"Tie Progret
ttlre Farmer U a
coed paper far
Ibove the ayer--ge
&ad possibly
best advertis.
lasr medium In N.
g? printer' Ink.
'The Prrvrr-
ive Farmer! a
good 'paper fax
above the average-
-and possibly
the beat advertis
ing medium in U,
C." Printer' Ink.
An
iic1 Li
THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERISTS OF OUS PEOPLE PAfiAHOUNT TO ALL OTHrSfc CONSIDEfiATIONS OF STATE POLICT.
Vol. 12.
RALEIGH, IT. C, OCTOBER 19, 1897.
ITo. 37
n n rrri
I I El -i .1
W 1 H
tf-il M 1 1 A
r i i i i
,532 NATIONAL FARMERS' ALL1-
UNION.
i?Csid3nt Mann Page, Brandon,
Vice Prrsident 0. Vincent, Indian-
'Setary Treasurer W. P. Bricker,
Qogan Station. Pa.
LKOTTJBERS.
j P Sosamon, Charlotte, N." O.
Hamlin V. Poore, Bird Island, Minn.
F. H. Peirsol, Parkersburg, W. Va.
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
Mann Page. Brandon, Va. ; R. A.
flouth worth, Denver, Col.; John Bre
Jff W Va. ; A. B. Welch, New York;
W. A. Gardner, Andrew's Settlement,
jxjdioiast.
g. A. Scuthworth, Denver, Colo.
i- v. Beck, Alabama.
. D. Davie, Kentucky.
HORTH OAEOLIKA fABMKBS' BTA1E ALU-
President Jno. Graham, Ridgewny,
N Vice-President W. B. Upchurch,
Uotrisville, N. O. tt
Secretary Treasurer J.T. B.Hoover,
Hiilsboro. N. 0. . .
State Business Agent T. B. Parker,
Hillsboro, N. 0.
Lecturer-Dr. V. N. Seawell, Villa-
BAMistant lecturer W. B. Brick
house, Mackev Ferry, N. C.
Chaplain W. S. Mercer, Moyock,
N C
Door-keeper Geo. T. Lane, Greens
boro. N. C.
distant Door-keeper J aa. K. Lyon,
Dirham, N. O.
?ergeant-at-Arms A. D. K. Wallace,
Baleigh, N. C. .
Traaxee Business Agency Fund W.
i. Graham, Machpelah, N. C.
IIECUTIVK OOMMrmCB OP THE FORTH
CAR :-LI5A FARMZBS STATS ALL1AK0S.
J. W. Denmark, Chairman, Ra!eigh,
N C
John Graham, Bidgeway, N. C.
W. B. Fleming, Ridgeway, N. O.
A. F. Hileman, Concord, N. C.
Dr J B. Alexander, Charlotte, N. C.
Thomas D. O-dham, Teer, N. C.
gTATE A-X1ASCT JUDICIARY OOSmiTTES.
Dr. J. E Person, Pikeville, N. C.
V7. S. Barnes. Raleigh, N. C.
T. Ivey, Hillsboro, N. C.
txih CaroWua Reform Press Association.
Offers J. L. Ramsey, President;
?arion Butler, Vice-Presiient ; W. 8.
Unmet, Secretary,
PAPERS.
rTJrwcslve Farmer. State Orcan, Raleigh, N. C.
aucxaiaa, Raielgn, . u.
utrcarv. Hickory, N. C.
tttln. Wrdtakers, N. U.
vtr Hone Beaver Darn, N. C.
rte Populist, Lumberton, N. C.
rhe People's Paper, Charlotte, N. C.
fte Vestibule, Concord, N. C.
Tte Plow- iov. W&desboro, N. C.
urcUaa Watcnman, Salisbury, N. C.
y-acn, of the above-ramcd paper are
tidied to keep Vie list standing on
4e nt page and add others, provided
y Gi-e duly elected. Any paper fail
q lo advocate the Ocala platform wtll
Stopped from the list promptly. Our
ifififife can now tee what paper are
blithcd in their interest. ,
GrORICTJLTTJRET
CONTROLLING CROP PESTS.
A. recent issue of the Albany, N. Y ,
Country Gentleman has this to say
cerning one good act of our last legis
lature :
"A reader thinks wo would do well
to call attention to the method now
pursued in North Carolina under the
provisions of chapter 264 of the laws
of 187 of that State 'An Act to Pre
vent the Introduction and Dissemina
tioa ct Dangerous Insect, Fungous and
Weed Pe3ts of Crops.' Toi3 act consti
tutes a eptcial unsalaried commission
consisting of the State Commissioner
of Agriculture, the Director of the
North Carolina Agricultural Experi
ment Station, and the Preeident of the
State Horticultural 8ociety. It is the
faty Cf this commission to 'adopt regu
lationa, not inconsistent with the laws
and Constitution of this State andjhe
Suited States, for preventing the in
troduction of dangerous, crop pesta
froaa without the State, and for gov
erning common carriers in transport
plants liable to harbor such peats
to.and from the State, and euch regu
ktiong shall have the force of laws.'
T&e act goes on to say that no person,
cr corporation shall knowingly
willfully keep upon his cr their
Prern's's any plant infested by any
aanecroug crop pegt jjed and pub
uanea as each by the said commission,
Jr permit dangerous weed pesta to ma
jjfe eet?d or othf rwise multiply upon
j?wr lanri, except under such regula
"cna as the commission may prescribe ;
rrF su-'-h infested plant and premises
hereby declared a public nuisance.
j?t;ns under this authority, the com
jion declares the following ineect
toK8 and f un8oua diseases of plants
dangerous pests of crops: San
Scale, greedy scale, West India
gloomy scale, scurfy scale, oyster
gA1 scale, enonymus scale, walnut
J?je. plum eoale, peach yellows ; peach
JJJ Plum rosette; fire blight, and black
HOW TO SAVE HOME-MADE MA
NURE. Written for the Prcgresslre Farmer.
Now that the guano question is at
tracting eo much attention, we think
the following article will make good
reading. In another column we give
a letter from Mr. A. L. Swinson on the
use of guano, and in our 'Weekly Di
gest" the article on "Home Mixing of
Fertilizers" may prove interesting.
Ed
Raleigh, N. C.
We rememb3r having once heard a
practical man make a remark about
the use of concentrated chemical for
til zTa which appeared to have con
siderable common eenee in it. He said
that if we undertake to make a crop
with such manures oi ly, i would bo
like a laboring man trying to do a gocd
day's work orr"one drink of whiskey.
The liquor would stimulate bis stomach
and fire up hia energies for a short time,
but hi3 systf m.wculdsoon feel the need
of good, BU6tainicg focd. It ia much
the same way in fertilizing land with
ch mical mixtures.
Every practical farmer-knows that
good stable manure and heme made
composts are icfitely superior and mc re
lasting than many of the chemical fer
tilizers on the market, therefore any
contrivance to help the farmer to ao
cumulate and save such materials, in
good condition and at the leagt expense,
is desirable.
Many cf our farmera allow enough
material about the barnyard and stables
to waste and wash away by rains; to
make a lai ge quantity of excellent ma
nure. They do this mainly for the lack
of a convenient place for the reception
of the waste material of the household
and barnyard. The sketch is intended
to show an efficient and cheaply built
manure pen which can be made by
anyone at the cost of a few pounds of
nails.
lip )
As s&own in the cut, it consists of a
rough roof of split boards, supported
by four posta end surrounded by a pen
of logs four or five feet high. The qor
ner 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 C3st more. A
shallow trench should be dag on all
sides, for drainage, and the dirt from
the trench heaped up around the hot
torn logs, to prevent the entrance of
rain water.
Into this pen should be thrown all
the stable manure, litter and droppings
of the barnyard, cebes and night soil
from the dwellings, slops, old bones,
dead animils, oak leaves, sweepings,
etc. Occasionally throw on some land
plaster or dry earth, especially if the
pen becomes offensive. Tne fact of
having a handy place to deposit all
such things will insure its being used
for that purpose and roault in much
cleaner and more healthful prem
ises, besides saving a large amount of
excellent manure.
In the course of a year an astound
ing quantity of manure will be accu'
mulated, at almost no cost whatever,
and its qualities are far more lasting
than commercial fertilizers. The pen
should be conveniently located near
the barnyard 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 barnyard and stables, allow
ing nothing to go to waste. Occasion
ally mix and stir the materials with a
shovel or fork, and if too dry, throw
on some water from time to time bo
that the whole mas3 may become a
well rotted compost.
Such a pen, 12x16 feet, will contain
960 cubic feet, if piled fiveJeet 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 s'za would probably be of sufficient
cize for a two horse farm.
Those who have no better method of
saving manure will do well to try this
cheap, home heme farm pen. It will
save many dollars, even on the smallest
farm, in a year's time.
Thos C. Harris.
THE USE
CF GUANO
ZSRS.
FERTILI-
Carreepondence of the Progref slve Farmer.
In your iue of October 5th, on first
pge, appears a set of resolutions rela
tive to guano. I want to eay at the
outset that it is unwise and mislead
ing ia the statements CDntalned there
in, and that thia is not what should
come from any Alliance, to go to
other farmers and Alliances, for many
pec pie will euppoee these resolutions
all right, beciusetbey would not know
otherwise, and hence would take is for
granted that as an Alliance .had
endorsed iV that they know it was
correct, bafore they would do so, when
as a fact they only inferred it to be
correct.
The 4iwhereas" to these resolutions is
correct and good as far as it goes. The
first resolution in regard to the reia
tivo value of the fertilizers of to day
and ten years ago, is very incorrect,
and is not a good statement to go out
for correctD e3S. Especially is this true
of the grades sold in our State fcr in
stead of there being a shrinkage in the
quality cf the fertilizers sold here to
day and ten years ago, they are rather
better. The fact that they are so de
ceptive inValue is due to the wholesale
use that is made of them with so little
care different-methods give different
results in the use of fertii Z3rs, just aa
it dose in anythiDg else, brother.
R solution 2 ii also bad, and hardly
ia keeping with Alliance influence.
Now is it cot a fact, (I say it u) that
since the Alliance organized in North
Carolina and established a standard
grade brand of fertilizer, i e .8 per cent.
phosphoric acii,2J percent ammcnia.S
percent, potash and contracted through
our State Trade Agent to supply guano
of that grade at 120 to 124 per ton, that
the prices of all other guanos of like
grade and proportionately so, drop to
about sme price as cur Alliance guano;
that is for standard grade, dropped
from $25 and $30 per ton to $20 to $24
per ton ? And these facts have been pub
lished and canvassed by our Alliance
papers and officials as a reason for
maintaining our Order.
Resolution 3 is rather eff also, for it
depends on the knowledge and tec in
the use of fertilizsr; that ia to under
stand the quality of your soil, the need
of the crop you are to grow and many
ether thing just as important, in point
of success, as tad seasons are, to mike
mcney by the use of f ertilfz 3rs.
Resolution 4 is worse than all the
rest, as it would constitute special
legislation and force people tc buy
what they did not want, and in many
cases not the most profitable; it would
not be "equal right3 to all and special
privileges to none," for it would be a
special privilege to such as needed that
high grade fertilize only to get it, but
would prevent others who needed a
lower grade from getting it and force
them to take what was .best for some
quick grow ing crop, to use where they
needed a better grade, that is a lower
grade, for their slow growing crop or
go without any. And I want to go on
record here and now as saying, that no
one can farm profitably at the low
price of soil products, without the use
of fertilizers in the majority parts of
North Carolina, and that it is the men
who use from 1,000 to 3,000 pounds of
fertilizers on their special crops that
make the most clear money out of
farming.
Resolution 5 first part of it is all O.
K. the latter part is true in many
cases, but is also offset by as many
other caees, where it pays well and
people will not quit the use of it oan't
afford to.
Now, brethren, I have written what
I have above simply to point out the
fact that many people don't eea things
as you do, and again that the experi
ence of all are different, too, and also
on reviewing your resolutions and
reading my review of them that you
may see how it put us as an order of
farmers to have an Alliance publish a
eet of resolutions along a lino that is
admiseable, so manyobjoctiona to.
I admire the spirit and united inter
est which I think prompted these reso
lutions, but we should be more careful,
I think.
What the farmer needs in the fertili
kt matter ia to better understand bow
to use them; what they want, the real
market value of the grade of the fer
tilizer they do need.
Instead of higher priced good3, we
need to get just what we need for our
crops for less money than we now have
to pay.
You take the Alliance brand of guano,
it has 8 per cent, acid, that is 160
pounds per ton, and this is worth A
cents per pound, ($7.20 worth of acid),
2 per cent, ammonia, that is 50 pounds
of ammonia in a ton, worth12 cents
per pound, ($6 worth of ammonia), then
there is 3 per cent, potash, that is 60
pounds in a ton, worth 5 cants per
pound, ($3 worth of potash), total 270
pounds of chemicals worth 16.20, the
other 1,740 pounds is waste dirt worth
nothing, and you pay from $20 to $24
for this $16 20 worth of chemicals,
when you buy it in the form of manu
factured guano; when I waut a ton of
guano equal to any standard brand
that contains 8 per cent, acid, 2 per
;eat. ammonia atd 3 per cent, potash,
I buy the following goods and mix
them myself:
1,000 lbs. acid phosphate 14 per
cent, acid contains 140 lbs. acid
and cost in Norfolk $5 00
400 lbs. of kainit 13 per cent, con
tains 52 lbs. of potash and cost
' in Nor folk 2 20
600 lbs cotton eeed meal contains
52 lbs. of ammonia, 17 lbs. of
aoid and 10 lbs. of potash, and
cost , 6 60
Thus I get a ton in these goods that
has 140 pounds in the phosphate and 17
pounds in the o ,ttcn seed meal makes
157 pounds of phosphoric acid in' the
Jot ; I get 52 pounds of ammonia in the
cotton seed meal, and I get 12 pounds
of potash from the kainit and 10 pounds
of potash from the cotton seed meal,
making 62 pounds of potash, all at a
cost of $13 80, which, with freight
added, generally cost me about $15 per
ton delivered at my farm ; thus I get a
standard grade guano for $15 while
most people are paying from $20 to $24
per ton, cash. . ,
. In cc nclusion, I want to eay that Mr.
T. W3. B Parker, cur present State Alii
ance Trade Agent, who will take hold
about November l3t, is a practical
farmer, and like myself, has made and
used his own make of guano for years
past and can, IadgSfarracge for our
Alliance people to get materials and
make their fertilizers at a saving in
cost of about 50 per cent, over buying
manipulated goods. Mr. Parker is a
neighbor of mine and a first class truck
farmer, and knows what and where to
buy fertilizers cheapest. Correspond
with him for your fertilizers and com
pound your own and save money, too.
Abb tt L Ewinson.
GoldEboro, N. O , Oct. 9, 1897.
ABOUT WEEDS.
Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
So importont a part does the sup
preesion of weeds play in the growth of
all cultivated crops, that any means
for assisting in the warfare incessantly
waged against them is of the greatest
practical importarcs. No invariably
applicable rule can be laid down, nor
line of practice ba adopted, since the
character of the crops infested and the
nature of the weeds themselves con
stantly change. Indeed, the plant
grown as a valued crop to day may be
come the direct pest to morrow and the
harvest of one locality be the bane of
another.
A weed is really any plant growing
out of place; that is, where not in
tended or; desired. Timothy becomes
a weed in the corn field and cotton is
a weed in the cane patch. Weeds grow
that man may exterminate them, and
their extermination ig his most con
stant occupation. -
The methods adopted for this ex
termination are universal. Cultiva
tion is their death, the only variation
being in the method or implements
uied in performing the deed. Is the
adage that an ounce of prevention is
worth a pound of cure," more applic
able than in the attitude of farmers to
ward weeds I It is to some of the pes
sibilitiesof prevention that I propose
to call attention.
Preventing the presence of weeds
rather than the killing of weeds, should
be the aim of the farmer. And here it
seems important to observe a too sel
dom considered truth that of the rec
ognized weed pests of our country fully
80 per cent, are of European origin and
are now among our imported luxuries.
In light of this fact general restrictive
measures would seem to be a crying de
mand. In view of the recent history
with the "Russian Cactus" which has
laid whole counties in the West waste,
from an importation in immigrant
bedding scarcely a decade ago, legisla
tive precautions might even now prove
timely.
The advantages of prevention over
extermination seem to be frequently
confuted under the supposition that
the killing of tho weeds on the soil has
some of the advantages of the turning
under of a green crop. Indeed, this
practice was for a time advocated by
one of tho most assiduous of our ex
perimenters. It must be remembered,
however, that among, the common
weeds of the country there is hardly a
leguminous plant. It therefore follows
that the fertilizing material contained
in a crop of weeds is essentially all of
soil origin and the cultivation of
this crop simply returns to the soil the
plant food originally taken from the
soil and in a far less soluble and avail
able form than it previously held, in
asmuch as decomposition in the soil
must intervene before the material of
the weeds can again become available.
The presence of weeds in cultivated
fields is therefore without redeeming
feature.
Invisible and often almost inexplic
able as the origin of a given weed in
any locality may be, we know that
spontaneous generation is out of the
question and that wherever a weed ap
pears its seed must have preceded it.
The seed therefore is the vulnerable
place of attack, and any means by
wh cb the presence or formation of
weed seed may be restricted is the
Barest and most effective way for re
ducing the mischief of the weed itself.
The most effective time for cultivating
the weed infested ground is after the
seed has sprouted, but before the re
suiting plant has secured a strong hold
on the soil. A few repetitions of this
course win", by destroying the successive
sprouting?, suffice to exterminate the
weed crop of any given season.
The source of the weed seed in any
given field ia of vital importance in
supplying the basis for action by en
abling us to prevent a re occurrence of
the condition resulting in the presence
of the pest.
Uuquestionobly the manure used is
responsible for a larger part of our
weed enemies than any other single
cause. Any farmer who will once ob
serve the difference in tLo prevalence
of weeds, where crops are grown with
and without manure side by side will
easily convince himself of the truth of
this assertion. I have repeatedly found
the c:st of cultivation to be more than
doubled by the use of manure as a fer
tilizer and with a certain crop, requir
ing much hand weeding, like onions,
the use of manure is certain to prove
disastrous.
The obvious deductions from these
facts are- first, that commercial forms
of nitrogen, potash and phosphoric
acid should be substituted for manure
where purchased material is to be
utilized in feeding the crop. S3Cond,
that for garden and close-grown crops
only thoroughly decomposed manure
should ba used, the heat of rotting in
evitably destroying a large part of the
weed seed invariably present. This
decomposition of the manure necessar
ily occurs at the expense of fertilizing
material. This loss may be largely
prevented by the use of a chemical ab
sorbent in the stables and yards. Gyp
eum is well adapted to the purpose, but
kainit is equally effective as an absorb
ent and possesses the added advantage
of furnishing needed potash and thus
correcting a deficiency in the manure
and rendering it a better balanced
plant food, and thus more economical.
Another advantage cf this course is
based on a fact with which every prac
tic&l farmer is personally familiar.
Weeds grow rankest where nitrogenous
plant food is present in excess. They
thus secure a start or hold difficult to
later overcome. If this excess of ni
trogenous fertilizer is prevented, not
only is the crop grown, batter fed, but
the extermination of the weeds is facili
tated. H. R. Stocxbbidge.
A Wisconsin local paper eays: A
friend appeals to us to suggest some
thing for the fly-tormented milkers.
It's no use, my veteran friend, we've
tried it. Onoe, when a boy, we thought
we would fix a frisky heifer, and so
Hied her tail to our boot strap. The
heifer gave two or three jsrks, and
then got right up in meetin' and lit out.
We well, we managed -to keep up
with the heifer, with the assistance of
the tail, but there was altogether too
much confusion about it to make it in
te resting. We are certain it was no
time for reading the Scriptures, or
family worship. It is much safer to
let a cow switch her tail, than to switch
a boy.
THE DAIBY. -
una nuflUKUU HINTS ON DAI HY
ING. By the Late CoT T. D. Curtis.
No, L
Correspondence of the Progressive Fanaer.
SELECTION AND BREEDING.
1. Decide oh your- line of dairying,
if rot already decidedV Butter, cheeso
or milk for market.
2. If you choose butter making, eeo
that your cows give milk rich in but
ter fat, and that the fat is in largo
globules, so that it will readily separata
from the milk.
3. If you choose cheese making or
milk for market, see that the butter fat
is in small globules, so that it will not
readilv senaratfl from thn milh-
4. Te3t every cow, and do not be con
tent with your herd until it averages
300 pounds of butter or 750 pounds of
cheese yearly per cow.
5 Be sure to select a male that ia
from a. family better in your line of
dairying than your herd. This ia a
guarantee of improvement in th"c2"
spring. '
6. When ycur dairy is up to your
ideal standard, be careful not to use a
male inferior to your herd lest your
breed go down insiead of up.
7. Stick to the line of dairying and
the breed of cow which you begin with,
keeping the blood pure. Mixing breeds
promiscuously works badly.
CABS AND FEED.
8. Remember that good care and
feed are as essential as selection and
breeding.
9. See that the food given to your
cows is of the best quality and in tho
best condition for digestion. This ia
very important.
10. Ba careful that the ration fed to
your cows has a proper balanco of ele
ments, approximating one part of ni
trogenous food to five or six parts of
carbonaceous. Tho nitrogenous foods
are also known as "albuminoids " and
the caibonacsous aa "carbohydrates."
11. Mixed pasture grasses, including
ration; but little diy food is relished
exceedingly, and- is beneficial. Somo
of the best dairymen not only feed hay,
but corn meal and bran, or some other
form of grain all summer, to advan
tage. 12 Ba sure to have some soiling crop
to eke out the feed during the dry sea
son, and by no means permit a shrink
age of the flow of milk because of lack
of food. It cannot be fully regained.
13. A most important consideration
in the ration is that of bulk. If too
bulky, the animal has to eat too much
to get sufficient nourishment and bo
comes uncomfortable. If not bulky
enough, the animal will take in more
nutritive material than it can digest,
in order to produce the proper sense of
fulness. This dsranges the stomach
and causes waste.
T. D. Curtis1 'One hundred hints on
Dairying" have for sometime baen out
of print. Before the author's death ho
gave the writer the privilege of re pub
lishing them, which he intends eome
time to do in book form. Bat not be
ing at this time ready to do so, he has
concluded to give them to the public in
the above form. Future issues of this
paper will contain remaining parts, till
the entire one hundred hints have been
published. The hints will be worth a
year's subscription to the paper.
F. W. Moseixy.
Clinton, Iowa.
A NEW YORK MILK TRUST. J
New York dispatches state that a
gigantic milk trust is being formed in
that city, with John D. Gilmore, a mil
lionaire banker, aa promoter. Tho
plan ia to form a corporation with a
capital of $10,000,000, which every
dealer must join. If anyone refusesr,
the old freeze out methods will be em
ployed and his business will be ruined.
When the combination ia complete tho
price will be advanced. If only tho
farmers who produce the milk were
bright enough, broad enough and stead
fast enough to combine and hold to
their combination, under wise leader
ship, how pale and sickly they could
make euch a trust look. But when
such farmera are not. enterprising
enough to become good dairy students
for their own private interest ia tho
production of milk, they constitute a
rich field for big tru3ts and combina
tions to thrive in. Hoard's Dairyman.
Now that crops are being gathered
in, don't forget to gather in your toola
and farm implements. To gather ia
your crops and leave your tools in tho
field is like "caving at the Epiot and
wasting at the buns."