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THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OP STATE POLICY.
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Vol. 15.
Raleigh, N. C, December 18, 1900.
ITo44
Agriculture.
A NEW DISEASE OF COTTON.
Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
A good deal of complaint has been
made during the past fall in regard
to a disease of cotton which some of
the complainants call "wilt" and oth
ers "lightningblast." The latter name
indicates a belief that in some mys
terious way the damage was wrought
by electricity. Samples of the dis
eased cotton from the vicinity ol
Red Springs show that the trouble
is of fungous origin and not due to
lightning. It is also different from
the old root rot disease.
The cause of the new wilt disease
is a fungus belonging to the genus
fusarium. This genus includes
many species most of which are
saprophytes on the roots of dead
plant. A microscopical examina
tion of the sections of the root and
stem shows the sap vessels or tubes
more or . less choked by the spawn
of the fungus. These vessels are the
channels by which the crude sap and
water normally ascend from the soil
to the leaves. When they become
choked by the spawn of the fungus
the water evaporated from the leaves
is not promptly restored by the soil
water. The plant as a consequence
wilts and soon dies of sunstroke, not
lightning stroke.
So far this disease has been re
ported only from the southern and
eastern counties. It is especially bad
in fields where melons have been re
cently grown. Correspondence shows
that the disease also exists in the
coastal counties of South Carolina.
No complaints have been received
from the red clay regions. But it is
likely to invade all regions where
cotton is grown.
It is well known to economic botan
ists" that a species of fusarium also
jbauses a wilt disease in watermelons.
Another species of same genus causes
-sore-shin' in tobacco. And it is
significant that the present com
plaints about wilt diseases all come
from the sandy eastern section where
watermelons are a standard crop.
On account of the mild winters the
melon plant there frequently re
mains in the soil from year to year
as a voluntary weed. Inoculation
experiments with the fungus from
watermelon to cotton and vico versa
are necessary to show whether or
not the fungi in these two crops are
the same or different species. Pres
ent indications are that the fungus
is the same species, and that it was
originally developed in the soil by
and upon watermelon plants.
Complains are also being made by
farmers in sections where water
melon and cotton wilt is known, that
the cow pea often wilts and dies be
fore producing flowers or seed. A
sample of diseased cow pea vines re
cently examined by the writer shows
fungous infection similar to that
above described. The sap vessels
of the pea plants were nearly plug
ged by the spawn of & fusarium and
probably the same species we find
upon cotton. Inoculation experi
ments are, however, requisite to set
tle this practically very important
point.
What practical farmers want to
kn w is how to eradicate the disease
or prevent it from destroying their
crops. But a rational remedy re
quires a fuller knowledge of the life
history and specific identity of the
fungus attacking these different
"rops. If the fungus is one species
only it will attack several widely
dift;rint crops and is therefore very
dimerous. If the fungus upon dif
ferent 'pops are specially distinct,
wt can Urve them out by planting
I"j t,n cotton land and cotton on
l)f'tWl. dotations of crops is the
m'""t riTi.,n:il treatment for such
The- lack of such rotation
' '' itly been the chief agency
'' ling these discuses. Fungi
'imlly saprophytes. That is,
tturuily feed upon dead or
'1-iiint tissue. But when they
1 year after year the same
r f fod they eventually de-
snch an appetite- for it that
attack it while still living. In
" words tliRv chance theis habit
hu-
in
arc
thi-
lvi
.in
i
- j c
nki saprophytes to parasites. When
here is a yearly rotation of crops
no that one crop comes upon the
land not of tener than once in three
years the saprophytic fungi are
never able to cultivate an intense
partiality for any particular crop,
and so remain in their normal and
useful position of scavengers.
There are several possible chemical
treatments for disinfecting the soil
of fungus diseased areas. But all
these are too expensivo for use upon
cheap land and for crops which bring
low prices like five-cent cotton. The
most promising soil treatments are
powdered sulphur and blue stone
worked into the soil. But these
will at the same time destroy useful
bacteria and fungi in the soil and
may render the soil unfruitful for a
year or more.
The exact amount of chemicals and
the best way to apply them can bo
determined only by practical trial
on a small scale. Generally speak
ing, sulphur must be used in doses
of about 300 to 500 pounds per acre
and copper sulphate at the rate of
25 to 50 pounds per acre. Sulphur
is better and safer than copper sul
phate for this purpose. The under
signed has started some pot experi
ments with infected soil and hopes
to be able to furnish more definite
information before the planting sea
son opens. In the mean time the
following suggestions for preventing
the spread of this disease and the
further loss of crops is offered :
1 Do not plant cotton on land
where watermelons have been grown
within two years.
2 Do not follow cow peas by cot
ton if the peas were destroyed by
the wilt disease. Do net plant peas
on spots infected by the cotton
wilt fungus.
3 Do not follow cotton by cotton,
but rotate crops so that cotton will
not come in of tener than once in three
years. Corn is a proper crop to fol
low cotton. Follow corn by peas
and this by wheat or rice or sor
ghum or turnips.
4 If you must or will replant cot
ton on a field which showed spots in
flected by the cotton wilt fungus,
stake out these spots and a surround
ing ring 10 feet wide. On such
spots plant corn or sorghum or rice.
In cultivating the cotton do not pass
through the diseased spots. Go
around them. Cultivate the spots
separately, and carefully and thor
oughly clean the tools before using
upon cotton land. The fungus lives
in the soil of diseased areas and is
easily spread by the cultivating tools
and the feet of men and animals.
The undersigned desires to map
out the region in North Carolina
known to be infected by the wilt
fungus of cotton. Farmers who have
it are requested to report and state
how long it has been known in the
neighborhood and amount of dam
age occasioned.
Gerald McCarthy,
N. C. Department of Agriculture.
Raleigh, N. C.
THE FARM IMPLEMENT TBUST.
The combination of manufactur
ers of agricultural implements form-
ed in Chicago some months ago, at
which time the meeting was reported
in The Progressive Farmer with a
list of the firms represented, seems
to be ready for business now. What
may be expected is told by Mr.
Frank Baldwin, who has been for
years the Toledo, Ohio, representa
tive of McCormick Company. He
says: ''The great trust of agricul
implements will be in full running
order by January i, 1901. This
means that prices will be advanced
from 25 to 150 per cent, to the far
mers, that thousands of traveling
agents will be thrown out of employ
ment, the wages of those retained
will be left at the complete mercy of
this giant monopoly. The trust
schedules of prices are being ar
ranged now and will go into effect
after the big monopoly takes hold.
Nearly all the big implement firms
of the country have agreed to pool
their issues in the trust. It means
that every piece of machinery, plow,
harrow, roller, pick, shovel, hoe,
rake, scythe, etc., must be purchased
through the trust at trust prices.
Tiierewill be no remedy. It will be
a case of stand and deliver."
HARRY FARMER'S TALKS.
VII.
Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
Harry Farmer wishes to discuss
the crop of children a little more
just at this time.
Every farmer who wishes to suc
ceed with horses, cows, hogs sheep
or poultry tries to breed out bad
qualities and implant good qualities
or characteristics in the various ani
mals. Now examine your family
record closely, and see if there were
any who drank to excess or who
died drunkards. This is to a certain
degree a quality that is hereditary
in families and has often brought
sorrow and trouble for its harvest.
Begin today and make up your mind
not to drink yourself or give to your
children any intoxicating drink dur
ing this Christmas. Take the money
and buy something else with it or
give it to the orphans, and after the
holidays have passed you will be
happier and will hope to celebrate
the coming Christmas in the same
manner.
As I write these lines and study to
impress these words upon the read
ers of The Progressive Farmer, how
many are planning to buy that which
will not only mar their own pleas
ures, but that of the loved ones
which a great Creator has given
them to make happy and useful men
and women?
If you sow oats you cannot reap
wheat; if you plant bitter gourds
you cannot gather sweet watermelons
from the vines ; so, too, if you teach
your children by precept andexamxle
to drink, you may expect them to
become drunkards. These may not
be pleasant lines to read, brother
farmer, but see if they are not true.
Harry Farmer wishes a happy Christ
mas to all. Harry Farmer.
Columbus Co., N. C.
THE FARM WORKSHOP AND ITS TOOLS.
A great deal of money can be saved
annually by any intelligent farmer
who will purchase some of the tools
most needed on the farm and keep
them where they can be easily found.
In a recent issue of Farmers' Voice
C. D. Lyon discusses this subject as
follows :
Our own shop has for twelve years
been located in the southwest corner
of a barn, but this is not always de
sirable, and in the near future we
shall change it to a 12x18 foot build
ing with eight-foot siding and gable
roof just such a building as we
have for a poultry house, except in
height of ceiling (see Voice of Octo
ber 20). The work-bench is 3xl2
feet, and has a strong steel carriage
maker's vise set on it. This bench
is of two-inch elm lumber put to
gether with pins, and has three
drawers for small tools in front. A
hardwood chopping block stands in
one corner next the door, and in the
other corner is the tool chest.
Our outfit of tools is far from com
plete, but we will tell our readers
just what we have and leave them to
add to the list as suits their needs :
Four saws, a No. 8 handsaw, No. 5
ripsaw, No. 10 turnsaw and a key
hole set ; four planes, jack, f oreplane,
jointer and smoothing plane; five
augers, by quarters, from half-inch
to inch and a half ; chisels from half
inch to two-inch ; bitts from three
sixteenths to one inch, by eighths ;
bits are numbered by sixteenths,
and we find the odd numbers, like 3,
5, 7, 9, etc., best suited for farm use.
Then we have braces, squares,
gauges drawknif e, spokestaves, cold
chisels, punches, nail sets, level,
compasses, calipers and other small
tools. There is one light and one
heavy hatchet, claw hammer, small
riveting hammer and two-pound
hammer for heavy work ; mallet,
chalk-line, straight edge, wrenches,
lilies and nippers, and a ten-foot pole
are all part of our outfit.
Our tools were bought at different
times, some of them at sales, and
when we computed the cost of them
as new a year or so ago we were sur
prised to find that they could be
bought at that time for $20. We
like to buy of our home dealers, but
in all cases would keep on hand the
catalogue of some of the great mail
order houses that advertise in this
paper, and if home dealers do not
sell at right prices would order the
tools sent by freight.
A set of tools consisting of hand
saw, square, hatchet, drawknife,
three augers, two planes, brace and
four bits, three chisels and mallet
and a hammer can be bought for
just about five dollars, and will save
its cost every year to any man who
farms a fifty-acre farm.
In mentioning cold chisels, files
and punches, we want to say that by
the use of these and strips of thin
iron, such as old buggy tire, we may
mend a broken tool in the field and
save a trip to the shop.
We have several files of all shapes
and sizes, from a three-inch stub to
a sixteen-inch double bastard cross
file. Flat, square, knife edge and
round files are all cheap and a dollar
will buy quite an outfit of them.
One word about using a file. If a
new one, use it very light at first.
It does not need forcing to make it
cut. Always push a file ' squarely
across the work and lift it back. It
only cuts one way, like a handsaw,
and to draw it toward you only
wears it out twice as fast as if it is
used in a proper manner.
A good grindstone is necessary to
keep the tools in condition. This is
best bought ready hung unless you
are sure of your ability to hang one
true ; and when a stone is rightly
hung if you are careful not to allow
careless persons to wear it out hoi.
lowing in the center it will last for
many years.
Keep all tools sharp ; a dull tool
does not do good work, and it cer
tainly does make hard work for the
user of it.
Keep all tools in place ; one should
be able to go to the shop in the dark
est night and get the tool desired.
Keep all tools at home. Do not
think that we do not lend our tools,
fox' we do ; but we make a bargain
with the borrower that he bring
them home just as soon as done using
them. If he does not return them
soon, we go or send after them. One
lesson of this kind is always enough.
It was our intention to tell of some
home-made farm conveniences in
this paper, but we will leave this for
another time to tell of some of the
things made in our shop in the past
ten years. Four sleds ; one sold for
$20, one for $7.50 and two are used
on the farm ; three hayricks, one for
home use, the others sold for $5 each ;
a sleigh, two harrows, two drags, a
wheelbarrow, two plow stocks,
wagon-bed, and repair work of all
kinds at all seasons.
We have part of a set of twist
drills that we forgot to mention.
With these we can make holes in iron
or wood and they can be used on old
work where a wood-boring tool
would be ruined.
Bolts, screws, nails and brads of
all sizes are kept on hand ; an old
machine furnishes lots of good bolts
and we take all these out before we
sell the castings to the junk dealer,
and light strap iron is always valu
able to brace a gate or mend a broken
implement until a new part can be
made or fitted.
Scotland Neck Cor. Post : A far
mer whose circumstances have been
such as to acquaint him with the
hard lot of the poor, said to your
correspondent yesterday that farm
ers generally can pay but this year
if they will just be careful and eco
nomical. The farmers of this sec
tion are certainly in better condition
than they have been in many years.
MECKLENBURG FARMING.
A. J. Hunter, of Mecklenburg
county, writes as follows to the Char
lotte Observer : "I am glad to in
form your readers that Mecklenburg
farmers in my opinion have sown
the largest crop of wheat and oats
this year in her history. I speak
advisedly, because I have traveled
during the summer and fall over a
largre part of the county. Many
fields of cotton have been plowed un
der and sowed in weat. and the good
work is still progressing. Many
fields are now green and beautiful
to the sight. The disc drill has given
a wonderful impetus to wheat cul
ture and I predict that the time is
not far distant that Mecklenburg
will be self-supportinsr, so far as
wheat bread is concerned."
GET BID OF THE STUMPS.
The Timely Advice of a Sampson Farmer.
Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
I am spending my winter taking
up lightwood stumps. I never could
make a crop over a stump, and be
sides very few things are more an
noying than continued hitching and
breaking hame-strings, back-bands,
trace-chains, plows and the plow
man's temper.
Here's my plan: Drive an iron
wedge into the stump near the
ground ; put the large ring at the
end of a log-chain over the wedge,
carry the chain around the stump
and run it through the ring and turn
back in the opposite direction and
fasten around the end of a 12 or 15
feet lever of such size as will give
strength, hitch a yoke of steers or a
strong mule or horse to the end and
start round, and if something don't
break the stump will twist off ; just
at such moment let a quick strong
hand jump into the hole, which has
previously been dug around it, and
lift slightly and the stump is out. Of
course such side roots as are in the
way must first be cut off. Haul to
the wood pile and put at a separate
place from the wood proper and you
can enjoy the fine kindling on get
ting up early in the morning.
Wood should be cut where there
are no lightwood splinters, so that
the chips may be raked together
with a little earth and used for ma
nure. I get a few loads of good manure
from my woodpile every spring, and
I tell you these little things count in
the end.
Go over the field and dig away the
earth to a depth of eighteen inches
or more, cut off all side roots and
then go back and twist them off, and
you will be surprised to know how
quickly you can rid your field of
stumps. Don't touch any but light
wood ; others will soon disappear
any how.
My brother has a 100-acre field
that has not a stump in it, and I feel
like I want to farm in that field one
year just to cool down.
More anon.
Wm. A. Barbrey.
Sampson Co., N. C.
A peanut factory is being built on
the Caledonia farms, which will
make the State independent of the
recent trust, the intention being to
thrash, clean and hull the nuts ready
for the consumer before shipment.
Commissioner of Agriculture Stev
ens, of Georgia, returned a few days
ago from a trip over the State and
said the cotton acreage next year
would not be any larger than that
planted this year. "Diversified crops
are beginning to tell," said Mr.
Stevens. ' I find the farmers are
planting large quantities of wheat,
more than ever before. This I re
gard as a good sign. The cotton in
Georgia has been nearly all picked
and now there are but a few hun
dred bales left in the fields."
THE DOG IN POLITICS.
It is hardly necessary to waste
time in arguing about the profit
which might be derived from sheep
raising in Alabama under favorable
circumstances, for there can hardiy
be two opinions on that subject, but
the business can never )e success
fully carried on until some means of
protecting them from dogs is found.
Of course, any man who wishes to
go into the business on an extensive
scale can employ shepherds for the
protection of his flock, but the ordi
nary farmer who wishes only to keep
a few sheep to supply his family with
wool and mutton is deterred by the
knowledge that his flock may be de
stroyed in a single night by some
worthless dog whose only value is
measured by the money that his
dressed hide would sell for. This
knowledge prevents many farmers
from attempting to raise sheep who
would be glad to engage in it on a
modest scale if the one drawback of
sheep-killing dogs was out of the
way. But for all that, a dog-law is
the worst object that a law-maker
ban be confronted wit. They always
feel that it is loaded. Montgomery
Advertiser.
Live Stock.
MONEY IN CALVES.
Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
Success in calf raising depends
upon the methods pursued on the
farm. If a farmer permits his calf
to run with the mother right along,
there is little or no profit in the
work. By the time the calf is weaned
then the dam is dry, and about all
the profit she represents for the
whole year's keep is the price re
ceived for the calf. It hardly pays
for the ordinary expenses of feeding
and sheltering the cow. Unless we
can make the milk of the dam pay
for the cow's cost of keeping, it is
more profitable to put the money in
some other line of work.
There is no necessity of letting
the calf run with the dam beyond a
few days after birth ; the creature
can be weaned and fed on skim milk
with a little bran and grain until
ready for the market. The heavy
milk yield of the dam can be sold for
butter or cream, and the profits ob
tained in this way should eliminate
the loss that might otherwise occur.
On the best dairies this is the com
mon practice, and the methods differ
only in sight details. A dairyman
who permits the calves to run with
the dams is hardly up to date suffi
ciently to make a success.
The problem we have before us
where calves are raised for market is
to adopt such methods of feeding
which will make the skim milk calves
almost as heavy and valuable as the
calves that run with their dams.
When we succeed in this we can
count upon a profit that has never
before been- realized in calf -raising.
It has been done time and again in
recent years, and on some first-class
dairies the pure-bred calves for the
show rings have been fed entirely on
skim milk. 4
A calf should be allowed to run
with the mother up to the fourth or
fifth day, at which time the cow's
milk should be in excellent condition
for market purposes ; then take the
calf away from the mother and keep
it off all food for about one day or
night. By his time it will be so
hungry that it will take almost any
thing, and can be easily taught to
drink. Its first meals should be of
whole milk, fed at the rate of four
pounds in the morning, four at night
and two in the middle of the day.
The milk should be warmed to the
natural temperature of the dam's
milk. The whole milk diet should
be kept up for about two weeks, and
then gradually should be transferred
to a skim milk diet. This change
should be made at the rate of half a
pound of skim milk every two or
three days. When the calf is on
skim milk the quantity must be in
creased. At first ten to twelve pounds
a day may satisfy the creature, but
in time this will have to be increased
to eighteen, twenty and twenty-four
pounds. A little flaxseed jelly mixed
with the skim milk at first will help.
As soon as old enough to take other
food the calf should be fed hay and
possibly a little , grain ; anything in
short to keep it growing rajridly, so
that at the end of six months it will
be as large and heavy as the calves
kept with their dams. A little care
in the feeding will make them fully1
as valuable as the mother-fed calves,
and all the cream and butter fats of
the cows will be saved for market
purposes. W. E. Edwards.
GOOD BLOOD ON THE FAB1I.
We fear that there are few sections
of the country where the average
farmer stands in sorer need of the
good advice given below than in
North Carolina. It is clipped from
the Breeders' Gazette :
One of the unsolved mysteries in
connection with American agricul
ture is the amazing indifference dis
played by such a large proportion of
even the better clas3 of farmers in
the matter of the quality of their live
stock. In spite of the daily lessons
of the market places there is wide
spread failure to apply them in actual
practice. Many do not patronize im
proved sires of any sort. Others
choose unwisely and are dis-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8.