The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-05-02
Diversity N Crops-Eo Fence
Law

&M - @&&@A 8 .
that our farmers are casting aside
the shackles that have - long and
- hurtfully bound them to the ex-
elusive cultivation u cotton. and.
- = consequence, are largely IN
creaslug the acreage - corn. aae4t.
oats and tobacco. VI are glad rs
note that they IRE finally awaklng
70 the fact, that their real interest
lies III 3 diversity If crops AID III
rotation, and that the raising -
the actuai neCcssares % life j. >
matter Of prime Importance u
which all others must give way. -
affairs Of secondary moment. The
acreage II corn and wheat through
out the State IS greater this wear.
taan has ever been known Stnee tuv
var, anu III this, has been maui.
tested a human p-rc>clcucc anu
foresight that l. credltable - Gun
agricultural classes. With tal
shadow OF war hanging dark and
lowering oyer the eastern horizon.
al the firing Of the first gun IN an
A~nglo-RusSIan war-tLat j. almost
lnevltable-cotton Is an article of
merchandise VIII tyaulsh IN It's
smoke. and is quotations III the
markets Of the world vii TX lower
than ever known IN is history be-
fore, while breadstuffs Will CORES
pondlngly advance. Tie same Lr-
gument that has been used by il
farmers, N regard TO cotton, VIZ;
that II i the only crop that Will
BRING them ready money, can with
equal propriety be used IN advocacy
OF tobacco, which IS not q, liable
to disastrous Quotations IN the near
future, Especially if war follows
European complications n Is cot
ton. The cultivation Of tobacco
does not demand and require such
close and minute attention and
care az does cotton. nor Is ii rs
subject to the multiplicity OF dis
eases that rayage It's more tender
rival. Its greatest enemy i the
tobacco worm. and that Is easily
guarded against, while cotton,
from the time It puts forth Its most
tender sprOut, till 1t Is glnned and
baled, requires unremlttlng care
and attention, and has difficulties
to combat that the ingenuity Of
man has hitherto failed to provide
for: among the most fruitful causes
Of disaster and red shank, rust and
the all devourlng army worm. Ii
these dangers are escaped and the
crop IS brought to 4 fortunate ma
turitv, then the prices obtained for
the lint are rarely remuneratlYc TO
the cuitivat0r, are affected BY every
unfavorable wind that blows, and
are at best but a matter of specula-
ton; stability is an unknown yir-
tue. The dishonest devices Iy
which it is preyed upon by al,
through whose hands it passes,
have been reduced to Il science,
upon which the inventive genius
of man has been exhausted. 1t i
not SO with tobacco, which, knows
40 middle man, but goes direct
from the barn of the farme~ to the
factory Of the purchaser.
- We notice that quite a number Of
our exchanges are advocating the
no-fence law, which simply means
to fence IN the vagrant stock and
not the farms. Would our farmers
urge the passage of such alaw upon
our Legislature, the benefits derived
would be Of incalculablc value.
We would then see improved stock
on every farm, instead Of the NANCY
runts that now disgrace our State,
and tables would then be supplied
with beef, butter and milk, that
have heretofore been strangers r.
such everyday ~luXurics. Instead
OF farmers owning fifty or IN hun
dred razor-backcd hogs, and killing
LOCO pounds of pork, they would
own two or three hogs of improved
breed and kill a like amount. w
would then see more attention paid
to the cereals and cultivated grasses.
Eastern North Carolina seems g.
pecially designed by nature for tLt
no-fence system, a. it is permeate4
and pierced in all directions Is
streams Of sufficient volume TO con.
stltute a lawful fence: the connect.
ing Of these by short rail fence.
would set apart thousands Of acres
OF woodland that could be used a.
ranges for hogs and cattle, and tlf
farmer saved the enol nous expcu-'
that he is now burdened with, L
keep in repair, from year 70 year
the miles OF fence BY which ~
growing crops are protected from
the rayages Of worthless stock
When we take into considerayfI