; L .
THE INDUSTRIAL AKD EDUCATIONAL IOTEEESTS OF OUK PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF STATE POLICY.
?ol. H.
RALEIGH, H. C.f NOVEMBER 21, 1899.
No. '41
i
PUBLISHED Wl :KLY
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Sew ascriptions, at these rates.
We want intelligent correspondents In every
i-onntv in the State. We want facts of value,
Sta accomplished of value, experiences of
EST plainly and briefly told. One solid,
aeaosstr&ted fact. Is worth a thousand theo
ries Xhi PROORissro Farmer la the Official
Organ of the North Carolina Farmers State
Alliance.
ONLY NINE MILLION BALES.
In last week's Progressive Farmer
we gave the figures of Ihe D?partment
of Agriculture on the cottoa crop as
9 5Q0 000 biles. Even this estimate has
teen reduced. Later press diepatches
Bay that the productive area last year is
found to have been 25.000,000 acres
and that for the present year to be
about 23 500 000 a,res, with a proba
bility tnat sue final returns will show
the preheat acreage to have been bz
lovr rtner than above the amount
stated. Trw investigation d'sslcsea one
of the saia;i-s; average yielfs per acre
ia mmy years and in estimating the
total crop at a maximum of 9.500.0C0
baks a substantial end most ample al
lowanca has been mada for any ten
dency to take a too pessimistic view of
thesimation, the ac ual indications at
the present nnrnent pointing to a crop
of kts thn 9 000 COO bilea. The report
cf Scatistician Hyde saye :
"Ic his capacity as cotton expert to
the United States Commission, thesta
t stici in haa had ihe preparation of the
Uaitcd S:atea cotton exhibit for the
Paris i xoosition and his duties in that
connccuon have afforded him addi
tional facilities for ascertaining the ec
tual condition of the crop in every part
of the country. The unimpeachable
evidence that has come to him in that
capacity is in every wey confirmatory
of the moat unfavorable efficial re
ports," FINS YANCEY APPLES
At the State Museum, Tae3day and
Wednesday of last week, were shown
a collection of Yancey county apples.
The fruit was s?cured by Mr. T. K.
Bruner, who haa just returned from
the mountaic region, where he was col
lectin? fruit for the Paris Exposition,
and it occurred to him to exhibit some
of the varieties which will go to 'make
up the Paris exhibit.
The apples were from 11 to 14J inches
in circumference, beautiful in color
and are eaid to be delicious to the taste.
The exhibits and varieties ehown by
each are as follows:
Wilson Hensley, Bald Creek Shan
con Pippins, Mmntain Sprout, Buff,
Virginia Bsauty, Spitsbergen, Nicker
jack, Hoover, Ben Davis, Falliwater,
Ru??ett.
C. R McPeeters, Bald Creek Gold
Pippin.
J. S. Ray, Burnsville Unknown,
beautiful; P.u?d Apple.
D. a. L9tterman, Green Mountain
Limbertwig, R d Limbertwig,
Linviiie. R.d Democrat
Juno Biiley, Green Mountain
S:or. Mountain Apple, Spitzbergen,
fc?d si publican, Winesap.
J I). Uay, Burnsvilie York Impe
rjal. S-iao, Wuter 'Qieen, Winesap,
Vrn-a B?auty, Albermale Pippin,
-vtr'iil, Buff.
T W. II. Gardner, Cone River ' That
tt? Hcz Aoole," "Tae Preacher."
ion-i Mundi. Virginia Bsautv. BufE.
V.'. B Wray, Cane River Virginia
M Fiack, Cane River
?a'-cr, Gloria Mundi, Buckinj
Inrb- T . i 1
Falli-
gham,
, H. Mclnturfl, Paint Gap Spitz-
FARM AFFAIRS.
NITROGEN, PHOSPHORIC ACID
AND POTASH IN FERTILIZER
CONSTITUENTS-A SIEJPLE
EXPLANATION FOR
FAFMERS.
A Central, N. Y., farmer writes that
he does not understand at all what I
mean by saying that nitrogen in fer
tilfzera should be figured at about 14
cents a pound, and phosphoric acil
and potash at cents. His reasons
are that he can buy nitrate of soda 98
P3r cent, pure in New York at 2 cents
per pound, muriate of potash, 80 to 85
per cent, pure at 2 cents per pound,
dissolved bone black 16 to 17 percent,
at $19 a ton, and dissolved rock, 15 to
17 per cent., at f 14 Theae are prices
in Naw York city. Ha also asks
whether he can do better than pay
these prices, acd whether ho would
better buy bone black or rock to get
the phosphoric acid.
Probably nine farmers out of ten do
not fully understand these points, and
they lose mocey because they do not
I am going to try and make some of
them plain to you. Nitrate of soda is
a combination of nitric acid and soda.
Nictr:c acid is a combination of nitro
gen and oxygen One hundred pounds
of chemically pure citrate of soda con
tains about 16 pounds of nitrogen,
56 pounds of oxygen and 27 pounds of
sodium. One hundred pounds of your
98 per cent pure nitrate of soda you
see would contain about 16 pounds of
nitrogen. This nitrogen at 14 cents a
pound would come to $2 24 You get
the 100 pout da of nitrate of soda for $2,
and it gives you $2 21 worth of nitro
gen, according to my previous figures
It i? safe to figure on about 16 pounds
of nitrogen in 100 pounds of nitrate of
eoda, although it would fall a little
ehort in a 96 per cent, pure article,
which is the usual basis cn which it is
sold. The price named for nitrate of
eoda by the bag (2 cents a pound) is
fair. It could be bought for much less,
of courpp, by the car load.
, Now, let us tke your muriate r f
potash that is 80 to 85 p( r cent. pure.
You cm cross out the 85 first. The
lowest figure, 83, is all that counts, all
that is guaranteed. It is usually so d
on this basis of 80 per cent, pure, that
is 80 per cent, muriate of potash. The
reet is mostly common salt. Oaehun
dred pounds of this muriate of potash
contains about 50 pounds of actual
potash. This at 4 cents a pound would
be worth f 2 27. The 100 pounds of
muriate that furnishes it costs you f 2
in New York city. In round numbers
you can figure on 50 pounds of potash
in each 100 pounds of 0 per cent, mu
riate. Next we will consider the dissolved
rock, that is rock treated with sul
phuric acid, which is called acid phos
phate. The usual grade found on the
market is guaranteed, as I remember,
to contain 14 per cent, available phos
phoric acid. That means that in each
100 pounds there are 14 pounds that
are available for your crops. The rock
mentioned above is 15 per cent, avail
able. Calling this all soluble and figur
ing the 15 pounds at 4 cents a pound,
100 pounds would be worth 67 cents,
and one ton $13 40. You pay $14.
While you are buying nitrate of soda
and muriate of potash at a fair price in
a small way, you are paying rather
high for acid. This is no fault of New
York dealers, but becausj you are Dot
buying in the right market. And I
believe the price of acid phosphate has
declined some since I figured the value
at 4 cents, which makes the price you
paid still more above what it should be.
The Baltimore market supplies the
North with phosphoric acid from rock
to a large extent. Probably your New
York dealer received his supply from
there, and mutt add freight and com
missions. Dealers in Baltimore, I am
told on the best of authority, have been
selling 14 per cent, acid phosphate for
$10 per ton in a small way, and as low
as 17.50 by the car load in bulk. I do
not know the names of these dealers,
but these are the prices some farmers
are getting acid phoapate. This buying
the constituents of fertilizers at first
hands has come to stay, and thousands
of readers want to know where to get
tnem.
If the dissolved bone black contains
16 per cent, of available phosphoric
acid it furnishes you just one pound
more in each hundred than the acid
phosphate does, a difference of about 90
cents a ton in favor of the bone black.
Soluble phosphoric acid in one is just as
good as in the other. So if you bought
I 1 . . "WMHHHMHMmm
bone black at $19 a ton you would lose
enough on one ton, over the cost of the
same amount of phoB phoric acid in
acid phosphate, to pay for the Prac
tical Farmer for several years. Don't
touch bone black at any such figures.
When you can get ecid phosphate in a
small way for $10 a ton, bone black is
worth about $10 80. Of course, it
might bs worth a little more if you
could get it from eome nearer point
than you could acid phosphate, and
thus save freight.
Buy all fertil zar constituents for the
nitrogen, potash and available phos
pbouo acid they conta'n. Some deal
ers estimate the nitrogen under the
name of ammonia, simply because in
y?ia fcrm their goods will show more
pounds in 100. Ammonia is a com
pound of nitrogen and hydrogen. Oc
hundred pounds of ammonia contain
82 35 pounds of nitrogen and 17 65
pounds of hydrogen. R ?member when
you see) 2 per cent, of ammonia on a
bag that it meats 20 pounds of am
monia in one ton of the goods and that
about 16 pcundsof this is nitrogen. In
other words, when nitrogen is worth
14 cents apcund ammonia is worth a
little less than 12 cents. Bat you get
nitrogen just the tame under either
name. Always figure on the actual
potash, not muriate or sulphate. Of
the muriate I have written. There are
several grades of sulphate of potash
The high grade contains about 90 per
cent, of pure sulphate of potash and 48
to 50 pounds of actual potash. Lower
grades contain less potash. No mat
ter how many pounds you get for the
money, it is the actual potash contained
that you should pay for, and only that.
I have a sack analysis before me where
the phosphorio acid is figured under 5
heads soluble phosphoric acid, avail
able phosphorio acid, reverted phos
phoric acid, insoluble phosphoric acid
and total phosphoric acid. Pay no
attention to any hing but the soluble
and reverted. The two are added to
gether to make the "available." And
that is correct enough, but as you have
been told before a nigh authority, Dr.
Van 81yke, of N. Y , says figure the
soluble at full price and th9 reverted at
half prico. Pay no attention whatever
to ' insoluble" and "total." Of course
you understand that nitrogen, phos
phorio acid and potash can be derived
from other sources than these named.
You cannot get phosphoric acid and
potash usually in any better form or
or more cheaply, but you can buy ni
trogen to better advantage for many
crops in other form than nitrate of
soda. I have not been advising the
purchase of this, except where you
know what you want, but rather an
swering a New York farmer's ques
tions T. B. Terry, in Practical Farmer
THE IDAHO PEA.
Jorreapondence of the Progressive Farmer.
The Idaho pea is one of the most
valuable native forage placts of the
Rocky Mountains. It grows similar to
alfalfa, stooling out from the roots, and
sending up a dozen or more branches,
to the height of two or three feet. The
stems are filled with pods, coming on
at every leaf, each busk having from
one to three peaa. One vine or bush
will bear from one hundred to nearly
one thousand pods. The peas are
relished as food for poultry, swine,
horses and cattle. I have harvested
at the rate of fifty bushels per acre,
which with the hay for feed, makes
this the greatest cultivated crop in the
land, for feeding purposes. It is also
grown as a coffee substitute, and the
seed sold at fancy prices under various
names, to be us:d for cereal coffee.
The plant is of the leguminous order,
called gram, ceffee berry, wild peanut,
chick pea and other familiar names. It
is supposed to have originated in Asia
Minor, where in former days the peas
constituted much of the food product
of the common people. They parched
the grain and made a stimulating bev
erage; ground it into meal and made
breed; cooked the pods the same as
peas or other green vegetables, and
made delicious soup from the crushed
gram. Official estimates place the an
nual crop of this particular gram in
India at 5 000,000. The people use it
for feeding dairy cows, claiming it pro
duces more milk than any similarly
cultivated plant. The average analyses
given by different authorities, give
about 20 per cent, protein, 60 per cent,
carbohydrates and 4 per cent fat.
This plant, like all legumes, thrives
best where the soil contains an a bund
ance of potash and phosphorio acid.
Any good soil will produce satisfactory
results, but profitable returns in the
pea family, come from a liberal dress
ing of a fertilizer, containing about 8
per cent, available phosphoric acid,
and 8 per cent potash. If the land is
planted to this crop for two or three
yeers, and the green vines fall or sum
mer plowed under, the benefits to the
soil will more than double the expense.
One half bushel, or about 35 pounds,
will plant an acre, in hills 15 inches
apart, in rows 30 inches either way.
This is the best way to plant for the
seed, and tor green manuring, broad
casting or drilling may be adapted.
Tr.e seed is much larger than the or
dinary pea, has a softer shell atd will
not Btand so much cold, or exposure to
the euo. May is a good time for plant
ing in ordinary years, and about four
incheE the best depth to cover the seed.
Cultivation is the same as any pea or
bean crop. The vines may be cut with
a mowing scythe or machine and after
thorough drying be threshed or flailed
as the beans are treated. The vines
have a peculiar odor which seems to
drive away all insects, and there is a
gummy substance collects at night,
giving the plant a most beautiful ap
pearance in the morning, as the dews
apparently trickle down the branches
While it is a native of semi-arid dis
tricts, and growing where there is bu
little moisture, many experiments
have proven its adaptability to all sec
tions of the United States.
Seed may be obtained from dealers,
at prices ranging from 15 cents to $3
per pound, some introducing it as &
novelty. It always pays to buy the
best and true to name seed, regardless
of coat Although I have been very
successful iu growing this wonderful
pea, I have no seed for sale, hence am
not advertising for purchasers. I like
the coffee made from this, it having a
rich nutty flavcr, pretty color, and de
lightful as a substitute. The domestic
fowls and animals devour the peas
with great relish, and take on fat very
rapidly. The winter seed catalogue"
will fr.ocn be ready for distribution, and
I wonld advise all looking for a cheap
and profitable forage plant, a real nov
elty of value and a coffee substitute for
home U3e, to read up the descriptions
and prices and order some of this seed
for n x5 year's planting.
Joel Shomakeb.
IS IT RIGHT TO WORK CONVICTS
ON FARMS?
A Farmer Protests Against the Injustice
of the System "Put Them on the
Roads," His Sensible Suggestion.
Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.
If The Progressive Farmer will allow
space, we have a question that should
be discussed among the farmers a
question that directly concerns the
farmer and farm laborer. That ques
tion is, Should conviots be worked on
farms and the products of their labor
be put on the markets in competition
with the labor of every one that makes
a pound of cotton or tobacco? Is this
right!.
The convicts are raising cotton by
the thousand bales and also great quan
tities of tobacco, and our farmers have
been raising 5 cent cotton and 3 cent to
bacco and not complaining of anything
but the trusts, which, of course, are
bad But is not the principle of forcing
farm labor to the level with convict
labor on the markets of our State
worse!
Now I ask an j one who thinks such
a policy right to give his excuse for so
tbinking. Our good Democratic party
that is always wanting to do something
for the dear farmers has never a word
against this policy, but is negotiating
for more farms to increase the products
of convict labor. Democrats, you had
better watch; you know how hard you
cried for our votes last fall. Next, our
good People's party, the farmers
party, whosa influence was dominant
for lour years, never raised its voice
against such injustice. And last the
Republican party, the great pauper
labor howler, tariff for protection and
the great labor-loving party (during
a campaigo), has never a word against
competition with convicts.
Now convict labor is the lowest of
all labor, and should not compete with
any free labor. Suppose our State
should put her convicts to manufac
turing cotton, what would be the con
sequence! Our manufacturers would
8snd up such a howl that the party
that did it could not expect to live
through another campaign. Then is it
right to hire them to railroads! No,
here they would still be in competition
with Ihe day laborer whose rights
I ! r
should be as sacredly guarded as any
one else by the laws of the State.
Then the question arises, Where
should the convicts be worked that
their labor will not compete with the
labor of honest men? That place ia on
the public roads; there he can have fair
play and will not compete with any
labor. If the counties do not want
these convicts, then let the State work
them on the public highways nearest
our State Capitol, and there make some
fine permanent roads and use the
females as cooks, manufacturers and
makers of their clothing, washing, etc.
This is the way to rightly solve this
question and our farmers will not be
orought down to a level with convicts
on the markets of our 8tate.
Now before another campaign is
upon us, while everything is quiet, let
us study the needs of our State and be
ready tu bring issues before our con
ventions and make a campaign on
issues, and not have to resort to so
much negro.
Now if the members of the Alliance
think as I do, let us take action and
pass resolutions and publish them in
The Progressive Farmer that others
may see what we are doing. Remem
ber the cotton tie trust and our de
mands for a railroad commission and
other demands of the Alliance that are
no w la ws. Justice.
Alamance Co., N. C.
THE FARMER'S SON.
We recently learned that one of our
farmer friends is offering to sell his
farm an excellent piece of ground,
well watered, well improved, and at
tractive and desirable in many re
spects. The farmer's reason for want
mg to leave the farm is that he is too
old to endure the hard work and exact
mg hours which the successful man
agement of his little farm demands
Chis farmer has a son, a bright, active
young man, who has been his chief
helper for several years, and for a year
or more has been in charge of the de
calls of the farm work. The yousg
man wants to leave the farm. "He
h&s not had a week's rest in four
years," said his mother. The farm
cannot be left for a day."
In a town not far away you may
read a sign like this: "John J. Smith
& Son, Merchants." You will travel a
mile before j ou read over the gate of a
prosperous farm like this: "John J.
Smith & S)D, Farmers." Perhaps the
merchant believes in his business and
in his sod; possibly the farmer does
not. Either member of the firm of
merchants can manage the business
when the other is away on business or
is absent on his annual vacation. When
the farmer takes his son into partner
ship with him, it is possible that either
of them can manage the business when
the other is absent. The time may
come when the elder member of the
firm will want to retire from the active
work of farm management; he can do
bo with honor and dignity if he has a
trained successor to continue the work.
We know of a large ranch that has
been abandoned. The buildings are
almost worthless, the fences out of re
pair, the once fruitful fields grown up
to weeds. What was once a profitable
farm and a pleasant home is now
neither, and is probably a burden to
its owners. Yet sons of the man who
made this farm profitable are living al
most within sight of it. But they havo
no enthusiasm for the farm.
It is possible that fewer farms would
pass into the hands of strangers if
farmers would keep in mind their own
inevitable passing away, aod in antici
pation of that event would take their
sons into partnership with them, train
ing them to bear responsibilities by
giving them chances to use their own
judgment. You make a boy manly
and teach him to be trustworthy by
calling him a man and by trusting
him.
We all like to own something, to feel
that we are proprietors the boy no
less than the man. We all like to be
recogn'zsd as knowing something and
as having good judgment the boy as
well as the man. Give the boy a chance.
Trust him Take him into partnership,
his share to be a real share in the gross
or net proceeds of the business. It
will pay. He will be satisfied with
less than you will have to pay the
stranger you hire to do the work; and
the boy will do the work batter. But
the boy must be a real partner; he
must share in the planning as well as
in the doing; and there muss be proa
pec 6 for him prospect of increasing
responsibility with growing experience
and enlarging reward for increasing;
effectiveness.
It will be easier to keep the boy oa:
the farm when he is made a partner ia
its management; and it will be better
for farm, farmer and country. D. W
Working, in Fanners' Voioe.
SAVE THE PUMPKIN SHED.
In the rush of work in connection
with corn gathering, farmers are very
apt to overlook one of the little mat
ters on which somewhat of the success
of the future depends, and that is eav
ing pumpkin eeed, says Wallace
Farmer.
Save seeds from some of the bee?
pumpkins and usually those that havs
a small blossom end will be found bet
tc r than those with a large. The farmer,
however, can be truffled to tell the kin &
of pumpkin he has found to give hira
the best service. Why do we suggest
this! Because if the farmer neglects
to save seed and when corn planting;
time comes does not have the seed
hand, he is not likely to hunt for it
among his neighbors and, therefore, is
not likely to plant it, and if he does not
plant he will not have a supply next
year. We especially suggest thia to
sheep growers. The value of the pump
kin as a sheep feed ia not understood.
There is nothing better for Iambs, for
the double reason that the seeds are
nutritious themselves, a large per cent,
of the nutriment of the pumpkin beic
in the seeds and inwards, and that they
are a vermifuge and thus meet one ot
the wants of the Iamb. One of the bec
remedies for tapeworms in lambs ia the
extract of the pumpkin seed boiled
down. Lamba that are fed liberall y oa
pumpkins are not nearly so likely to
be affected with intestinal worms aa
those that are without them, and when
a crop can be grown so cheaply and s
easily as pumpkins can, there ia no
reason why it should not be grown. If
you do not went them in corn, then it
is easy to plow up an old feed lot, cul
tivate it well, plant it in pumpkins
about twelve feet each way and let the
vines cover the entire area. It will
even pay to take time to cut the ends
of the vine? eff at the proper season in
order that none but pumpkins that will
ripen will be produced. If the pump
kin were a new plant and one or two
seedsmen had it, a whole page of the
Farmer would not be sufficient on.
which to spread out their advertise
ments and tell of tho value of this new
crop, and they would not be telling any
lies, either. The pumpkin is none the
le?s worthy of the farmer's attention
bafvnPA it Jp common.
LiTVSTOCK
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK
PROFITABLE PORE RAISING
NO 3.
LAYING THE FOUNDATION.
Correspondence if taa Progressive Farm.
The care and attention the feeding
of the pig receives immediately after,
weaning is of graa! importance in de
termining the amount of profit or losa
likely to await tie pork giower
slaughtering time.
If the pig is forced to roam over f
fields or through ordinary woods lands
to obtain a scant living or mere exfc
ezree rations for a month or two after
he haa been weaned, tto profit frczj
growirjg him during the rest of his liia
is of an imaginary nature. He ehoulS
never lose that plump body he na&
when six or eight weeks of age. H&
should grow in length and depth ct
body and limb, but he should never
allowed to change his form by getting
thin in Seen, Flesh (either fat or
muscle) once lost ia regained at a mucb
increased food cost.
The pig does not remain stationary
for any great time during his life;: ha
ia either making new meat for hio
owner or he is consuming that whicli
he has already made The lots of
flesh is not the only evil resulting fron
under-feeding. The development of
the digestive orgacs is checked to sucb
a degree as to render them unable to
handle a large amount of good food to
the very beet advantage when the hog
CONTINUED ON PAG3 8J