Newspapers / The progressive farmer. / July 29, 1902, edition 1 / Page 1
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CO f w 2" Yin X!!Ur '41a U li.il few THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHSE COHSIDERATIOrS 0? STATE POLICY. Vol. 17. Raleigh, IT. C, July 29, 1902. No. 25 , ka vi id i m L t A Agriculture. CHESS OS CHEAT IN THE OAT CHOP. I -Mr. Barbrey of Sampson Gives His Views Qcr. of The Progressive Farmer. The writer is not an agriculturist, j,ut a clodhopper, hayseeder, but Mr. Alexander will probably find a solution to his question in the following: The chief aim in nature whether an imal or vegetable, is to reproduce it self; and under normal conditions the work is accomplished with such accu xacy as to leave no grounds for com plaint. But now and then, for one cause or another, the work is hindered jnd a tervible struggle ensues, with results more or less astonishing, ac cording to the character and extent of the hindrance. Take, for example, the corn plant: it is bi-sexual, that is, the male and female parts, tassel and silks, are sep arate; and when not. disturbed, the product of the union of these parts is natural perfect corn is produced. But let a worm or anything else kill or injure the bud, the vital part of the plant, and nature at once begins an effort to overcome the hindrance; so sprouts are thrown up, and if allowed to stand there often appears a few grains or a small, shrimpy ear on the tassel at the wrong place, showing That a struggle the plant had in its effort to accomplish what it started out to do, namely, to reproduce itself. The wound made by the worm or other cause seems to have changed the position of the sexes, changed their natural order, and a freak is the re sult, the grain more or less changed, and also the cob; but it is corn all the same-, still, by-way of distinguishing from the natural grain, it could, Tith propriety, have been called hts. as well as the freak in the oat lant. The cold injured the bud or ital part of the oat plant and nature ent to work to overcome it, and did Ee best that circumstances would permit, and the so-called chess was ie result; but it is oats just the ame. Oats were planted and those 1 ame. Uats were planted and those plants which escaped uninjured pro- heed good samples of their kind, the ijured ones, poor samples. Now, the fact that the fall sown ats only, and the injured plants only, reduced the so-called chess, makes it evident ihnt this TWiit-nn is onr- fct. The writer has seen freaks in the iape of human beings and other ani- -iri? that ever happened to the Meck el urg oat crop, which could be ac- :t ( d for in no other way than upon e principle that nature's laws had en tampered with, but they were af- tr thf-ir kind lust the same, and it "1 -fands as a universal law in na :re. ;hat "like begets like"! fr'-'-noracy is a slow process like i n:: up, and as the oats would produced perfect grain but for :'- (- , (as is evident from the fact :!. uninjured plants and plants -pring sowing never produce the I "chess,") it can not be attrib such cause! tares" mentioned in the Scrip- re doubtless weeds of various r perhaps of some particular i eh as often infest the wheat 'W. power to reproduce given all 'lings, whether animal or veg was fixed at the time of the n "each after its own kind" Scriptures, and it will ever lius. WM. A. BARBREY. -n Co., N. C. XL- . xi.:. -Prcfesser Masiey fends a Bjoinder. r- ( ' The Progressive Farmer. In rly to the letter of Mr. Alex r I would say that while I am sor ' s" many farmers adhere to this old jtition, life is too short to argue 1; inr-n who imagine they know it h Iirdmus Secalinus or "cheat" is jjtdl known grass which has always (;Jn from cheat seeds and never oats. The seed is very commonly fM with winter oats, and as they & lik e oats, are not noticed by the farmer. There is nothing degenerate about the plant, for it is so hardy and robust as to thrive when the oats are killed. When the oats are killed, the cheat has just the conditions needed, and it grows. If there are no cheat seed in the soil there will be no cheat plants. TYe had a piece of oats the past winter, some with clean seed some spots were winter-killed, but there was no cheat there simply be cause there were no seed. The seed are rarely found in spring oats, and of course no cheat grows there. But if it makes Mr. Alexander or any oth er farmer happier to believe this old fable, I do not know that it will do him any harm. But it is perfectly easy to get clear of cheats if you allow none to ripen seed, and see that there are no cheat seed in the oats you sow. W. F. MASSEY. Wake Co., N. C. Ill Here is an Fxplanation That Explains. Cor. of The Progressive Farmer. In your issue of 8th inst. Mr. Alex ander asks a question which probably has already been answered. However, as it may not have received attention by any of your "eminent agricultur ists" you will no doubt give place to these few lines which may suggest some new thought for Mr. Alexander. Mr. Alexander knows the small grains so well that he is familiar with the different habits of winter and spring grains. He also knows that crimson clover, an annual, does not live as long as red clover, a bi-ennial. There are grasses which have also these differences in their habits of growth. Crab grass is one of those annuals wliich are dependent on the development of seed every year for a good crop next year and but for the fact that seeds live in the ground from year to year, clean culture would once for all exterminate it from a given field. Well, chess or cheat, which is known to botanists as bromus secalinus, is one of those grasses which have habits resembling winter wheat and winter oats, only it is hardier than either wheat or oats. When a season severe pnough to destroy wheat or oats comes and chess has been sown as an impur ity with the grain, it is left uncovered by a nurse crop and comes forward luxuriantly. This is all that happens in Mr. Alexander's field. The chess is a coarse hardy grass vthat makes a coarse hard hay which will be eaten by stock when nothing else is availa ble. It is not worth cultivation where other crops can and should be grown and should find no place in seed grain. We have seen" timothy grow up in ex actly the same way as does chess or cheat. Mr. Alexander can easily demon strate that cheat grows from cheat seed by planting some of it and watching the growth. He will also find it in some of the best wheat fields where its seed was in the seed wheat and where the wheat has not died out, the same as he can find the little tim othy plants among the wheat where timothy was seeded with the wheat. The writer has found perfectly devel oped cheat producing seed at two to four inches height under heafy crops of other plants which dwarfed it by their more rapid development. F. E. E. Laramie, Albany Co., Wyo. OF OtfK HUNDRED FABM PAPERS THE PROGEESSIVE FARMER THE BEST. Of one hundred or more agricul tural publications receivedxat our of fice I consider The Progressive Farm er by far the best paper for the farm er. It is the only paper that really tells what the farmer ought and de sires to know. Congratulating you on your success, I am, Very truly yours, x 0. W. BLACKNALL, JR., Sec. Continental Plant Co. Kittrell, N. C, July 15, 1902. The Greensboro Record says that the Christian Church in this State is considering the advisability of estab lishing an orphanage and a repre sentative has been looking over the ground in Greensboro, with a view to locating it there. NEWS OF THE FARMING WORLD. Oar Washington Correspondent Reports Several Matters of Importance. Cor. of The Progressive Farmer. George William Hill, the Chief of the Division of Publication of the Department of Agriculture, now that Congress has adjourned and thereby lessened the burden of the Public Printer, hopes to have the Yearbook for 1901 completed within a week or two. A few copies have already been received by the Secretary of Agricul ture, Hut the quota of the Department has not been delivered. They will not, however, be for general distribution to the farmers, who must make appli cation to their respective Represen tatives or Senators in Congress. NEW AND WORTHY FRUITS. A study of the 33 different articles in the forthcoming Yearbook con vinces the reader of the realization of the contributors that the farmers de sire plain articles, free from scien tific terms and easily understood. Wil liam A. Taylor, the Pomologist of the Department in charge of Field Inves tigations has written an article en titled "Little-Ivnown Fruit Varieties Considered Worthy of Wider Dissem ination." He states that there are many ad vertisements of new varieties of fruit trees appearing in farming publica tions, but he cautions the orchardist in general, against planting compar atively untried sorts. He should pro ceed in an experimental way, investi gating as thoroughly as possible the requirements and characteristics of any sort unknown in his particular lo cality before planting it on a com mercial scale. A few of the little known fruit varieties, selected from a large number introduced in recent years, are described and illustrated in Mr. Taylor's paper, with a view to furnishiner "detailed information to growers who dosire to undertake a trial of sorts that have demonstrated their usefulness and value to an ex tent that warrants their wide dissem ination and testing in climatic re gions similar to those in which they have already been grown. Among these varieties are the "In gram Apple" which has long been grown in certain localities in Missouri and neighboring States. The "Mcin tosh Apple," a winter apple of North ern origin shows wide adaptability to diverse conditions and gives large promise of success in representatives apple-growing regions. The Carman peach, Mr. Taylor states, is perhaps one of the finest va rieties of cling peaches and its free dom from rot in its early stages, makes it a very desirable addition to the orchard. Among the more newly introduced Japanese plums that have been suffi ciently tested to determine their com mercial value in diverse locations, peraps none, says Mr. Taylor, have attained to the rank occupied by the Red June plum. It is a strongly mark ed variety, ripening well in advance of "Abundance" and standing the rough handling of commercial trans portation. Though not of highest quality in a fresh state, it cooks well and forms an excellent substitute for the damson when canned or preserved. The Wickson plum is another pro duct of the study of Luther Burbank and which Mr. Taylor believes could be grown to advantage. The Downing Grape, he classes as a native grape which is noted for its keeping quality,. a fact which cannot be said of many of our native grapes. MEAT SELLING IN EAST AFRICA. Apropos of the wide-spread discus sion which has been going on in this country of the high price of beef, the report of our Consul, W. Stanley Hal lis, at Lourenco Marquez is interest ing. "At present, several weeks ago, he writes, "the average price of fresh beef is 30 cents a pound, while pork and mutton are quoted at about 60" cents. No dressed poultry is sold here; the housekeeper must buy live fowls and have them prepared at home. "The greatest amount of beef is ob tained from the trek oxen old, worn out animals that have traveled many r weary miles over the rough South African roads. Unfit for further draft purposes, they find their reward for faithful services in the slaughter pen. "The local butchers send the ani mals to the slaughterhouse every night and early in the morning the animals are killed by being stabbed in the back of the neck. After inspection the car casses are immediately cut up, and by 5 a. m., the various parts are hanging in the local butcher shops ready for sale. By noonday the butchers are sold out, their shops are closed, and in less than twenty-four hours from' the time the animal is slaughtered, the entire carcass is consumed. None of the lo cal butchers use ice, as it is very ex pensive, costing from 5 to 6 cents a pound. "The equipment of a Lourenco Mar quez butcher shop," states Consul Hol lis, "would amaze an American butch er. Everything is crude and antiquat ed. There are no refrigerators, and marble slabs and plate-glass windows are comparatively unknown. Instead of clean paper, old newspapers are used for wrapping purposes." INSECT PESTS AND TRUCK CROPS Prof. F. H. Chittenden, an Assis tant Entomologist of the Department of Agriculture, in an interview the other day spoke of the outlook for truck crops this season in connection with destruction by insects. Hardly had the news reached the Department of Agriculture that the western half of the United States, be ginning with California and thence gradually to the eastward as far as Kansas, the locust or rather grasshop per tribe has been making life miser able for the farmer, .than word wa3 also received that various species of caterpillars were causing destruction along the Atlantic seaboard. Press dispatches recently state that trains have ceased running in certain por tions of the West owing to the slip pery rails caused by the crushing of countless caterpillars. Then too, the seventeen year cicada has been with the country, but not withstanding its vast numbers, the harm occasioned by the visit has been slight other than a generous pruning to young trees. However, with the known presence of these insects, Mr. Chittenden makes the statement that this country will not be troubled as much with insects as in many previous years, owing, he says, to the severe winter during which time insect eggs were either frozen or the young pests themselves frosted and killed by the cold.v In the West violent measures are being taken to prevent the triumphant progress of the grasshoppers. The dry fields are saturated with coal oil and the torch applied. Another plan is to make a good sized stack of straw in the field in which the grasshoppers will hide or make their homes. After a sufficient number have entered this trap, the stack is burned. As to the caterpillars the old rem edy of tying large wads of raw cotton about the tree trunks has been found to be probably the best as the cater pillars cannot get a good foothold on the cotton and so they are thus, with out means of climbing the tree. GROWTn OF MEAT PACKING INDUSTRY The Census Office has issued a re port on the slaughtering and meat packing industry of the United States for the census year 1900. In 1890, the date of the last Census, the value of the products was $11,981,642, against $785,562,433 in 1900. For 1900 the re ports show a capital of $189,198,264 invested in land, buildings, machinery, etc., while in 1890 for the same pur pose only $3,482,500 was invested. As shown by other large industries, there has been a tendency toward concen tration, there being 1,118 establish ments in 1890 employing 3,276 people and only 921 in 1900, wherein 68,534 persons found work. GUY E. MITCHELL. About two months ago Gen. W. P. Roberts announced himself as a can didate for Congress in the First Dis trict, making opposition to negro edu cation! the basis of his appeal for sup port He has been overwhelmingly defeated. This may or may not be significant.. V Live Stock. SHEEP RAISING IN NORTH CAROLINA. Why the Industry has Waned It Can be Made Profitable. Cor. of The Progressive Farmer. I have been interested in Editor Poe's careful editorial review of the census "bulletin, "North Carolina Agriculture." Much as I claim to be posted in how things are moving along I was aston ished when this Bulletin came out. When we take up and read one of these epoch marks for 1900 for a State in the West, or even for a State in staid old New England, and compare such with our own Old North State, it is calculated to give one the "blues." If I thought that the cli mate, the soil or the products, in North Carolina, any one or all of these, such as to make the keeping of sheep and growing of wool and mut ton unprofitable, I would not want to live in the State another month. But it is not so. The fault is in a condition of agri cultural industry that is humiliating to behold. Must we forever remain from 25 to 30 years behind the indus trial progress of other States that possess not over half the advantages and. true merits of our own ? It has not been long since I noticed that in your columns you pointed out the fact that there are 20 in every hundred white people of our citizens who can not read and write. There is the same leaven that is corrupting the whole mass of indus trial energy and enterprise. I think the condition of our industrial pa tient is desperate and dangerous and were I called in consultation, I should prescribe a blister and a large one, too. From what I can hear and learn we are to have nothing of the kind but simply an old fashioned bread and milk poultice. So poor industry is doomed to live along and get well it self and it will, for it can't be killed out of the Caucasian race. But as we cast our eye down along the line of conditior we must note a restlessness in the young energy and life of the State. If no better way is provided, the rising generation is go ing to kick itself out of such condi tions. In fact the foremost are doing it now. Why the very people in Ire dell County here who have embarked in these flocks of fine sheep, have sons who have left homes and parents that they loved because they could do bet ter in more progressive States where they could attend better schools and get something to make a better living at than here. They have gone to States where sheep husbandry is a live industry. Had there been flocks here such as their parents are now taking an interest in, I dare say they would not mive gone away nor would they have had need to go. As it is in sheep, so it is in other stock and industrial pursuits. However, I am going "adorn" this scolding "tale" and "point a moral" and and then quit. We propose to show by these flocks of fine sheep here that they will live in our climate, drink the water and eat North Carolina grasses and grains and be healthy and productive. We have proved it so far. The sheep with increase are here subject to inspec tion. We know that we got over 13 pounds per head of wool off them, and we see that since shearing, the wool has grown nearly three quarters of an inch in three months, the fourth of a year. Four times that much will be three inches of wool or one-half an jnch more than the average length of last year. We know that much wool will pay us liberally for feeding the sheep well for a year. We also have 60 per cen of lambs living and doing well after very adverse conditions which we do not expect, and could hardly have next year. We know that if the business con tinues prosperous in the remaining nine months as it has in the first three, it will beat railroad stocks, and government bonds all to pieces, not to say, cotton and wheat growing. However, it is but a kindred industry that will strengthen all other indus trial pursuit besides being remunera tive itself. ' ' : SAMUEL ARCHER. Statesville Iredell Co., N. C. Horticulture. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION BY OUR READERS. Cor. of The Progressive Farmer. Will some Progressive Farmer reader please answer these questions: 1. Can rhubarb be propagated by dividing the roots? We find it very difficult jo propagate from seed in this climate. 2. What is the best method of pro pagating the Scuppernong? We have tried rooting the tips but find that the vine so grown is very " scraggy and hard to live when transplated. Can they be grown from cuttings, and what method should be used in plant- , ing same and what is the best time to plant ? 3. Can any one tell me about root ing ordinary grape cuttings, such as Concord, Delaware, etc? What time is best to set out? How long should cuttings be? How deep should they be set in the ground? What soil is best for propagating these vines? Any information that any reader of this paper can give me will be highly appreciated. B. Vance Co., N. C. APPLES AND SPRAYING. Cor. of The Progressive Farmer. Progressive Farmer readers have before seen articles from me in re gard to spraying. Of all crops, ap ples show as much improvement as any from this operation. Spraying is work, careful work; it is no child's play, but that is the price of good fruit everywhere. It is not my inten tion to go into any extensive argu ment here. Read this and come to your own conclusion. In The Progressive Farmer for July 15th, at bottom of 4th column on first page, we find the following quotation from the Newton Enter prise: "The fruit crop is not near so large as it promised to be early in the spring. Many peaches and apples have fallen off." Now there may (and there may not) be good reason for the farmers losing the peaches, for this fruit will often miss a crop with the very best of care, but with apples it is certain that a large part of this dropping off of the fruit may be prevented by prompt, timely, and thorough spraying. As proof of this I quote a part of a letter recently received from a grower in Yancey County, who sprayed his trees . this summer for the first time, and who followed our directions in the work. Here is what he says: "Bald Creek, N. C, July 1, 1902. "Dear Mr. Sherman. Our fruit crop is almost a failure in this coun ty; will not have more than half a crop. . I used the spray with the for mula you sent me, according to the directions in your Bulletin, and it works like magic. Though our crop is short, the trees :ve sprayed are hold Insr their fruit, mid retaining a, rich, heilthy foliage. Our neighbors trees are dropping tljelr fruit. mTS. v. HENSLEY." The reader will note that the spray ing does not make a crop. It will not cause fruit to grw where there were no blossoms, or when the flowers were not fertilized. It is a protection for those fruits that set on the twigs, many of which might not otherwise come to maturity. The reader must not think that we would say that trees will bear every year that they are sprayed, but it is true that they are much more likely to bear, and to bear more abundantly. Mr. Hensley in this work used an outfit which every farmer might eas ily have, and which is good for such work on a small scale, say up to thir ty or forty trees. He used the "Com et" spray pump, with the "GemeP noz zle, and 7 feet extra hose and connec tions. This is to be had from H. B. Busier, of Johnstown, Ohio, and costs about $3.00, express to your railroad station being extra. The writer of this article has no interest in this matter further than he wishes to let (Continued on Page 8.) A
July 29, 1902, edition 1
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