t
'The Prcrca
ilre Farmer is a
rood paper far
above the average--
and possibly
the best advertis
lojr medium In N.
Printers' Ink,
Has the largest
circulation of any
family agricultu
ral or political
paper published
between Rich
mond and Atlanta
TES INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF OUS PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF STATE POLICY.
sfal. 13.
RALEIGH, N. 0., NOVEMBER 29, 1898.
Ho. 43
UFA f Ff ,1,
H Hi
At
:.i Trf-
n PX?
tione
Sew
tan'
ass. A
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
The date on your labl tells you vr hen your
.ncrirtlon expires. Receipts for rroney on
snb-cription will be given m change of date on
label. If not pioperly changed in two weeks,
notify ns
Money at our risk if sent by registered letter
or'money order. Fltase don't send stamps.
Be sure to give both old and new addresses in
ordering change of postofflce.
""Rosi" of Advertising Rates: ten cents per agate
line. Liberal discounts for time and space.
We want Intelligent correspondents in every
-oucty in the State. We want facts of value
Sits accomplished of value, experiences i of
Sne Plainly and briefly told. One solid,
demonstrated tact, is worth a tnousand theo
ries. t
The Editor; are rot responsible for the views
of Cerresrondents-
The Progressive Farmer is the Official
OTpanof the North Carolina Farmers State
alliance,
" am standing now just behind the
MTtain, and in full glow of the coming
tunset. Behind me are the shadows on
ihe track, before me lies the dark valley
And the river. When I mingle xcith its
iark waters I want to east one linger
ing look upon a country whose govern
ment is of the people, for the people,
ind by the peopk, L. L. Polk, July
ih, mo.
EDITORIAL, NOTES.
While parsnips and carrots are per
fectly hardy and will keep well in the
rows, it will not be found easy to get
at them when the ground is frozen like
a rock. A mulch of trash over them
before the frost has struck down will
make the task easier.
The loss that results from the sys
tem of annually seeding with mixed
seed of low vitality throughout the
winter wheat growing districts in the
United 8tates ia enormous. Pure,
vigorous, well bred seed, means on in
crease of not less than three to four
bushels per acre on land of average
fertility.
Kxnflriments made with shredded
J Mdflr and ordinary cut fodder show
(Several advantages for the former.
i 1 . . . m ?
This shredding is done oy a macnine
which tears the entire stalk and husk
into fine pieces so that nearly the whole
product is eaten by stock. The shred
ded fodder is not found to make the
mouths of cattle sore, while coarsely
cut fodder often has this effect.
Ths Progressive Farmer regrets ex
ceedingly to learn that Capt. O. A.
Browne, who for many years has been
an honored and exceedingly useful
member of the Virginia Board of Agri
Cilturj,died last month at John Hop
kiag Hospital, Baltimore, where he had
gone for surgical treatment. His orig
inal, practical method of conducting
one ol the largest truck farms in the
United States attracted the attention
ct tru-kors from Maine to Virginia
ilia advic?, founded on a most success
ful experience, has benefited hundreds
cf truokyrs, many of whom have ac
quire 1 -Dufortable fortunes, by dupli
eating Captain Browne's methods of
conducting the celebrated Hollywood
Truck Farm.
We
fcrive thia week several excellent
letters
from farmers. Prof. Emery
pays ?o;it. icing regarding the little
though: or eubj:ct the weight of eggs.
J. L L vdl mves a eplendid epitome of
bu'.ktiu -A r xp?riments in feeding hogs
and canv?. Bro. J. T. B. Hoover is at
his bm r j his letter should receive
the ctr ! ii n, tention of every farmer
a Nort.i Crohaa.Wrjen you have read
t, please raa it on to vour neigh
and faik it nvor. Wake County
farmer" cecrioes a better method of
keeping oppia than that given in our
la?:
Bro. W. L. Kivett writes of
- i H' experiment which ehou'd
' r rn to thirkiog. Bryan
r "Fertilising for Profit,"
'of "Town Milk Trade,"
: ;j-jal to farmers from the
an i:;-(:r
era
1.
Union also merits a
Apartment has received
- communication from
::. at Reichenberg, Aus
"If the price of Ameri-
il
" in Earope is no higher than
Gutter, the former should
-y ,Ainalarge sale as its supe-
cjtnea known. The first day
made European butter may
et ii cmud'to th American Droduct,
but 2fr. i-oIItt k. -Via oafrtii nr third
it will have an old, strong taste
a-d fcmell. The difficulty may be due
practice of keeping cows in
r&a all the year, instead of turning
kern loose in pastures as is done in the
JQited States. Table butter sella here
5 about 20 cents a pound, cooking but
ter wnicn usually contains a small
mixture of lard to make it keep better
sells at a f e v cents less. Prices are
about the same the year around. The
Austrian duty on butter is less than 2
cents per pound and the freight per
pound from America would probably
be no more than the duty, If this be
true, the good butter, which sells at an
average price of 20 cent a pound, or
less in the agricultural districts of
America could undersell Austrian but
ter here."
Consul Fleming to Eiinburg, reports
the extensive and favored use in Scot
land of American tools and imple
ments. Asked by him whether or not
they handled American wares, one of
the members of an Edinburg whole
firm dealing extensively in implementp,
answered: 4 -Yes, largely. Cimeinto
our warehoueo and see for yourself.
There are American axes," he said,
"the best and cheapest in the world."
In every part of the great establish
ment most of the articles were Ameri
can made, including hay knives, lawn
mowers, saws, files wheels, spokes,
spokes, rims, spades, shovels, rakes,
hammers, hatchets, and all classes of
implements ane carpenters' tools.
American tools are preferred to either
English or German. They are tem
pered better and are serviceable. Qer
man tools are somewhat cheaper, but
they are softer and do not stand so
well.
The American commercial agent at
Weimar, Germany, Mr. Thomas E
Moore, thinks that there is a field
there of great possibilities in the line
of corn introduction as a human food.
At present he states it is practically
unknown for this purpose, being fed to
cattle, but he believes it would take
comparatively little iff jrt to insure its
use among the people to m great an
extent as it is used in the United States
for bread. Corn is quit a largely im
ported into Germany for cattle feeding,
and practically the only eouroo of corn
supply for Germany is the United
States. Bremen and Hamburg are the
great corn-importing centers of the
Empire, and Jo 1897 the arrivals of
corn at the latter city were 618 361
tons, valued at f9.996.000. and at Bre
men 242,954 tons, valued at 3 803 000
The increase over the figures for 1896
was almcst 50 cent., due, however, to
some extent to the damaged German
oat crop.
That the Louisiana Planter and
Sugar Manufacturer is fairly entitled
to more than merely local considera
tion is shown by the fact that in the
issue of November 5tb, a full page, in
cluding a handsome illustrotion of a
Wisconsin sorghum mill, is given to a
fair statement of facts' respecting the
sorghum industry in Wisconsin and
more particularly in Minnesota, where
the average amount that each farmer
raises is stated to be five acres. Oao
enthusiastic amber cane grower in the
latter Stite, realized from a single
acre, 190 gallons of syrup, which
brought 40 cent3 a gallon, or $76. The
cost of production was $44 50, leaving
a net gain of f 31 50, which is surely
better than twenty bushels of wheat at
75 cents a bushel. 83m9 Minnesota
farmers plant as much as forty acres
and raise from ten to fifteen tone p?r
acre, which producss from 140 to 160
gallons of syrup. The estimatted cost
of production in a general way, is 19
cents a gallon and the syrup sells read
ily at 40 to 53 cents a gallon. In fact
the article in the Planter is of such
general interest that the temptation is
almost irresistable to publish it in full
but lack of space forbids this.
.
A new farm industry which has
sprung into existence) within the paat
two years n chickory growing. Two
years ago thia country imported chick
ory root and prepared chickory to the
amount of about 15,010 COO pounds an
nually, and no chickory was grown
nere. Now the importation has dropped
down to practically nothing and the
farmers of Michigan, Wisconsin, Min
nesota and some other sections are
furnishing the entire supply. More
than this, owing to the short crop in
Belgium, where mo3t of the foreign
root is grown and whence we procured
all our importation p, the price of chick
ory is now higher than American
chickory is in New York by $5 a ton,
so that we had a surplus we could ex
port it with profit. It is believed by
the officials of the Agricultural De
partment, who have given the subject
considerable attention during the past
two years, that with further improve
ments in cultivation among the farm
era, and still better methods of manu
facture, this country can compete with
Belgium year in and year out.
ANOTHER WAY OF KEfcPINQ APPLES.
Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
I notica in the last issue of The Pro
gressive Farmer an article regarding
the proper way to keep apples during
winter. As I have had some experi
ence in such matters, I will give you
my plan,
I put about six inches of chaff in the
bottom of a barrel, box, hogshead or
whatever ia used, then a layer of ap
ples (be careful not to let apples touch
one another or sides of box or barrel,)
then another layer of chaff two or
three inches thick; then another layer
of apples, then another 2 or 3 inch
layer of chaff until box is nearly full,
closing with a 6 inch layer of chaff. Be
careful that both apples and chaff are
perfectly dry.
When I was a small boy, my father
gave each of us boys enough apples to
fill a keg or small box for our own in
dividual use. One winter the supply
of chaff was exhausted before our turn
for packing apples came. We then
lined the boxes and kegs with old
papers, laying 2 or 3 in bottom of box
and put in apples being careful to
keep them from touching as when chaff
is used, then another layer of papers ;
in short, using papers almost precisely
as chaff was used and tucking in paper
at top of barrel. The winter was a
very hard one about as hard as we
ever in this climate, but none of our
apples were damaged by cold. Further
more, they were kept in an unceiled
outbuilding where the wind had per
fect freedom.
By the way, why do not more farm
era write their experiences for The
Progressive Farmer? Come on, breth
ren, and let's accept the editor's invi
tation to exchange experiences and
views upon farming methods.
If I hear from others I may write
again Wake Co. Farmer.
November 24 1898
AN APPEAL TO FARMERS.
The Necessity for Organization is Impera
tiveWay for Farmers to Protect
Themselves Pointed Out
To the Farmers of the South:
The special committee appointed by
the Cotton Growers Union of the
State, held in Columbus on the 20th
ult., desires to say that the exceeding
ly low prices of cotton at the present,
with the indication of lower prices still
in the future, painfully admonish us
that we have reached a crisis in the
history of the industry. Prices to-day
are not only far lower than they have
ever previously been at this season of
the year, but lower than they have
been lor fifty years, and the months of
November, Dacember, January and
February are selling cn the Liverpool
market lower than during the great
depression of the forties, and even at
these figures English agents are advis
ing the spinners of Great Britain to
withhold their purchases upon accur
ances that prices will soon bo 50 points
lower. In view of these conditions we
desire to call the attention not only of
the cotton growers, but of every buai
ncss association in the cotton belt, to
the portentous fact that for the want
of organization, directed by ordinary
tact and foresight, we as a people are
allowing this great element of wealth
to pass beyond our borders for a mere
song; that our birthright is going for
a mess of pottage, and our great nat
ural advantages sacrifled with the care
less indifference of a drunkard, who
slings from his lap his treasures. For
eign speculators and manufacturers,
fully aware that the staple is passing
out of the hands of the growers at fig
ures far below the cost of production,
nevertheless hold aloof from the mar
ket to allow the maturing obligations
of the farmers to force the crop out of
their hands for a mere pittance. De
fiantly claiming to command the situa
tion, they boldly propose to avail them
selves of condition, which could b3
remedied by a combination of the cot
ton growers and business element of
the cotton belt, to rob the growers not
only of the prcfi s of their year's toil,
but of nearly one-half the value of 10,
000,000 bales of cotton, and thereby
impoverishes the most favored section
of the globe. Blessed with the natural
advantages of a climate and soil which
alone can produce this great staple in
quality and quantity sufficient for the
demands of the world, we should be
the most prosperous people on earth.
Efficient organization, which would
control the volume of production and
regulate its marketing, would make
thcic advantages a mine of wealth; but
with every cotton grower separately
and independently striving to ic crease
his acreage and nullify his bales, first
above and then below the cost of pro
duction; with a vicious financial sys
tern that causes the claims of the local
merchant and banker to force the en
tire crop on the market in four months,
these natural advantages are distorted
into a blight and a curse, and the cot
ton grower is made to become a prey
to the usurer, the speculator and the
manufacturer. Never was there a sit
uation which more peremptorily chal
lenged the wisdom of ecenomic states
manship ; never was there a more im
perative field for organization ; never
was there an exigency which would
more fully justify it. Yet we are told
that the cotton growers are an igno
rant class, devoid of leadership and
without the power to organize; that it
is impossible to organize 500,000 cotton
growers. Why, even the lower ani
mals will rally for defence and self
protection. Can it be possible that the
cotton growers constitute the only ele
ment of the animal kingdom which
cannot unite? Are they so devoid of
manhood, intelligence and foresight
that the strongest incentives inde
pendence, competency, the welfare of
their section and the maintenance of
their families, cannot induce them to
unite? If it be true that as a class
they are so devoid of spirit, so igno
rant, so helpless and supine that the
most direct and forceful appeals to
sentiments the most calculated to stir
the human heart, cannot induce them
to organiz3 for purposes of mutual pro
tection and self defence, then truly we
should hear no more complaints of the
oppression of trusts and combinations,
bat as a class we should meekly ac
cept the law of nature which decrees
that the improvident, the weak and
the careless shall serve the valiant, the
active and the strong ; then should we
join in the refrain of the other avoca
tions:
4tI hold the farmer a simple tool,
Born to labor and not to rule ;
And I will do unto him that which
I see
Will bring the money to mine and to
me."
Prompt and concerted action on the
part of the cotton growers would
change present conditions in 90 days.
Through the complete organization
which would enable them to act as a
unit, would place them in command of
the situation in three months and
change their condition from one of
bankruptcy and distress to one of com
petency and profit:.
By what means can organization
effect these ends? Adopt the recom
mendations of the National Cotton
Grower's UnioD, organize promptly,
hold all the cotton on hand and firmly
bind ourselves to reduce the extent of
this year's acreage 50 per cent, the en
suing year. No intelligent man of
business experience will dispute the
soundness of this proposition. As soon
as effective measures to these ends
have been taken and become a certain
ty, cotton will immediately advance
and more money can be borrowed on
it than it is worth to day, because it
would then become a security con
stantly anticipating in value. The
visible supply of cotton is not above
1 500 000, and the invisible supply or
stock at the mills is estimated at 500,
000, making a total of 2,000,000 bales.
To be certain not to over estimate, we
will put the amount of this stock
which has passed beyond the control
of the growers into the hands of specu
lators and manufacturers, say at 2,
400,000. The consumption ranges be
tween 800,000 and 1,000,000 bales per
month. If the farmers should with
hold their cotton from the market for
three months, the entire surplus be
yond their control would be consumed
and the manufacturers would be at
their mercy for supply. The entire
situation wouW be changed ; instead of
tne speculator and manufacturer die-,
tating the price, the cotton grower
could fix his price and say pay it or
shut down your mill. A reduction in
next years acreage of 50 per cant,
would insure such a diminution of the
supply as to make cotton scarce, and
bring about an active competition
among the manufacturers for their
stock that would ensure a steady and
rapid rise of price.
This was made demonstrably clear
during the war between the North and
the South in the sixties. McHenry,
in his "History of the Cotton," page
51, says: "In ordinary timea there ia
always two year's supply of cotton in
the crude and manufactured state, at
the consuming points. At the fall of
Fort Sumter there was a sufficiency
for three year's requirements. With
the supply larger in proportion then
than now, as soon as the production
was curtailed by the war, we note the
following extraordinary rise in prices:
In 1860 the average was 11 cents; in
in 1861 at 13 cents; in 1862 at 31 cents;
in 1863 at 67 cents; in 1864 at $101
But it is argued that any heavy curtail
ment of production in the South to
raise the price, will stimulate foreign
competition. If $1 per pound in 1864
could not stimulate ingenious competi
tion, it is difficult to see how 8 or 10
cents can do it now."
Touching this point, Ellison, in his
"History of the Cotton Trade," peges
139 42j says: 'For some years prior
to the outbreak of the civil war, it had
been foreseen that, sooner or later, a
serious labor disturbance at the South
was inevitable, and in view of the
calamity which such an event would
bring upon Lancashire, every effort
was made to discover new sources of
cotton supply. But, although the
powerful association formed for the
promotion of this end searched every
nook and corner of the cotton zone,
and sent seed to every one in the four
continents, willing to experiment, they
entirely failed to accomplish the laud
able object they had in view."
Mr. Ellison further tells us that while
the exceedingly high prices paid during
the war did considerably increase for
eign shipments of cotton, that this in
crease declined almost to its normal
ced as soon as the prices of cotton fell
to 15 cents per pound. If no action is
taken hnd this crop is sacrificed at
present, or probably lower figures in
the next four months, it will fall far
short of paying for the cost of produc
tioa. The cotton growers will be im
poverished, the country stripped of
means, and every business interest
must suffer. Should there be no effec
tive organization to curtail the supply
by a uniform reduction of the acreage,
and any other plan to reduce the crop,
is the merest twaddle. The industry
will be but an illustration of the sur
vival of the fittest, those who can raise
it cheapest and those who cannot com
pete must accept the cheerless and
hopeless lot of the bankrupt and pau
per. J. C. Wilborn,
Pres't S. C. C. G. U.
L. W. Youman,
Vice Pres'c 8. O. G. U.
FERTILIZING FOR PROFIT.
Correspondence of The Progressive Fanner.
Instead of applying fertilizers to
crops direct they should be applied to
some suitable crop of the legume fam
ily, such as clover or cowpeas, and
these turned under at maturity. Then
follow with corn, wheat, or other de
sired crops.
Some months back I saw an article
in a paper that a farmer by turning
under three crops of peavines increased
KEEPING ACCOUNTS AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT.
'orrespondence of the Progressive Farmer.
Liberty, N. C, Nov. 24, 1898.
I wish to give the readers of The Progressive Farmer an account which
I have kept since laet March with a small piece of land of an acre). I have
grown three successive crops on this land since the first of last March. The
last one has jist been harvested and proves to be the most profitable. We
give this not in a boasting spirit, but that it may stimulate and encourage
some one to more intensive methods of tiLage. We wish to say right here that
the ground was thoroughly prepared before planting, by pulverizing about C
or 8 inches deep, then turned with a two horse plow 12 to 14 inches deep with
subsoil plow following, then pulverizing the top again. The land is not rich
and would not bring (without fertilizer) over 8 or 10 bushels of wheat per acre.
Account stands as follows, viz:
Dr Cr.
Feb.
Mar.
28
1
To preparing land
planting potatoes
seed potatoes
t ti
guano (home mixed)
Apr.
tt
May
16
21
5
16
tt
Harrowing,
Plowing, etc
" l&sb time
tt
ft
Spraying and digging
N " 19
June 1
44 3
By 2 bushels potatoes
t tt
18
9
33
t f
tt
it
t j
it
tt
6
7
16
i
tt
tt
tt
tt
tt
IV
coat of putting in crop cowpeas and German millet 6 00
tt
tt
Aug. 8 By 4 loads hay
"24 To preparing land and planting
it
saea potatoes
fertilizer
cultivating and digging
it it
tt
Sept 15
Nov. 9
it
Rv 1C5 buahels notatoes
Net profit 129 20
$19170 $19170
The last crop is put at il per bushel, though they will be kept until March,
when they bringjfrom $1 20 to 11.40 per bushel. This crop was grown from eced
of the early crop.
Early crop shows less bushels than fall crop becausa they were dug before
maturity (except eeed oneg) in order to reach an early market.
Very respectfully,
W. L. Eiyett.
the yield of wheat from 7 bushels per
acre to 21 bushels.
Another farmer had some worn land
that produced 8 bushels of corn per
acre. By growing and turning under
several crops of crovcr, he increased
tae yield to 60 bushels.
At first glance it would seem impos
sible that said crops turned under, can
virtually return fertility to the soil
vastly in excess of the quantity drawn
therefrom, but such is the case, owing
to the fact that plants of said family
(the legumf) do not require nitrogen
ous, or perfect fertilizers, at least to a
very limited extent only, as they draw
the nitrogen needed frcm the air.
The ranker the growth, the more
nitrogen can be drawn from the air.
To produce a heavy growth, phos
phoric acid (icid phosphate, commonly
called acid) and potash (kainit, or mu
riate of potash) should be liberally ap
plied, say from 300 to 600 pounds of
acid phosphate and from 400 to 8C0
pounds of kainit, (the muriate is more
concentrated that kainit, and is of
couso cheaper where transportation
has to be considered. One quarter ao
much muriate will furnish the same
amount of potash as the kainit ; broad
cast per acre and plowed in several
weeks before seeding time. The e mailer
quantity will produce good results, but
the larger can be profitably employed.
When the green crops are turned
under, a bountiful supply of nitrogen,
phosphoric acid and potash will be re
turned to the soil. While the vegetable
matter ia rotting, ap abundance of car
bonic acid gas will be generated. This
gas is a powerful solvent and acta on
certain rebellious elements in the soil,
such as phosphoric acid and potash,
reducing them to plant food. Hence
by growing and turning under green
crops we virtually grow an abundant
supply of nitrogen, phosphoric ac: d and
potash, and any crop, such as corn,
cotton, wheat, etc., requiring a perfect
fertiliser will thrive well after them.
We thus save the cost of nitrogen
(the most convenient form is nitrate
of Bods Chili saltpetre), which is
about three times as costly as either
one of the other two element?.
In addition to the above advantages,
when the vegetable matter, turned
under rots, it will form humus, which
is badly needed in most soils. This
humus will, to a great extent, restore
the original new ground principle and,
as a result, exert an immense influence
in resisting the ordinary effects of
drouth.
But few if any, farms can bo found
where a single acre is groperly fertil
ized and cultivated. Try at least a
few acres according to the above and
get into the road that lea 3 a to the
abandonment of the old plan of culti
vating worn lands at a loss. By the
new plan the yield will be much in
creased and the land permanently im
proved. Bryan Tyson.
Long Leaf, N. C.
$ 3 50
2 50
11 60
33 50
40
1
1
00
00
50
2
$
2 70
18 00
11 00
33 00
10 00
12 00
potatoes 2 75
7 00
7 20
3 65
105 00