Newspapers / The Progressive Farmer (Raleigh, … / Dec. 1, 1903, edition 1 / Page 1
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f iff ()) W") (Qj (P Q) W?;. JF I ! 'LQ" yS ' S) r -fpTo) THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OP OUR PEOPLE PARAMOUNT TO ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF STATE POLICT. Volume XVIII. RALEIGH, N. C, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1903. Number 43. AGRICULTURE HARRY FARMER'S TALKS. CXXXI. Editor of The Progressive Farmer: We hare often mentioned in The Progressive Farmer that manure,fer tilizer, etc., should be placed just as near the surface as possible. A far mer who had tried for several years to raise rutabaga turnips, only met with more or less failure; so he con cluded that his land was affected with some kind of disease which destroyed his crops. His plan was to put the manure very deeply in the soil. He put some children prepaing his tur nip patch last year, and to avoid work, they made very shallow fur rows, and when the land was finished the manure was on the surface, which resulted in a fine crop of turnips. This year he took pains to repeat the experiment, and for his reward. has the nicest crop of turnips in his" neighborhood. ("And a little child shall lead them." Bible.) y Our farmers, and others living along railroads, turnpikes, etc., are often bothered with tramps. It is not what they cat so much, as a sleeping place, that gives us trouble. We cannot afford to take them in our homes to spend the night. They are often dirty and infested with loath some disease and vermin so that no one wishes to furnish them beds to sleep on. To send them to the barn tfe run great risks from fire, for nearly all of them smoke. People ho live some distance from the pub lic thoroughfares know nothing about them, but those mentioned above are the ones who are often seriously bothered, and it is this class that we wish to help. We knew a merchant who had a turpentine still, a cotton-gin and other out-houses hich he was extremely anxious to Protect from fire, and as he lived on one of the trunk lines, he had tramps almost daily during cold leather. He built a small house and Put a chimney to it so that Mr. Tramp could spend a comfortable niht in the house. This class of people, may it be said to their credit, rarely ever steal. Ani3 13 the only way we can devise to Protect ourselves, that is to follow this merchant's plan. Several farm ers could join together and build a nouse like the one mentioned above. A house for this purpose should be Yry small, not over 10x13 feet and feet between joints. It will ac commodate all that would wish to stay all night ; and being small, would be much warmer. The interest manifested by The Progressive Farmer leads us to say that our condition at this writing is greatly improved ; and we want to take this opportunity to thank our many friends for their kindness. HARRY FARMER. Plowing Gray Sandy Land; Value of Rye. Editor of The Progressive Farmer: I should like to have some advice as to how to plow and when to plow gray sandy land for best results for cotton, corn and oats ; also advise me if it will pay to sow rye to improve land or not. You will please answer through The Progressive Farmer and oblige F. D. W. Halifax Co., N. C. (Answered by Prof. B. W. Kilgore, Director North Carolina Agricul . tural Experiment Station, Raleigh. A portion of the gray sandy land around Littleton is underlaid by good red clay, while other parts have a sandy clay or only sandy soil. Where the land has a good red clay subsoil it would be best to break it thoroughly and deep in the fall or the early spring, so that it may be exposed to freezing and thawing during winter. This will help to pulverize the soil ar.d render its plant food soluble for the use of the -'coming crops. The soil should be gradually deepened by plowing one to two inches deeper each year until the full depth to which can be plowed is reached. I would not advise the deepplowing of the gray land with sandy sub-soil early, but would al low it to remain until later in the spring, at which time it will also pay to plow deeply and well this type of land. ' The above refers particularly to corn and cotton. In preparing for oats the abovo land may be broken deeply some rL onths before planting, but best resul's are not usually ob tained by breaking the land.deeply and then planting the oats. If it is proposed to put in spring oats, I would advise the breaking of the land this fall and then putting in the oats shallow next spring. The disk har row is a good implement for this purpose. Rye will improve' the soil by preventing the washing out of plant food during the winter and by the addition tbthe land of organic matter. More About Pecan Culture. Editor of The Progressive Farmer : Parties intending to plant pecans think first about what will be the best variety for them, and they usually decide that the thin or paper-shell are best; but my experience shows me that much can be said for the harder shell. The hard shell trees are invariably thriftier, bear earlier, and are more prolific. The nuts have more kernel in proportion to weight, and are richer in oil, and by most of those to whom I have given nuts to try, they are pronounced of finer flavor. Another thing not to be overlooked is the fact that children will not attempt to crack the hard shell be tween the teeth, while the thin shell is cracked in this way, and must be injurious to the teeth. - I have both varieties, some so thin that a strong person can crack them between the finger and thumb, like the peanut, but I cannot say that I prefer them. "Shall we plant the nuts or buy trees ?" is another question that aries. If you propose to buy seedling trees, then by all means procure fine nuts and plant where they are to grow, but if you want a particular kind, and are able to stand the price, buy budded or grafted trees. These cost about $1 apiece, and are so difficult to transplant that it is quite a seri ous problem. The seedling trees do not come ex actly true to the nut; they may be better or inferior. The first planting of nuts I made were said to be all grown from the same tree, and no other bearing tree in miles; yet out of about seventy-five trees that have come into bearing, not a single one is exactly like the nuts planted, in every particular, such as shape, size, flavor, thickness of hull, etc. Some are very much larger, some thinner hull, some richer, but only one very much smaller in size, and this of the finest flavor of any. So I decide if you desire more than a. very few trees, that it is better to plant the nuts where you want the trees to grow, and rest assured if stock is kept away from them for a few years, that you will eventually have bearing trees, whether planted in fence corners, or on good soil, cultivated or not. But no trees of any kind will respond to good treat ment more than the pecan. I have never known one to die, so that it did not put up, unless it was pulled or rooted up entirely. The pecan does not have much roots, except the top root, for several -years; so it is evident if a good -growth is expected the -first few years, there must be plenty of avail- ' able plant food around the top root, ' so the reason for, digging the large hole spoken of in my first communi cation, as well as to make a soft place for the top root to penetrate. Now, I want it understood that I do not claim to be an expert grower of pecans by any means, but am only giving the experience I have had in growing several hundred trees. . Now where shall we plant the pe cans ? First, I would say, if you have no natural grove around your build ings, then there is a-good place, for there are no prettier shade trees nor any more long-lived, and but few that will give a shade sooner if given" a good showing. Plant along perma nent fences,- along the public high ways, and in any out-of-the-way place that cannot be used for other purpose to better advantage. Now, I think I have answered all the questions that have, been asked, but should anyone want other infor mation, I will give it with pleasure if I can, either through The Pro gressive Farmer or by letter. J. O. LOFTIN. Mount Olive, N. 0. The Boll Weevil Due in North Carolina in Two Years. If a prediction made by Secretary of Agriculture Wihon this week comes true, cotton planters in North Carolina will have to use their lands for other purposes -two years hence. Mr. Wilson says by that time the boll weevil will, unless stamped out, have reached North Carolina, and experts , say that cotton cannot - be profitably gTOwn that far north if the insect obtains a foothold there. Representative Henry, of Texas, told the correspondent of the Post to night, in the presence of Representa tive Webb and other members of the delegation, that He saw abandoned farms of 5,000 acres planted in cot ton when he lefc home because of the presence of the boll weevil. The damage,. he says, is far greater than can be imagined. Washington spe-, cial to -Raleigh Post. Reports from the western part of the State say that there has been a heavy snow on the mountains. Early in the week the snow was said to have been knee deep at Blowing Rock.
The Progressive Farmer (Raleigh, N.C.)
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Dec. 1, 1903, edition 1
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