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THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL IFTEEESTS OF OUE PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHES CONSIDERATIONS OF STATE POLICY. fol. 14. RALEIGH, IT. 0., JULY 4, 1899. No. 21 pUBLISHEimi'KLY , . - - - - TVlit Oil your mutsi icjus ucu juui brrittinn expires. Receipts f loney on lapcH.' k , ... elvenlnchan T date on l bel. " DOt ProPrly changed it o weeks, notlfT 1 "TCOVriNUANCES. If anbs; r wishes v.Vrnpv of the paper discontinued the x rt v ii ' f ia subscription, notice t O t effect hn- d t e sent. Otherwise it is assu-ru'that a "'n-'ATe of the subcriptiou is desired, and V'rearapr's must be paid when paper is Jrdereil stopped. v,rev at our risk if sent by registered letter nr nioie'y order. Please don't tend sta m ps. " Be -lire to give both old and new addresses in ordering change of postoffice. f..'- o" Advertising Rates: ten cents per agate e. liberal discounts for time and space. TMJ lim i? marked to remind you that you yon A carefully examine this f-ample copy and ? -i 'i- 1 f r a year's subscription. Will also st""1; H er on trial 6 months for 50 cents, or "C,nV;h- for 2-5 cents. Or we will send your .-e f' t"? for one 5"ear lf 5 ou wiil pen1 139 Sr in r'e'v Inb-criptlons. or free fix months for J3 in Tew tut vcriptions, at thete rates. We w.ict intelligent correspondents in every ,nr,-ty ia The Statt. We want facts of value. rX't- accomplished of value, experiences of va'tie plainly and briefly told. One solid, demonstrated fact, is worth a thousand theo ries. TH3 PiIOQRESSIVB Farmer is the OSlclal Crv-an of the North Carolina Farmers' State .CItance. 11 an standing note just behind the rtai'.i, and in full glow of the coming "itntet. Behind me are the shadows on ke track, before me lies the dark valley mi the river. When I mingle with its iark waters J want to cast one linger ing look upon a country whose govern iit is of the people, for the people, and by the people L. L. Polk, July PRACTICAL FARM NOTES. Written for The Progressive Farmer by the Editors and Prof Guy K. Mitchell An exchange truthfully says that people who don't read papers, and con Ecq-iently don't know what is going on ia the world, are the ones the gold trick, and three minute churn sharps inqiire for when they go into a neigh borhood. They want no other meat Kit easier garce to catch. Many men vnpor to take a pper are really poor te: they don't do 80. A man who embers intelligence for $1 a year in advance snd refuses to do so, is a sucker ea?7 tob.iQ at any bait that looks like Corrtrenting cn the article, "The Bast Breed of Hog," which Prof. J M. Johroa recently prepared for this paper, the Monroe Enq lirer saye: 'Toe Assistant Agriclturiat of the S:ate Expenm.nt S ation is prepar ing an uriide on the best breed of hegs f:r North Carolina. Nothing will be sail abiut tne hog which spits tobacco jr.ca on church floors and in public halls where ladies have to pass nor about the hog which orders the paper an: to fcirn and refuses to pay for it, noraocut the hog which lies around fall of iiq lor. Tnese breeds of hogs an u a: all profitable, and the sooner they b.c.m'3 cx icct th-3 better." Tr.: Progressive Earner's expoee cf th? American Cot;on Company's Huhc -in to fool the people by bayirg r choubiQ editors almost tali -i t;7cry chance of success that sii lively scheme once Lad. It h&3 ljz ! aroused tha farmers cf North Carj ;i . bat those cf other States. Lijr. Y7 ;ek'd Southern rdticury, of , Tlxs, said: " vVc a?k the careful consideration of ih? a c cla elsewhere in this iesue he-ipj, 4ADep Lid Plot Exposed, ' vhi-.T; we fiad in The Progreseive x rr. r cf Jane 15 ih. Every cotton rai.- r ii Texas should re ia it and put hi3 ? : jying cap on and find a way to K' the clutches of this giant mo-tcp-iy, the Americaa Ootton Oo." 1 oeksago Tnos. Keady, Scc of the Illinois State Gange, ftary sail-" have long boasted about the ?cing and independent farmer .o conservative bulwark of the and should be on the alert for .umco of conditiens eo full of ini30 of peace and safety trust maters are abroad . d and are consolidating their millions of moDey to control ricm industries. What if ty grabbers ehould mark ure for th.ir prey, absorb the 'id turn the farmers into wage with a woeful burden cf lockouts, blacklisting and sub- h :iz k ac.: f:r : in th cur far-r.: 8:rvic:f t 0 t0 money king bosses? Is dan J U,UFS u'wa vuuu ca ibuvk-u r in that direction, and do the arca?re think it worth while to bother their brains with considering the out look and the outcome of trusts?1' And now a dispatch from Austin, Texas, states that an English syndicate with a capital of $I00,0U0 000 is secur ing options on all cattle and ranch property in Texas. It is said that the syndicate has secured options on eight hundred thousand head cf cattle. It is believed the syndicate is endeav ing to corner the cattle market cf the United 8iates, and that it hai agents at work in Western States eecuring options on cattle and ranch prcpertie?. Another syndicate is buying up thou sands of acres of K n3as lands. Is this the first movo toward that condition which Mr. Kady so fears? We advise every farmer to hold on to his land with a death like grip. It is his only hope of independence. A dispatch from Rkjhmcnd, Va., June 27, h, says: A large Njvr York yndiacate has obtained control of all the tobacco warehouses in Danville except one. It ia the purpose of this trust to increase sales to seventy mil lions or more. It is said the planters are alarmed at this combination. For years they haveantagonizad the Amer ican Tobacco Ccmptny, on the ground chit fly that the corporation dictates the price of tobaco. 8o far did this feeliDg go that the Virginia legislature, by whom the American Company was first chartered, repealed its charter. Ic is believed that u movement will at once be started to organ'"za an inde pendent warehouse in the interest of planters. The Progressive Farmer does not vouch for the truth cf the following item. We find it in one of our usually reliable exchanges and anyone who cares to believe it may do so: t4Experiments in growing corn of 2,000 years ago is now in prcgrefs in Butler county, near Wichita, Kinsas J. L Brady two years ago found corn kernels in a mound in Arkansas in which were bones and vessels of the period of 2 000 years ego. Last Thurs day he decided to plant some of it, and inside of 48 hours the corn had grown one inch above the ground, and by Saturday night it was three inches high. Brady Eaja it will bo unlike any other corn ever grown, and he thinks it will grow three or four times as large as Indian corn." A prominent farmer of E istern Caro lina writes us: "I have had no expe rience whatever with silo3 and ensilage, and this is almost the only thing in our section of farm work that I have not tried to experiment with to some ex tent. I hava been trying to keep something green and growing all winter for stock, and if lean succ ed entirely (I have partially) I shall feel assured that my stock can gather the food cheaper than I cm house it as ensilage. My efforts have b-.en in sowing crimson clover in summer or eerly fall, and cata in S2ptemter for grazing. I have not succeeded every year, but most years I have good grAZ'ng for my s;oek all winter, and I shall try a few more years before I resort to the dlo. It I make a complete tuccees of the former I shall see no need of resorting to tte latter, as I am already assured that if winter grczing can be kept up, it cm be maintained more cheaply than en silage and with co more hurt to the land." Acocrding to the calculation of the New York Experimsnt Station, the value of the manure of different farm animals for one year, as compared with the price of commercial fertilizers, is as follows, as per 1,000 pounds of live weight: Horses 127 74. Cows 29 27 Pig8 60 88 Calve? 24 45 8heep 26 09 It would be well to keep thi3 item for reference The Year B)ok of the Department of Agriculture for 1S97 says: "In the case of many cattle foods, the fertiliz ing value of the manure may be nearly equal to the commercial value of the food. The manure should be consid ered just a? much a part of the return from feeding farm animals as the meat and milk." - Number One Hundred of the farm ers' bulletins of the Department of Agriculture is being prepared for pub lication and free distribution. It will bear cn its title page the legend, "Hog Raising in the South," from the pen and experience of 8. M Tracy, late Director of the Mississippi Experiment dtation. Treating especially of condi tions in the South as affecting hog raising, it is nevertheless of very gen eral interest to all pork producers. Here in the 8euth, however, more pig is used than all other meats combined. "Hag and Hominy" ia a fi miliar Southern menu and in all our country stores "salt meat," "fat meat," or 'white meat" is as much a staple as sugar or flour. "For sucoesaful hog raising," Mr. Tracy says, "almost any locality i? suitable where there is a fertile soil cn i which food crop3 can be grown at small expense and where an abundant eupply tf pure water C3D bo secured. Lrge streams are objectionable as germs oi anthrax, cnolera, swine plague and other contagious diseases are cfcen carried long distances by water. Shallow, stagnant pools should not be allowed. It is not necessary that hogs should be provided with places for wollowing ia the mud as ihey will seldom wallow unlefs suffer ing from heat. As hogs do not per spire, however, they feel the tffecti of heat very quickly and if the oily re lief frcm the hot sun is for the hog to bury himself in mud, he will naturally do eo. In the shade of a trea the hog will always be content. Hogs always do better in small droves than in large ones." Mr. Tracy discusses the various breeds, but thinks as Profs. Emery &ud Johneon, of our State Experiment Station, have recently said in these columns, that management and feed are more important than breed. "The value of a hog of any breed," he says, "is measured by his ability to make good pork and experience has shown that ordinary good pork can be pro duced more cheaply in a hog of a cer tain shape than in one which differs from the type to any to any great ex tent. The outline of a perfect hog should be, viewed from any direction, nearly that of a parallelogram with the corners slightly rounded. A large coarse ear, and coarse bristles indicate a coarse animil wh'c'i will fatten slowly and mature late." Of pure bloods, he says: In general pure blooded animals of any preferred breed will be found more profitable than cither crosses or grades though a poor specimen of a pure blood animal is no better than any poor a :imal. The fact that the animal has a long pedigree and is registered in a herd book does not in itself make the animal desirable as a breeder or profitable as a feeder. When given an cqial amount of food the pure blocd will weigh fully twice as much as the native hog at six months or more, and when slaughtered will lose only 20 or 25 per cent., while the native will ordinarily lose one third of its live weight. The man who intends to follow hog raising as a business even if he does cot keep more than a dczon animals, will find it both profitable and economical to buy a pair of pure bloods and then make hie entire drove pure bloods as soon as ho cm raise enough desirable animals By buying a young boar and a sow already in pig by a boar not related to the one purchased, the boar can be used on the offspring of the pure blood sow, as well as for other service, and in this way the pure bloods can be in creased very rapidly. The hog raiser should certainly use a pure blood boar and buy a new one every season to pre vent inbreeding." Mr. Tracy discusses at some length the treatment of the boar, age at which to breed, ?3re of breeding sows and pigs, castrating and spaying Of spay ing young sows, he ssjs, "It is no more difficult and dangerous than cas trating young boars and should be more generally practiced. Spayed ani mals are always more quiet and better feeders thsn open sows. A spayed so w weighing 200 pounds will dress from 10 to 20 pounds heavier than an open sow of the same live weight; she will have heavier leaf and inside lard and packers and butchers will always pay top prices for spayed sows because such animals are sure to be as good as they look, while opsn sows are subject to shrinkage." Mr. Tracy also treats of foods, the pasture question and vari ous feeding crops, fattening for market and of diseases and insects. Kerosene, he states, is death to hog lice and should be applied in a dilute spray or with cloth. The application should be in the evening to prevent sun blister. TRICKSTERS AT AGRICULTURAL FAIRS, Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer. Wharever large numbers of people gather, a class of persons is usually found who make a liviDg by deceviog the public. They have schemes and tricks innumerable that appear to be easy and simple ; but in reality they are quite difficult and in some cases impossible to successfully perform. They hav? wheels and machines that are doctored to turn as tho proprietor may wish to make them. They have cocoanut headed negro dodgers to arouse the brutality in men and boys. They have tented shows which are di'gueting in coarseness and vulgarity. Among the throngs at agricultural fairs these leeches are out of place. They contribute nothing helpful or good. They do not add to the attrac tion of the fair. They do not bring de sirable p ;trona. Tney do not swell the gate receipts. They are not patronized by intelli gent patrons of the fair. They are not wanted by honest farmers. They are shunned with fear by thoughtful pa rents. Because of their presence, even the fair is not patronized by many of our best citizens' families. The harm accomplished by these self invited fakirs would doubtless surprise us, were it possible to gather and trace back to their doors all the results of their work. They distract the thought, they divert the attention, they destroy interest in the real work of the fair. The competitive exhibitions, the mer itorious displays, the awarding of prizrs are all robbed of the undivided interest that belongs to them, and which the proprietors have labored day and night to develop. The morals of the country suffer seriously, we believe, from actions and words that, without warning, are sprung upon icq iisitive audiences in the tent shows. We aro glad to see that a strong effort ii being put forth this season to keep these objectionable features out of the grounds, and the attitude of managers ij encouraging. E B. A FEW NOTES ABOUT LIME. Mr Garwood Ciscusses a Matter of Vital Concern to Farmers. Jorreepondence of tne Progressive -farmer. A well known institute worker in the course of a conversation with the writer recently, said that his father used lime at the rate of 150 bushels per acre regularly on his farm. He did it because his grandfather had done the eame thing before him. When the father died and the institute worker took hold cf the farm, he found out that this heavy liming was not bring inf forth the same yield as hia own father and grandfather had been in the habit of gathering, so instead of follow ing in the beaten pathways so often adopted by others, ho decided to do a little thinking and experimenting for bim39if. The result was that in hia second year of famin? the dose of lime was cat down to 4) bushels, the third year to 20 and the fourth year abandoned altogether and not renewed till several years later, and then on a different basis entirely. The lecturer had learned in the meantime the true value of lime, and found that its great worth was not so much as a nutritive but rather a? a stimulant manure. The lime itself did not furnish the plant food needed by his crops, but by its action in the soil rendered available supplies previously existing there. The continued replication of lime by his forefathers bad almost exhausted the soil's natural supply of plant food, and as the lime itself did not add any, the crops were falling off for lack of sufficient nourishment. Before changing the policy so long followed on tha home farm, our friend learned the true value of lime, and found that if correctly used it is a very valuable material, but on the other h3ndff abused will disappoint the user. On a heavy clay soil he experienced that a dose of about 3 J to 40 bushels per acre lightened it considerably, made it easier to work, and greatly improved its general condition. On a very light sandy soil (hich leached readily) the lim9 compacted it and made it hold plant food better. On another class of soil very rich in vege table matter, which had become "sour" through turning under too much green matter, our friend made an application of 40 bushels slacked lime with most excellent results. The soil was sweet ened, the decomposition of the organic matter hastened, and the crop returns the following year largely increased. All these points go to show that it is to the interest of the farmers to be come thoroughly familiar with lime. By using it intelligently it will prove a very valuable ally, but its value con sists more in its effect in correcting some physical condition of the eoil than in furnishing plant food prcpsr, because most soils contain enough lime to serve the actual needs of the plants. It is now known that phosphoric acid, nitrogen and potash are the three ele ments of plant food which are most needed by soils, and if not present there and in available condition they must be applied artificially. The lime will make available the insoluble pot ash of the soil, but if continually ap plied and no additional potash be re turned to the soil, it is only natural that the soil will in time give out of potash and the crops will fall off ac cordingly. It is better therefore and more economical In the long run to make small applications not only of potash, but also of phosphoric acid as well, and in this way gradually build up the fertility of the eoil. A eoil in first class physical condition will pro duce far more than a run down soil, and when a soil has once become run down or exhausted it takes consider able time, labor and expense to build it up again. The process of keeping a soil well supplied with nitrogen is not so difficult, because farmers now know that they can get this ingredient at very little expense by growing clover or cow peas. It remains only then to look after the potash and phosphoric acid and then make an economical dose of lime, say about once in every five years. This will correct all the physical irregularities which are apt to occur. Some farmers though prefer to make smaller applications and at more fr q lent intervals. This is a matter of experience, however, and each farmer can find out for himself which suits best. R. Garwood. THE COW PEA AS A FORAGF, FEED AND FERTILIZER. Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer. Farmers in the North do not as a rule, half appreciate the cow pea as a forage, feed and fertilizing crop Beally there ia nothing they can grow on the farm that in all respects begins to equal it, and where conditions are anything like favorable, a good aver age crop is almost a csrtainty. As an upbuilder of poor, sandy, and over worked soils, it is especially valuable. In all around value there is but one other tegume that begins to equal it, and that ia the Florida velvet bean. But for speedy growth and early ma turity of fruit, the cow pea stands at the head. It is a wonderful nitrogen gatherer, and is therefore exceedingly valuable both as a green feed and ren ovator of tho soil. They root deep, hence stand drouth well in almost any eoil. Twelve to twenty thousand pounds of green forage per acre, and twenty to thirty bushels of seed, is not an uncommon yield, and this mans of leaf and vine turned under as a feriiliz3r, or cut and cured as a dry feed, or used for silo, must necessarily be of great value. The matured pea is espec'ally valuable for all stock on the farm, a3 every living thing will eat them as greedily as they would corn or oats. Hogs do specially well on them, and to turn them on to a pea field, they will fatten perfectly. To grow a crop 6ucce3sfnlly plow and fit your ground nicely, drilling seed 18 to 24 inches apart, dropping seed an inch or so apart in drill row, covering about three inches deep, or, if you like you can seed with common wheat drill, which will do just as well. When plants are up four or five inches run over field with weighted harrow, paying no attention to rows, thus free ing your ground of grass of weeds. If ground ia not too foul this is all your crop will need. But all of tha cow pea family is quick in fruition and maturity of fruit, rarely taking over sixty to eighty days from date of planting to maturity of fruit and harvesting of crop. This makes, therefore, a specially valuable crop for the central and northern sec tion of our Union where seasons are inclined to bo short and where crops eo frequently fail. This legume will do well and will make you a crop on light, poor, sandy, or clayey eoil, but do not fail to bear in mind that the richer the soil the better the crsp. As a rule plant this pea the same that you would corn, if you want to secure a crop of seed. If for forage, dry feed or fertiliz3r only, it can be planted much later. Any time be tween the first of May and the twen tieth of July will do for the North, and any time after April first for the South. Much less and disappointment may be avoided by knowing the varie ties best adapted to certain sections of our country. In the Southern States the Unknown, Clay and Black, and in the Central and Northern sections Early Black, Blackeye and Whippocr wili are best. In all the varieties named I would use at least six pecks cf seed to the acre to insure a good stand and best results. Many inquiries are made as to best method of harvesting the seed. There are two ways. If crop is to be threshed by steam or horse power, then cut vines up with scythe or mower when pea is nearly ripe. After curing make into windrows, then haul and thresh, but bo sure to reduce speed, and re move pare of teeth from cylinder, to prevent breaking of peas. The other method is to pick pods from the vines in the flald, then thresh by hand ma chine, two men easily turning out five to eight bushels of clean peas per hour. The writer used of the latter kind all of last season. Another valuable legume is the crim son clever, and on good rich soil will yield from nine to twelve tons of green forage to the acre. The Florida velvet bean has proven a grand success in the Southern section as a forage, feed, and fertilizing crop, and as it becomes ac climated northward, it will prove equally eo there. It has already revo lutionized the green forage, dry feed, and fertilizing problems of the South ern States. Another valuable legume is the soy bean, and has great merit as a forage, feed and fertilizer, and hav ing been acclimated ia the North, is counted a valuable crop to grow. E, A. WILSOxm. Washington, D. O. MAKES A DIFFERENCE. A friend asks us why we do nob "go for" the Round Cotton Bile Trust which threatens to bag all the cotton baling business of the country. Ah, my friend, that happens to be our trust. Tne chairman of our Na tional Committee is a large stockholder in this one, and possibly other mem bers of the National Committee are likewiee interested therein, and it would never do for us to condemn this particular trust. It is only the trusts managed by our common enemy of the other party that we muet "down." It will be remembered that some of our strongest anti trust papers not only uphold the Round Bale Truet, but the Associated Press Trust, both of which have been outlawed by the State of Texas. While The Post is opposed to all trusts that restrain trade, create and maintain monopoly, etc., we must dis criminate between thoee in which our own leaders especially national com mitteemen are interested and these organizzd by the enemy for their own selfish purpoee3. Raleigh Pjet, . COST OF BAD ROADS. Hon. George E. Boggs, of Haywood county, one of our most valued corre spondents, writing in an exchange, saye: Our county is just in receipt of about $5 000 worth of road makk g machin ery, Little did I ever expect to see this happy day for our county of Hay wood. That she should make such an advance movement is not only a credit to her but a good indication of the leaven that is at work in our State in regard to good roads a matter that not only concerns tho economical but the eocial and religious life of cur people. Fdr several weeks during laet win ter the roads of this county were vir tually impassable. Traffic, social in tercourse and attendance on religious services were suspended. During many more weeks they could be car ried on enly under many discomforts and at considerable loss from injury to stock and vehicles. Many are opposed to any tax for road improvement and yet they are paying a mud tax that exceeds all their National, State and county taxes com- ' bined, unjust and heavy as some of them are. I would esteem it a privi lege to be allowed to pay eeveral nun- OONTIJTT7ED ON PAGX 8
The Progressive Farmer (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
July 4, 1899, edition 1
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