The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-05-24
For the FARMRR AND MECHANIC.
Fence in, Not Fence Out.
CASTALIA, NASH Co. \

| do not think we will ever have an
occasion better than now for taking mold
of this no fence law" and urgmg it Il
q settlement. Now W. are going to elect
men to represent rs in our legislature this
fall. Are we going to elect men that
will work for this law Z? | think if we DO
cerely hope, will be beaten by the Radi-
Gals. l think the aepirant should be
asked the question during the campaign,
are you in favor of the fence law 2 and
if they answer that they are Dot, we
should not support him.
Look at the enormous expense, North
Carolina has annually to incur for fences,
not because of any virtue they possess as
a legitimate adjunct of planting, but
simply in order to keep wandering cattle
from destroying the growing crop. The
custom is IN offence against every prin-
ciple of economy and justice. 1t burdens
the farm industry with a heavy, and
iniquitable load, and We contend that
our Legislature should pass laws for it.
abolition. The idea that the cost of
opening q farm should be twenty five Of
thirty per cent. by this oppressive and
i~nexcusable regulation is, in my opinion,
q haglant outrage upon those who live
in the "Old North State" a ( l.credit to
our Craftsmanship, and a warning to
immigration to 20 elsewhere. This
far, di.pite the fact that every consider
alton OF economy, prosperity, and good
government favsrs the measure, it has
impossible to impress the legislature
with the necessity Of erecting a stock
law requiring farmers or owners to keep
up their stock. The tremendous cost of
building and vast annual drain upon our
resources evolved in keeping up the
fences, has depressed and crushed the
interest that once existed in agriculture.
The reason of this is We have not The
quality Of labor we once had. The time
has arrived however, in which it becomes
especially practicable to erase this vicious
custom from the list OF our institutions.
We were visited last year by a terrible
calamity in as much as we failed to make
a crop, this was so widespread, and
severe that It mounts to one of those
crisis in which mems eyes are opened to
their ~follies, and their sins, aDd they
find themselves amenable TO conviction
and ripe for reform. How can We ever
expect to prosper making cotton for ten
or eleven cents per pourl when it costs
all Of that TO make It. Why not have
good pastures raise 6Ee stock, and make
far ms eelfsustaining. 1t Is impossl-
to have nne stock letting them run
ut large.
Was amused Il short time sxo, while
rIding along | saw ons Of our average
red jersey hogs pulling at a pine root,
every time he would pal! he YOU bob
up behind. Such hogs AZ Ne raise here
could eat corn out OF IA long neck bottle.
1t takes them about three years 10 get
Of to grow, then by the time We
from cotton to make, they will weigh
about eighteen pounds to the quarter.
But still some OF our cd foeies say it is
the best hog; but | say that a hog
will! weigh from two hundred
totuo hundred and atty at twelve months
old is the hog for US. But will never
have this until we keep our stock up and
our breeds.
Our rows are fine enough to deserve
Ii we will take about two fine
ones, I mean our best, and give them
each a peck CT meal every night. AMI
morning then strip them until their nd
dcrs look like they had been run though
ringing machine will set enough milk
to raise a pet lamb for the baby. Any
man that contends that these are the best
stock, | say ought to be bored for the
This will be the case until we
have a mo fence law