THE PROGRESSIVE FABLIEB, JANUARY 30 IS 00
4
J
HRS L L POLK, - P.m. r
OLARENOEH POE, - Eko
3ENJAMIN IRBY O rrpep ning
tBA.SK E EMERY S Editor?
f, W. DENlAhC, Business Man'g'r
Raleigh. N. O.
BUB3CRIPNON-
ISq1 Subscription One Year fi-00
Six Months 60
Three Months 25
' 'The Industrial and Eduo
oonal 'htkrests of our -wple
Paramount to ai l other onbidkra
noNsoF 8tat Policy,' w tn i..n
Of The Progressive Farmer, and upn
ibis platform it shall rise or f -1 1
On all matters relating specially
TO the great Interests it represents i'
Till speak with no uncertain voice, bu
will fearlessly the right defend and
.impartially the wrong condemn Perv
tag no master, ruled by no faction cir
cumscribed by no selfish or narro
policy its aim will be to footer and
promote the beat intews of th hi
poople of the R'ate. " From Chi Polk s
Salutatory. Feb 10, 1886
EDITORIAL, NOTBS
If The Progressive Firmer is a good
paper for you.it ia a good paper for your
neighbor. Hive you aked him to
subscribe! You can surely induce him
to give it a three months1 test, costing
but a quarter. Try it.
The article on Tobacco Growing: on
page 1 ia not "by an experienced au
thor," as the headline states, but by
an experienced author" icy oq to
bacco matters. A practical farmer,
not a mere man of letters, ia the au
thor of the article.
It is perhaps none of our business,
but we do not think that a party that
originated aa a protest against ring
rule should allow a committee of nine
or of one hundred to dictate it' policy
cn questions regarding which there
has been no official expression of opin
ion.
The educators of the State and all
good citizens aa well will learn with
jay that State Treasurer Wortn has
decided to pay immediately the S100
000. which the lass legislature wisely
appropriated to the public ecaoola In
settling his State taxes the sheriff of
each county will deduct the portion of
the appropriation due hia county and
turn it over to the school fund
The January number of the Billetin
issued by the North Carolina Depart
merit of Agriculture, devoted exelu
eively to the suojct of fertilisers, i
one of the most valuable and instruc
tive ever issued by the Department
and should be read by every person
that spends a dollar for fertilizes If
you do not receive the bulletins regu
larly write for this special number. We
congratulate State Ohemtst Kilgore
upon his masterly treatmcct of the
eubj KJt in hand. '
Did you not a few weeks ago send us
the oames and address of some of
your acqu iintances and etate that you
would endeavor to secure the sub-crip
tions of these acquaintanc-el if so,
were you successful in your efforts?
Whether you were successful or un
successful we trust you will forward
us at once, or as soon as you have
called upon all whose names you sent,
a report of your work. If you secured
subscriptions, forward them; if you
secured none, inform us of the fa stand
the cause of the failure. A report
from you as soon as convenient will be
appreciated by us.
We cannot forbear quoting for the
benefit of members of all political
parties the following very timely
sentiments from a letter from Mr D.
L. Gore to the North Carolina Bapti&t:
Thi8 ia an election year. I hose that
no man will think his neighbor a mur
derer, a thief or robber because he
does not vote as he does. It is queer
that we may have all confidence in our
neighbor's honor, honesty and other
good qualities, but aa soon as he be
gins to think for himself in polities in
other words, don't gallop with the
gang he becomes a very mean man."
All of which is, alas I too true.
We are glad to find that so many of
cur farmer readers are availing them
selves of the opportunities enured by
our 4,Qie8tion Box" department for
obtaining information on agricultural
and kindred subjects. It ia the aim of
The Progressive Farmer to be of ser
vice and practical value to its thou
sands of readera and it is a positive
pleasure to find that we are enlarging
our fldld of usefulness, and that our
friends are calling upon the paper for
the information of which they stand in
need. We are also glad to note a grew
ing disposition on the part of farmers
to report experiences and discuss agri
cultural matters through the columns
of the paper. We want each farmer
to feel that The Pre gresarve Farmer is
his paper; that it is here to eerve him
and to fiht for his interests, and that
he should use it to promote thought,
educition, and the welfare of the agri
cultural and industrial classes.
FXI r ROBPR S
R pr entafive elect Roberts, the
U h pclygamisc whose case has at
r-iC'ed so much attention, baa been
x uded from a seat in the H mse of
Representatives Tma fact ia credit
blf to ongrees and to the country at
large. R beris bad brokrn the lasof
h land aa well aa a great moral law,
md his admission aa one of the law
makers of a Christian nation would
have disgraced the country. Never
thlfl. we consi er the mode of oust
inu R berts adopwd by the Hous in
defensible It was not in strict accord
wit hf the powers granted by the Con
stitution The minority report of the
committee which had the case under
jonsidTation aDd which recommended
tnat Roberts be first sworn in and then
expelled in accord with the Cons i
tution and should, in our opinion, have
ben adopted In doing this the House
would have set no dangerous prece
dene, a we fear it has done by the
course it has taken. But at any rate
e rejoice that Riberts haa beencx
eluded
THE TRANSVAAL WAR.
The latest dispatcnea from the Trans
v tal bring news of another crushing
def at for the British. This defeat is
all the more depressing aa it comes
j ist a'ter a seeming victory, which the
Britten expected would turn the tide
in their favor.
This seeming victory, reported in
Friday's d s patches, waa the capture
of Spion Ko k (K p meana hill) an im
portant B .er dtf naa, by General War
ren. Tnis small victory wonderfully
revived the drooping spirits of the Bnc
ih. But their rej ncing waa short
lived. Saturday's di-patches stated
that Warren was on Fnday forced
from the captured position with heavy
loss. Indeed, it became quite clear
that he had been entrapped ; that the
8 ters had, with only a halt-hearted
fight, abandoned Spion Kip for the
uurpose o? getting Warren within
range of their artillery. And Warren
walked inco the Boer trap, jus a Eog
laDdV shrewdest and boldest Gnerls
have been doing eioce the war begun.
He held the position but one day. Toe
B er gunners had the range to an inch.
Tney unmasked their guns which bad
open hidden for five days and began,
as the d spatches put it, "a tremendous
trench toroad of en ell and shrapnel."
mowing down the British by hundreds
And so. with weakf-ned forces arjd
olasted hopes, the English abandoned
the position. The week's warfare ha
cost the British almost a thousand
men and as yet they have gained no
advantage.
The remarkable military ability of
the Boer leaders has surprised the
world. Thought to to an ignorant
people, the Boers have in every in
stance outwitted Eagland's shrewdest
and most experienced soldiers. And
AO it has become evident that the plain
farmers of the Transvaal, without
pomp or glitter, are by no means lack
mg in courage or ability. Such a peo
pie are capable, not only of managing
their own affairs, but of benefitting the
world at large Ia their brave struggle
for independence they hve the bf8
wishes of The Progressive Farmer and,
we believe, a large ma j rity of the
American people
THE EL EC ION LAW.
Men of all parties admit that the
State's new election law is macifes'ly
crooked, unjust and unfair. It should
be changed ic many particulars and it
is to be hoped that some of these
-hanges will be made by the legisla
-ure at its June eeeiion. One sectir n
which gives extraoroinary power to
election cfll -era i q io ted below:
"Section 74 That the registrar .and
judges of election in each ward or pre
cinct, the board of county canvassers
of each county, and the board of State
canvassers shall respectively possess
full power end authority to maintain
order, and to enforce obedience to their
lawful commands during their session,
respectively, and shall to constituted
inferior court? fcr that purpose; and if
any person shall refuse to obey the
lawful command of any such registrar,
or judge of election, or board of county
canvassers, or board of 8tate canvass
ers, or by disorderly conduct in their
hearing or presence, shall interrupt or
disturb their proceedings, they may
by an order in writing, signed by their
chairman, and attested by their clerk,
commit the person so offending to the
common jmI of the county for a period
not exceeding thirty days, and such
order shall be executed by any sheriff
or constable to whom the same shall be
delivered, or if a sheriff or constable
ehkll not be present, or shall refuse to
act, by any other person who shall be
deputed by euch township or precinct
board of elec ed. or board of county
canvassers, or board of State canvass
ers, in writing, and the keeper of such
j il shall receive the person so com
mi t ted, and safely keep him for such
time aa shall be mentioned in the com-
1 mitment"
STATE HORTICULTURAL SO
CIaTY.
The annual meeting of the 8tate
Horticultural 8ociety. held at Southern
Pmea recently, waa quite successful
both in inrerest and in attendance
S veral very valuable papers were
read The annual election of c fillers
resulted a foil :
President- J V -n Lindley of Greens
boro.
Vice President Prof. W. F. liaseey
of Raleigh
S'crttary T L B own.
Executive Oommitte-r-Pr eeident V n
L ndley, Dr. G orge T. Winston ana
ProL W. F. Msey.
A TItlaLY CALL.
A number of the intelligent and pro
gressive farmers of Pitt county have
issued the following call:
'Considering the advances in the
prices of fertilizers and the low prices
of the products with which fertilizers
have 10 be paid for and considering
concert of action by farmers the only
hope of fighting success! ully any trust
or combine and seeing the necessity of
doing something at once in regard to
the increase of prices of fertilizers we
ask every farmer in the county to meet
at the principal voting place in his
township on Saturday, February 3rd,
1900, at 2 o'clock p. no., to consult to
gether, formulate eome plan of action
and select representatives or delegate"
to a county meeting to ba held in the
court bouse at Q-eenville on the 10h
if Ftbuary, 1900 to organize and form
some plan of fighting the fertilizer
iruats."
We think euch meetings ehou'd be
held in eyery county. Nothing will be
lost if those attending the meeting do
cochin x more thau talk over the situa
tion and discuss the advantages of u
tetligent orgmznon and co opera
tion.
TOUR VI WS DBSIRED.
Webster's Weekly of last week con
tains a long edtrial attack upon th
J roan plan for combatting the tobacco
trust, attacking it chiefly upon the
score of impracticability. Among
other things it eays:
"Air J rdan sits back of hia dignity
and Bays in iff ct: 'When you gentle
men get ready to take stock in m
syndicate and have persuaded 90 tier
cent, of tne tobacco growers to accep
the terms latd down, you can let me
koow and I will then be ready to ar
range detail and etve you the name
of my backers ' G anc that he means
ell, what aesuraucB have the farmerB
hit the capitalists they are asked to
go into co partnership with would tote
fair ? Have there not bo n instances in
hj history ct the country where the
og fi-h swallowed the little one? Ano
then it these capitalists should decide to
sell their stocfe, who knows but tbat
the Utile fellows would awake some
morning to find tnmseives tied up iv
business with the D feet-t
"We do no 6 believe that this plan
will command the endorsement of tht
armers "
Tne Progressive Farmer will not at
this time go into a detailed discussion
of the plan. We, do however, ear
neatly rcq lest the views of all tobacco
growers, if any oae has objections to
the Jordan plan, be should suate them
as once so that they may, if possible,
be corrected; if a better plan can be
found, it should bd given at once so
that it may be duly considered. This
ia a matte of so much importance,
affecting the welfare of so many peo
ple, tbat we are especially anxious for
a free, full and untrammeled divcus
sion, for which the columns of The
Progressive Farmer are open to its
readers. If you are a toaacco grower,
write us, brifl stating your views.
The State of Soutn Carolina haa taken
an advanced step in support of broal
tires, which also meana good road.
Tne Sanats by a vote of more than two
to one, haa parsed what is known as
"the Broad Tire" bill Under this bill
the sale of narrow tired wagons ia pro
hbited aftor January, 1901 but the
use of the latter may continue until
January, 1901, when broad tires must
be used. In the meantime, persona
who use the bread tire are to be ex
empted from road duty and commuta
tion tax. A penally of $5 co $15 or 30
days imprisonment is provided for
violation. It is thought the bill will
pass the Houa9 and be signed by the
G ivernor. The wide tire haa many ad
vantagea over the narrow tire and is
rapidly growing in public favor. While
we are not prepared to endorse all of
the provisions of the South Carolina
bill, we think that something of the
kind is needed in this State and that
the next legislature should pass eome
measure, applicable to the whole Scate,
encouraging the wide tire. If nothing
more can be done, the bill passed by
the la?t legislature, applying to only a
fe 7 counties, exempting users of wide
tired vehicles from naif their road tax,
should ba made geaeraL
HOW TO USR COMMERCIAL
MANURES.
Whether one formula will give as
good results as another with which it
may be c impared depends on the physi
cat condition of the samples, the
sources from which their ingredients
were drawn, and on whether the land
on which they are usd has within it
s?lf a lack of an element in wbicn one
may be weak and another strong, or
which containa enough to produce a
full crop with the additions therein
offer red
In other words the oommarcial man
urecan only benefit the crop by sup
plementing what the land in question
does not contain of plant fool r quired
by thao soil to produce a full yeld of
the crop desired. Just what formula
will do best for any given soil must be
tried, to find bj results, what aid it
can give. The chemist tells what a
commercial manure contains, and
every farmer ought to ask of hia soil
oy means of special manures what it
needs, in order to be aole to receive the
benefit of the chemist's information
when it is received. Tnen no losses will
occur paying for what is not needed.
There are seven conditions, or quea
tions, by which the information
8 ught from the soil may be obtained.
These conditions or questions relate to
the exhaustible elements of plant food
contained in the Suil. By exhaustible
elements we mean only those essential
to plant growth which experience haa
shown to be sometimes lacking, or to
nave been reduced in the form in which
piaots cn use them so tht they are
uf no further use. Other toings being
favorable an addition of one element
..bus exnausted will increase tne yield
of crop on the exhausted soil.
Tne elements which are essential and
which may be exhausted are nitrogen,
potassium and poosphorua. These are
taken upas nitrate or nitrite; and as
potassium oxide or potash; wnile the
phosphorus ia used by plants as
phosphoric acid.
The seven questions which may be
asked of the soil relate to these three
taken singly, to the three combined
two by two, and lastly where all three
may be lacking. To put the q aenion
to the soil plats are planned and laid
,ff in the field where it ia desired to
obtain information of the needs for
full plant growth, and moderate
amounts of chemical manures contain
lug only the one ingredient for which
he test ia being made are secured and
cnese are applied in regu ar order; ob
serving to leave two or three rq lal
plats with no manure to show the eff ict
of the applications on the manure
plots.
A good form of plat ia to use one.
two, or three rows across a field. Lew
the unmanured plats be one on each
-ii de and one or two in the middle. Th
exact area of each plal ehould ba de
termiced by measure All should be
of the same area and shape. The same
treatment and number of plants should
bo given each plat. Thus every
con roilable condition should be alike
for all p!ar8 except the chemical ma
nure s applied.
Tnece are called soil tests. We give
an order which may ba observed in
testing any given eoil:
lt plat. No manure.
2 id plat. Potash. Either as sulphate
or es muriate, or a mixture of these in
kainit.
8;d plat. Phosphoric acid in acid
phosphate or bone black.
4ca plat. Nitrogen in sodium nitrate
or sulphate of ammonia.
5 jh plat. No manure.
6 h plat. Potash, acid phosphate and
sodium nitrate.
7;h plat. Potash and acid phosphate.
8 ih plat. Acid phosphate and nitro
gen.
9 h plat. Potash and nitrogen.
10 sh plat. No manure.
Some imes calcium ia lacking and
may be applied but it is rather regard
ed as a stimulating application than as
a necessarily lacking constituent of the
plants food.
While the crop ia growing on these
plats the farmer examines the growth
of the crop and notes the development
to find it any differences of growth
cccur and where, in order to secure an
intelligent answer to hia queries and
to be able to draw hia conclusions out
of the work for hi future use. The
crop should be carefully harvested by
plats so the final result in mature crop
may be known.
If now it ia found one element ia
lacking in the eoil the query then be
comes, Which form of this element ia
needed? and how much can the eoil
use to advantage? If potash has been
the dominant element muriate, sul
phate, and kainit ; or if wood asties are
available, the s 3 can ba used in different
amounts to find out the best form and
tne amount which will pay best. A
series of plats may be laid off on which
the applications may ba the same, half
as much, and double aa much as was
used on the first series. These plats
have alao two or thrco a3 tjfore with
no manure for comparisons and the
notes and harvesting are carried for
ward in the same way.
Woen c impietedcart fully the owner
and student of bis soil may bave a
very correct notion of its capabilities
and limitations and be able to make
such applications of manures as shall
be calculated to bring the best re-urns
for the tff rt and to control with the
greatest skill the exhaustion and re
pleti n of the stores of fertility con
tained in the soil. ' FEE
CANADA FlEuO PSAS; CULTI
VATOR Several letters this week ask about
Canada Field Peas and O its. Canada
peas will do well any wnere in North
Carolina if so vn on good land and at a
set s )nable time. These pease are like
out a little hardier tha a theEiglish
garden pea T.iey should be given
good land in order to push growth
enough for a p ofi cable crop. Ia the
E 8 tern and Southern part of the State
it may not be too early to start these
pease for forage in January. They
should ba sown in February at all
event i and if there ia occasion to ex
pect severe weather the pease may be
plowed in rather shalio ,the oats sown
and harrowed in. We look for a
heavy yield on land already rich or
specially manured for this crop. Sow
two bushels of peass to one of good
oats per acre. Ic ia heavy seeding,
but needed to give the crop desired.
In the mountain section a little later
sowing will do but the crop should be
put in eany eoough to bo ready for
hay before weather becomes very
warm and dry.
CULTIVATORS
Cultivators to nauuia a row at a time
most commonly are made for two
hordes. There are a number of good
machines on the market. Were we to
recommena eome we have used readers
might find eome difficulty in finding
same with local dealers or expensive to
secure wearing parrs on at couat of ex
press charges. Try to find a gOcd ma
chine with local dealer. Oae of the
oeet is the Breed's Wetder in its ear
liest form It nas been adopted and is
made now oy many manuraccuerd
We have a Wiard that haa given satis
faction. Tnese are light one hotse
oroadcast weeder 4. Tney can be run
lengthwise or aorosa the rows often
and can take tie place of at least half
tne usual cultivating or plowing the
crop In the usual way! We have thus
used a Thomas fembotning harrow two
or three timea before the corn waa too
tall to no over with the low head;
tnen one or twd shallow cultivations
will suffice 5 if you do have to fcetp
stirring tne soil to hold bacs: the water
for your crtp: this may be worth
more to your crop than tne commercial
manure purchased for it.
This one horee broad cast weeder is
an invaluable help. A horse and man
nave done one and one-fourth acres iu
utile more than an hour. At thts rate
the corn and cotton fields, potatoes and
other crops can be brushed over often
-r weeds and to coLSrve moisture
and when thus treated you will be
surprised to see how little other work
will be needed. F E. E
Those who thiott our war against the
Filipinos as indefensib e as England's
attack on the Boers, or that the Fill
nos are as worthy of independence as
the Boers, are, in our opinion, very
eriously mistaken. In the first place,
the Boers have all alorg had an estab
lished and stable government that has
managed affairs quite ably; the Fili
pmos are without organization or regu
lar government, either civil or mili
tary. Again the Boer as a man is in
comparably superior to the savage
Filipino. Take, for instance, the fight
ing qualities of each: England loses
more men in a single battle with the
Boer a than America loses in a year's
warfare with the natives of the Philip
pines uur war, even ii maerensibie,
certainly has far more palliating fea
tures than has England's war upon
the courageous people of the Trans
vaal. One subscriber sent ua a list of 12
three months subscribers last week.
Almost any subscriber by a little effort
can make up a list of this size. Why
not get up a club?
Within the year the year the beau
tiful love story of Mr. and Mrs Brown
ing has become publio property and
endeared these two poets to all who be
lieve in the uplifting power of human
affdetion. America, too, has had in
the literary world a similarly beauti
ful story, of which but little is known
and practically nothing has ben pub
lished. Tne life of Nathaniel Haw
thine acd hia wife was meat pure and
devoted in ail its relations Tnia hithe r
to unpublished romance ia delicately
treated in the February number of
The Delineator, under the title "A
R mancer'a Love Story. Ic is illus
trated with Mrs. Hawthorne's picture,
reproduced by permsun from a tern
ily portrait. Tne aapoct of this de
lightful woman is almost unknown to
American women, (8utterick Pub.
Co., N. Y. $1 per year.)
THE THINKERS.
SAFfi GUARDING rHtt. PEOPLE,
The late Democratic conven ion 1q
M-i8-acbusetts placed in its plaifo,
demands for the election of Um,j
8 at a 8joatora and United Stateg
Judges by the people, and for giving
the latter a term of years instead tf
the present life tenure It aiao ea
dorsed the Initiative and R ferendn
The D mocratic convention in O iio
also endorsed election of U iteo 8 tueg
Senators oy the people aud the luitia,
tive and R ferendum The steady en
croachment of corporate power ia
legislation and in the election of Unit
States Senators by S ate Legislaturei
is forcing forward these measures ia
tended t strengthen the power of tha
people Rich Square Patron and
G aner.
The encoachment of corporate
po ver is growing aud going forward a
good deal faster than the measures in
tended to strengthen the power of the
people. Toe D imocfati of Oaio put
the Initiative and .Riferendum into
their platform to eaten lab or votes, and
were then too cowardly tofihc for tag
plank. In thia they foi loved the n
ample of the IUinoia and California
Ditnocrata in 1898 In these S ates
the Democrats deaerved all the licking
they got.
Though the Initiative and Referen
dum, ia 648 years old, there are 8ome
who dispoae of it by saying: ' Ic'i
Populism" which ia considered a good
argument when one baa no argument.
There are others who would rataer see
the country owned by the corporations
than get out of the old rut. ashaville
Citizen, (Dam.)
EQUAL TAXATION IN MICHIGAN,
In view of the decision of the Su
preme Court of Michigan against tne
constitutionality of last year's act pro 4
viding that railroad property ehould;
oe tix d upon its market vain in the -camt
manner as real estate. G vernoir
Pingree has clld the Legislature to-1
gather to eubm t a constitutional!
amendment authorizing the equal tbx-f
ation of all pr -p rty. In the House!
the amendment haa already passed by
a vote o 8G co 8, u the disposition o(
the railroads to fight to the end for
heir txmptions was shown by the
action of one of their defenders, whc
voted for the bill and immediately gavfa
notice of amotion to reconsider. At
two dya are allowed for presentiag
bucq a m Jtioa, these tactics delayed oy
jasc so much the Bending of th bill tc .
the Senate Ic is there that the real;
tight is expected, for the frieuda of!
railway privi gea and the personal!
enemies or U -veroor pingree are ;
especially strong in that body. G v-1
ernor Pingree haa been asfced to sub
mit to special pension the question of
the general revision of the S ate Con-
scitucion, but although he favors such;
revision, he naa pru teatly declined tot
lay the matter before the Legislature!
until the q ial taxation anuodment
q8 passed ojth houses. Toe or.ly ap-jj
parent danger to this amendment u
that the time allowed for the ep ciaT
sessions may ba frittered away, on one.
pretext and another, without dtflaitr
action. Even G ivernor Pingree'i
critic, the Djtroic "Tribune," adonitt
tbat public opinion ia Michigan is over
whelmingly in favor of the G jvernor'i
simple plan "for the removal of those.
anting inf qualities of the burden of
taxation wmca have been so f requent-f
ly, so definitely, and so convincingly f
pointed out." The O ltlook.
Never let yourself bo beaten, never
fall down and say, ' O l, it's all over
with me." If you are beaten in one
instacco, up, and again resume ttie
struggle. Fight as long as you live
Fight dying even, and it may be that
your death will be a victory. Evenii
you lay down your life for duty it wtf;
show the world that you are a on.
queror. Whenever you are tempted K
be cruel, whenever you are temp'-edK
be dishonest, whenever you are tempK
ed to be foul and licentious, then flgK
againat temptation Bishop Brooks.
It would not surpriao ua if
monopolists should turn their att?ntie
before long to agriculture. A trfl
can buy up millions of acres of tftf
richest land and farm it by cbea?
labor, obtain special terms fromt
railroad companies, control the ra'
kets, and drive millions of small far0!
ers out of business. It is only a qaeB -tion
of time before the attempt wid
made. Farm Journal. ;
i
He alone is trustworthy who eta'
by his work, ready to acknowledge &
failures or wear the laurels of euctf
with the beautiful composure of
honest man who has done hia best.'
Thomas K Boecber. :
There ia no virtue in subordinate?
oneself; but there ia virtue in deecec?
ing and in recognizing anything 1
----- . rt
above us which is beneath ua. isoo.