THE DTOUSTRIAL MD EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF OUB PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CQKSIDERATIOKS 0? STATE POUCT.
7ol. 15.
RALEIGH, U, 0., APRIL 3, 1900.
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Ho. 8
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Tn PROGRB88IV Farueb Is the Official
Organ of the North Carolina Farmers' State
Alliance.
FARM AFFAIRS.
BROOM CORN A WORD OF CAU
TION. We alluded last week to the state
ment of a gentleman that broom corn
can be profitably grown at half pres
ent prices. Mr. W. B. Goodin doee
not think so and in the article given
below givea hia reasons for the faith
that is in him. Many North Carolina
farmers have grown broom corn. We
should like to have reports from some
of them for publication in The Pro
gressive Farmer. Mr. Goodin says:
I re id an article in a recent issue en
! titled "Broom Corn," wnicu 1 Deneve
will cause many persons, not acquainted
j with the culture of broom corn, to em
bark in the bu3inetflof growing same,
to their sorrow. I will not dispu e
what he hs said about the yield per
acre, but will say that I have been
familiar with culiure of broom corn
for more than twenty years, and have
never known any one to raise crops
that would begin to approach such
yields as he states may be obtained.
The largest yields that I ever knew, or
heard of, was one ton per three acres,
and have only known three men in
iwensy years who succeeded eo well,
and that w&s on rich virgin soil which
had been in blue grass pasture. And
the next best yields that I ever knew
or heard of, was one ton per four acres,
and that was considered an exceptional
yield. Generally one ton can be ob
tained from five to six acres, and that
is regarded as a good crop; often U
takes saven or eight acres to make a
ton; in euch case it is entirely unprofit
able. It is a crop that withstands the
drouth, but is easily affected by the
cninca bugs, and requires the u;mcst
care in harvesting and preparing for
market. A few days' delay at harvest
time means the loss of crop, and if
sheaded in a tight barn may cause it
to he is and spoil, and under a leaking
roof mear e darrege if cot ruin At
healirg ouc time, if the brush prom
i?ee to be very long and fiae, a rain
will o'ten caue it to drop over to one
Bid 2 acd grow? crooked, which dimin
ishea its value one-half. As to meth
ods of handling, it would require more
time that I now have, to write about
is. Oae point I will make. We don't
use band scrapers. We have horse
power ecrapfrs. We have horf e power
seeders which will seed from one to
two tona per day when properly
handled.
Now, Mr. Editor, I have written this
article hurriedly, for the sole reason to
eat this question right before your
readers, hoping none of them may be
deluded into belief that they can raise
one ton of broom corn per acre. In
conclusion, I would say to persons not
familiar with the culture of broom
corn, I should not advise any inexpe
rienced persons to engage in it this
year, for the following reasons: let,
Bec-iuso I believe that the high price
aich prevailed last year, will be euch
an incentive aa to cause thousands to
Plant, expecting to receive the same
Fri o 2 d, Dpcause i& is a cmo of
liai ed consumption, 35.000 or 36100
ten monlia tne world, and in the
broom corn bait of Illinois, which con
88 1 o 8 ma three or four counties,
they clatm that they can produce four
fifths of the rr q'lired amount, and they
fcecpr illy do. 3rd, because this will be
Presidential election year, and broom
com. like otoer commodities, will feel
the f fleets of the monetary stringency
which will surely come as the election
a?Proache3.
HOW SHALL WS DETERMINE
WHAT OUR SOIL REQUIRES
IN A FERTILIZER?
An All Important Question Discussed by
an Authority.
Jorrespondence of the Progressive Farmer.
In setting out to answer this most im
portant question, there are several
points which must be taken into con -eideration.
First, the character of the
soil; second, its previous treatment;
third, what the crops demonstrate,
which are, or have been growing on
the land ; and fourth, what the crops
require which we intend to grow.
No chemical analysis of the soil can
be depended upon to tell us what ele
ment of plant food is most necessary
tD make our land productive. For the
element least in evidence, may be the
most available; and the element which
the. analysis shows our eoil to contain
the most of, may be so locked up anc
insoluble that the plants are able to ob
tain only a email portion of it The
most practical way is to go to the field
with our question, and ee. k the an
swer from soil and plant.
Of course the eurest way to get at
this matter is through a series of ex
perimen's where the different elements
of plant food are applied separately
and together, in different combinations
to different plots of ground.
I am aware, however, that most
farmers will not take the trouble to ex
perim ent in this way; also that the
land varies so greatly on most farms
that one set of experiments cculd not
be made to apply to the whole place.
Taking up first, the character of the
soil. For eight years the writer culti
vated an oracge grove and peach
orchard together with vegetables, on
sandy land in Florida, and we found
that the quantity and quality of our
fruit was increased and improved more
by a liberal application of potash
using it principally in the form of eul
phate than from any other element
of plant food; although phosphoric
acid was also necessary to make good,
firm wood, and nitrogen to stimulate)
grown in the spring. On out Georgia
farm we have almost every variety of
eoil from stiff, red clay to light, -candy
bottom land, and we find that the rule
holds good here also, and an increased
use of potash is necessary on the sandy
and muck bottom land; while our red
clay uplands seem fairly well supplied
with this element, and only a moder
erate qua. tity is necessary in & f ertili
z;r. Here an increased use of phos
phoric acid and nitrogen gave the best
results.
The previous treatment of the soil is
also very importent in forming a cor
rect decision aa to what our land re
quires in a fertilizer. Lands which
have been subject to continuous clean
culture for many years like most of the
cotton lands of the South, are very de
ficient in organic matter, and conse
qutntly are lacking in nitrogen. They
may contain large quantities of the
other elements of plant food, but these
have become mostly insoluble for want
of the decaying vegetable matter
which helps to make them available
The first thing necessary on such lands
is to eupply humus by some mean?,
preferably by growing and turning
under cow peas.
On the other hand, if the soil be filled
with organic matter from applications
of stable manure, or otherwise, we
may ju'dge that such soil is fairly well
supplied, unlets the plants tell us other
wise, with all the elements of pWnt
food. Here we should use an evenly
balanced fertilizer, and use it heavily,
on some good money crop. For, strange
as it may stem, the richer the land,
the better it will pay to use heavy ap
plications of commercial fertilizers,
especially if the crop to be grown be
vegetables or berries.
We can tell pretty correctly the
needs of our soil by noting the appear
ance and yield of growing crops, espe
cially with small grain, like wheat or
oatt. If the plants come up with a
good dark green color, and grow off
vigorously, we may know that our soil
contains a good supply of nitrogen. If
they look yellow and sickly, it shows
this element of plant food is lacking.
Cow peas and clover will do well with
a small amount of nitrogen, as they
canprocure it from the atmosphere.
And where they refuse to flurif h, pot
ash is needed. If our cotton makes a
great deal of weed, with but little fruit,
we may know that the supply of phos
phoric acid in our eoil is short. The
eamo ia also true where wheat or corn
makes fine striwand stalk with but
little grain. Where our Irish potatoes
are few in number, and watery in
character, while they have good tope,
potash is deficient. Also where our
turnips are mostly top with little root,
the same is the case.
Bearing these facts in mind, with
close observation we may arrive atNa
pretty fair idea of the requirements of
our 8oiL Then, by combining this
knowledge with the knowledge of what
the crop we wish to grow will remove
from the soil, we may j idge pretty ac
curately what our fertilizers should
contain to produce the best results on
our eoil. F. J. Mirrjam.
Battle Hill, Ga.
I L3 PROVING RUN DOWN FARMS.
Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.
The number of run-down farms are
increasing in this country at a rapid
rate, and the West will soon have its
share of these farms along with the
Eial The cause of this is that there
are so many engaged in farming who
do not understand the primary prin
ciples of good farming that the land de
terioratea without attracting their at -tention.
This deterioration goes on
slowly and gradually, and year by
year the soil produces a smaller crop.
After matters become considerably de
moralized somebody wakes up to the
fact that the land is exhausted and
run-down, and the farm gets a came
that practically makes it unsalable.
Good money that was originally put in
the land as an investment is thus lost.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars are
lest in this country through this de
terioration of soil because of ignorance
or neglect on the part of so called farm
ers. In the same way, I suppose, a
similar depreciation of other business
property goes on in towns and villages
through lack of good management
The farmers are not alone in having
amorg their number poor members
who fail to hold their own and keep
their property from degenerating. It
is the price that incapacity or shift
lessness must pay.
A good farm needs as much system
atic attention as any business or city
property. In order to kaep up its
renting or paying value the soil must
not be allowed to degenerate or its
buildings and other appurtenances to
go to pieces. A good farmer will not
allow this. The fertility of his soil is
never sacrificed for some immediate
gain unless it is restored right away
again by some return. Continual crop
ping without adding anything in return
is never practiced, Bat the most diffi
cult thing in farming ia to take hold of
a run down farm and restore it to its
former standard of fertility. This is
discouraging work and often drives the
bestof farmers to despair. It is like
taking hold of a run down business in
a city and trying to build it up. Bust
nees men say that it is easier to start
an entirely new business than to at
tempt to inject new life into one that
has been run into the ground. Bo it is
much more satisfactory to take a farm
that is in fair condition and run it than
to purchase a run down one at half the
price and strive to improve it. But
the latter can be done, and there are
cases where it is necessary for a farmer
to do this. To do this be muss make
up his mind to make haste slowly, and
to make every step that he takes a pro
gres'ive one. Grass must be made the
foundation crop of the land and green
and barnyard manure must be con
tinually added every year in excess of
the amount taken from the soil. By
a proper crop rotation, plenty of ani
mals which can add fertility to the
soil, the farm can in the course of
years be returned to its first fertile
condition. A man who can do this,
however, is a farmer who ia capable of
making anything on the farm succeed.
The long course of discipline he must
go through will also prove of help to
him because he will learn more about
intensive farming than the man who
starts with a rich eoil.
aw. Jones
Common barrel salt placed in a
trough is preferable to rock salt for
cows. -
Do you know of any farmer who has
a mania for buying old stuff at auc
tion? I do. Od wagons, bobsleds,
grindstones, corn shellers, worn out
eaws, and whole boxes of scrap iron,
that never will be used in the world.
are thus bought and lugged home by
men who wouldn't touch the stuff at
private eale, at half the figures they
now cheerfully pay. Why is this, I
wonder! E. L. Vincent.
TOBACCO DEPARTMENT.
THE JORDAN PLAN FULLY EX
PLAINED. EIr. Groome Declares Organization the
Cnly Salvation of Tobacco Growers
ana the Jordan Plan the Only Practic
able Plan of Organization and Co
operation Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
To Tobacco Growers, Warehousemen
Iaf Dealers and Tobacco Manufac
turers:
The following paper prepared by
Mr. W. J. Grocme ia euch a clear and
concise exposition of the merits and
workings of the "Jordan plan" as
adopted by the Tobacco Growers'. As
sociation at its meeting in Raleigh
January 17th, 1900, that I heartily
c:mmend its careful and thoughtful
perusal to all tobacco growers, dealers
or manufacturers and to all interested
in restoring the price of leaf tobacco to
a living basis. All papers in tobacco
districts of North Carolina, Virginia,
Tenneeseeand South Carolina are re
quested to publish this article. The
ccunty organizations are asked to eee
that copies of papers containing this
discussion of the ''Jordan plan" are dis
tributed among the growers of their
counties. The immediate formation
of county associations is urged in these
counties which have failed to organize
and it is hoped that every county in
the tobacco growing districts of the
States above mentioned will perfect
organizations at once. All county as
sociations are requested to Bend list of
officers and account of proceedings,
eta, to Mr. T. B. Parker, Secretary
North Carolina Tobacco Growers' As
sociation, Hillsboro N. O.
J, Bryan Grimes,
Pres't N. O. Tobacco Growers1 Asso
ciation.
During the past ten years the price
cf j1?af tobacco has declined year by
year, until at the present time the
prices paid for the different grades are
only about one third of what they
were in 1889, while under existing con
ditiots the future does not hold out
any prospects that encourage the
grower. At the present time the money
received for his crop by the grower is
barely sufficient to pay the cost of the
fertilizer and the labor expended, and
there ia no profit. This is not as it
Ehould be and the time has come for
the producer to have something to say
regarding the returns he shall receive
for his hard labor. There is a way by
which he can bring about a state of
affairs in which he will be called into
consultation when prices are made on
his property a state of affairs in
which he whose intelligence, labor and
skill causes the earth to yield bounti
fully of its fruits will reap a full and
just reward for his efforts.
Such a state of affairs can be brought
about by organization. The old adage,
"In union there ia strength," is jast as
applicable to the farmer as to any
other class of men. There are trades
unions almost without number in our
country; there are unions in the vari
ous lines of business; the railroads and
other transportation companies have
their understandings; almcss every
trade and line of business in the land
is organiz3i for the purposes of ad
vancement cr mutual protection, or
both. The farmer is the foundation of
the whole social fabric. Without hi
efforts our kings of finance would b
beggars, though po3essing untold g Id
and our ship of state would go to pieces
in a twinkling. Without his efforts it
would not be possible to dig into the
bowels of the earth for the treasure
hidden there, nor could we extend our
civilization to the remote parts of the
world. Without the farmer there
would be no wealth, no government
and no civilization. Yet he, upen
whose toil everything depends, has
been content to labor for such recom
pense as others have seen fi '. to grudg
ingly bestow him. That recompense
in the case of the tobacco grower at
least, has been growing smaller and
smaller as the years have gone by,
until now he is actually working for
hi3 board and clothes, and unites he
wakes up and asserts himself soon he
will be starved to death on the land
hia forefathers eubdued and prospered
on and left as a heritage to him.
The farmer might bo a power if he
would, and the way to secure recogni
tion of his merits and his rights lies
through organization organization as
thorough and as full of purpose as that
of any of the great combinations which
now all but control our luxuries, our
necessities and cur government. The
single farmer is but a man, with but
one man's influence; the farmers of the
country united in a definite purpose
can make their it fluencs felt from one
end to the other of this broad land, and
compel the payment of euch a scale of
prices for their products as will give
them their full share of the good thing
of life and enable them to maintain
their families in comfort and educate
their children.
The plan outlined below i3 put for
ward as a solution of the difficulties
which now beset the tobacco grower.
It does not attempt to go much into
details, as these are matters which
must be agreed upon and fixed by rep
resentatives chosen for that purpose,
and it is wholly within the province of
such representatives to change any
feature of the plan, as in their jadg
ment may seem best.
When the farmers of the bright to
bacco section have perfected their per
manent organizations and have agreed
to combine with those who have come
forward and volunteered to furnish
the money for the purpose of controll
ing, handling and dealing in tobacco
grown in this section, it i3 proposed
that a large board, compo3ed of as
many tobacce growers from all over
the tobacco raising districts aa the
farmers themselves see fit to appoint
to represent them, shall meet a board
of equal number appointed by the par
ties who are to furnish the necessary
capital. It will be the duty of this
j)int beard to mutually agree upon all
the details of the plans for organiza
tion and management of the company
to be formed; to prepare an agreement
to be Bigned by individual growers
which binds them to sell their product
to the company for the ensuing five
years, and to fix the price the oom
pany is to pay during the business of
the first year cn each grade of tobacco,
which pric9 shall not be lees than 15
per cent, more than the average price
paid for corresponding grades during
the las: five years
The plan contemplates that 90 per
cent, of the tobacco growers of the
"bright belt" of North and South Caro
Una, Virginia and eastern Tennessee,
or enough of such growers as will con
trol 90 per cent of the tobacco raised
in these districts, shall pledge them
selves to sell all of their crop during
the next five years to a company to be
formed by and composed of tobacco
growers, leaf dealers, warehousemen,
manufacturers and others. The oom
pany shall be sufficiently strong flnan
cially to buy up, and hold if necessary,
the entire crop of tobacco grown in the
district referred to during the next five
year; and if deemed best for the in
threats of all concerned, to lease, buy
cr erect, f q iip and operate factories,
warehouses and plants for the curing,
storage or manufacture of tobacco in
any or all of its various forms.
It is proposed that the grower shall
take stock in the company to the
amount of 15 per cent, of the value of
his crop, or more if he sees fit. He ie
to have the privilege of paying for his
stock either in cash or tobacco at hia
option. Whether his stock is paid for
in cash or tobacco, it will stand on the
identical footing with all other stock
and will participate in all profits,
whether arising from sales or manu
facture The business of the company shall be
managed by a board of directors, a
majority of whom shall be growers.
For the purpose of fixir g prices on
the different grades of tobacco, a board
or committee, consisting of as many
growers from all over the tobacco rais
ing districts as the growers holding
stock in the company see fit to appoint
to represent them, shall meet a like
board appointed by the stockholders
who furnish the capital This joint
board ehall meet annually and fix the
price to be paid during the ensuing
year for each grade of tobacco. It is
confidently expected that each year
will bring an increased price, but the
prices of the different grades for the
first year's business shall not be less
than 15 per cent, more than the aver
age price of corresponding grades dur
ing the past five years.
It will be the policy to arrange with
warehousemen, leaf dealers, manufac
turers and others having facilities for
handling, curing and working tobacco
on the different markets to handle,
cure and care for tobacco owned by
this company, for which they will re
ceive a commission. It u the in ten
tion to benefit all tobacco men and to
cut out none.
The grower will take hia tobacco to
the warehouse, where it will be
weighed, ticketed and placed cn the
floor by the warehousemen. Each
separate pile of tobacco will have a
different number, which will be marked
on tjie ticket and cn the warehouse
book opposite the owner's name. The
owner's name will not appear on the
ticket. There will be no auction, but
a grading committee consisting of two
growers and two expert tobacco men
will inspect each pile and mark its
grade on the ticket. These graders
will not know to whom the tobacco be
tongs and no partiality can be shown.
As scon as the tobacco ia graded the
owner will receive hiB money.
After the tobacco is graded it is put
in the hands of the leuf dealers, who
will re order and pack i; away in hogs- ,
heads marked aa to weight and grade
and turn it over to the company, which
can then store it cr eell to manufac
turers or the export trado. The com
pany will be in a position to help the
independent factories and enable them
to resume ' busiaesa cn a profitable
bash. This is one of the aims of the '
proposed organ "ztion.
The whole design of the proposed
plan is to help the farmer, the ware
houseman, the 1 af daeler and the
small manufacturer, and make the
business of each a profitable one; to
restore prices on the raw material and
keep them where all can reap the full
reward of their labor. The success of
the plan means a full and just re
muneration for labor, time and capital
employed, and a larger share of this
earth's blessings tor all engaged in the
growth, handling, manipulation and
manufacture of tobacco. Tho com- j
pany will be one largely composed of
tobacco growers and dealers in that
product and will wcrk for the inter
ests of all concerned. The profits aris
ing from the business will be equitably
divided among the stockholders and
the farmer's one share of stock will
share in all benefits equally with that
of any one else.
Can you do better than to cast your
lot with this organization! You have
everything to gain and nothing to loie
by so doing. You do not risk one single
dollar but are assured higher prices tor
what you produce. You are guaran
teed an advance of not less than 15 per
cent., not on the price tobacco brings
to-day, but on the average price it has
sold for during the past five years. Is
not this worth having! And is not
this proposition, made in good faith,
worthy of favorable coneideraticn cn
your part!
Among th9 remedies, proposed for
bettering the condition of the tobacco
grower and the destruction of the
trusts are the boycott and toe coopera
tive factory. It is confidently urged
that these two measures will correct
the evils. The boycott will not work
effectually because the consumer docs
not care one red cent who manufac
tures the tobacco he uses. He seldom
knows or inquires anything about it.
Ha wan s all he can get for his money
of what he considers the best, no mat
ter who made it or where it came from.
If the bulk of the manufactured ar
ticles was con3um3d by the grower or
his immediate friends, the boycott
might be a powerful argument. But
the fact is only a very small percent
age of the manufactured tobacco ia
consumed at home, while the great
bulk goes to other sections of this
country and to other countries where
no tobacco is raised and whose people
have troubles of their own and know
nothing of the tobacco grower or the
conditions under which he labora You
do not care a straw who manufactures
the sugar you use for sweetening your
coffee, or the cotton goods of which
your shirt is made. What does inter
est you ia the amount you can get for
your dollar, and you buy where you
can get the most value for your money.
Can you reasonably expect the tobacco
consumer to do differently ! The co
operative factory ia all right if en
dowed with sufficient capital and'
braina. Bat unless: it possesses both
qualifications in an eminent degree it
cannot succeed. If the cooperative
factory ia started on a small scale, as
probably most of its adherents pro
pose, it will no doubt be allowed to
flourish awhilo until it has developed
some business and got some brands of
its manufacture fairly well established,
when the trust will iwoop down into
its territory with other brands equally!-
COSTZSTJO 03 PlvCS 8
-