merits of this system of apple gathering. All the fruit lying on the grass under the trees was carefully gathered up and piled before we begTm hand picking. I gave the gathering up my personal supervision, to see to it that the fruit was carefully laid in baskets, and that theee were carefullv emntied on the pile3. At convenient intervals these piles were sorted over, the email and bruisgd fruit being carried to the cider mill and the apparently sound put in barrels. These barrels were protected ' from rain and carried from time to time to the shed, where the fruit was again carefully examined under my supervision, and only such as appeared to be perfectly sound were put in bar rels, headed and transferred to the dark, cool cellar. Tne remainder of the crop was hand picked as carefully as I could get it done by mv reeular farm hands, all under careful super- vision. As these men were not hired to pick by the barrel, they had no motive to slight their work. These, apples alao were headed up in barrels and put in the cellar, eide by side with the fiist S. Two months later I took fromthe two lots about forty barrels to market, and, unheading, picked them over, and made the following memoranda of the results, which I copy from note book : I find that windfall apples, taken from the gras3 ground, and apparently all sound, at the time of packing, have rotted nearly a third within two months from the time they were bar reled, while those carefully hand picked from the trees have rotted about one- fourth. On February 10th, another lot of these sorted windfalls averaged about half sound to the barrel, while the hand-picked of the same variety (Rod Russets) gave about a couple of quarts of unbound ones to the barrel The dollar and-cent inference from this investigation is that the best sorted of windfalls are a pretty ticklish sort of an investment, and that in seasons when apples are cheap and labor high as of average years, it is decidedly cheaper to send all this quality of fruit directly to the cider mill rather than be at the care of gathering it together, and makiog two careful sortings of it, to have a third rot on your hands be fore marketing; for the rotting is not only so much direct loss, but also the loss of much time in overhauling and wiping the sound fruit that remains, so as to make it decently presentable. Now, a remark or two on the prac tice quite general of hand pickicg the fruit and then dropping it into instead of carefully laying it in the b?sket. I had recently occasion to examine two large lots of apples which had been gathered by the two diff erent methods. Each lot was kept the same way, in large bins acd in oellars. In one, the carefully handed, I could hardly find at this da tie (February 22;, a rotten apple; indeed, on looking carefully over a surface that would make several barrels, I saw but a single decayed fruit, while on the lot picked by drop ping process, from one fifth to one quarter of the fruit was unsound. In the first instance, the owner had gath ered his apples with his own. hands, and in the other three there had been boys employed. Consider now the loss which is the result of careless handling cf the fruit. One man boasted to me that he had picked twenty barrels a day ; I felt that I could not eff ord to employ him; an other could pick with care from eight to ten barrels per day. Appks picked by tbx5 first man would have cost me directly about ten cents a barrel; those by the second about seventeen cents, a difference of seven cents oa a barrel for picking. Now let us ccnefder the indirect, and yet just as real cost. At this eeasoa of the year Baldwins are usually worth from $2 upward per barrel. Assuming that the carelessly picked fruit loses one fifth by rotting, and the carefully gathered one fortieth, then the loss on the fruit of the first is thirty five cents per barrel more than on that picked by the careful man; and adding this indi rect to the direct cost of his work, his fruit picking has really cost me forty five conts a barrel, while tb.o work of the careful man has coat but seventeen cents. The remark of the wise man made last fall, that the profits of the apple crop in the season of unprecedented plenty would ultimately.be found in the pockets of the careful picker, is abundantly demonstrated by the com parative condition of the fruit in the cellars of -hundreds of farmers at this date. We cannot afford to employ these careless fast pickers. We would make more money in the end by hiring them at $5 a day to let the apples alone and eat roast turkey and plum pudding at our expense. J. J. H. Gregory, ia the Farmers' Guide. V