The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-16
one Of wakes Wide:Awake Par
meTS.

trOl AAafA1 NfE~
an old adage of the Gran
.ers. To appreciate the sentiment you
only to make a iaunt over the
Green clad hills. through the fragrant
rroyes.-along the clover-blossom-lined
road.,-any pleasant evening at ms
season. alter having been cooped within
brick-walls. and haunted by business for
the long winter season. The very ar
j. ;ull of concentrated youth and pick
niykery.
such a jaunt, we enjoyed one day last
week, by courtesy of our prosperous and
popular townsman. Capt. B.P. William
son. who in addition to a very large city
business. is able TO keep an eye to three
or four thriving farms, adjacent 10 the
city.
4 delightful dinner, presided over by
a charming hostess, in an elegant man
sion. made it hard to desert the town;
but once on the road with a good team.
ana a pleasant companion. 1t was posi-
bic to give the country its full apprecia-
ton.
Your customers are mainly farmers,
what do you think of the condition OF
the Farmers :'-we asked.
speaking for Wake. and adjacent
regions-the people with whom l am
personally acquainted.-I should say
hey were in better trim than ever be-
fore. have not a doubt OF it'-said
Capt. ".
How do you reach that conclusion'
"Well.-in many ways. Fewer mort
CAGES were taken in Raleigh this year
than any year since the war. The bulk
Of purchases of farm supplies Good is
very largely reduced. The improve
nent of farms in noticeable in all direc-
tons. Labor i. scarce. Many farmers
are pushed for money, owing to the short
crop but they are living easier, breath
freer, and are nearer self-sustainment
tan for a long time. If we get a good
crop at reasonable price this fall, the
state VIII nave a DOOHl.
Glad to hear you talk SO c~heerfully.
well, | am having faith enough in the
u urs OF our farming industries to put a
.Ood deal of money in lands. | am now
building a 81, 100 wire fence around my
Jew place, 300 acres, on the west Of
Raleigh"
That's a substantial fence.
Yes, but some rascal took an axe, and
chopped down six or eight panel. of its,
before it was all put up. The negroes Of
Oberiin nave been accustomed to cross
a part of my land, and | reckon some
Tell W did 1t for spite" :
That is one difficulty our farmers have
to contend with. | know at least half q
dozen Northern men who tried farming
in the South, and would have succee ded
if they had not been burned out two or
three times. Any drunken cotton picker
is liable to set a match to the barn or
gin; and | read frequently of negro chill
dren doing it merely to see the axe
I'm going to try to catch the man
who destroyed my fence"
Right! Make an example of him. Our
people will have to give more attention
to fencing henceforih. The day of the
tumble-down, rail aud rider fence is near
ly gone, and | am glad of it. Many of
eur farms would sell for one-third higher
price if they were laid off in handy fields,
aud neatly enclosed. Now, by the way,
yorder is an illustration. On one side
OF the road you seq ragged, rIcketty old
concerns, tied up with wire and grape
vines but seemingly Just about to rattle
down into the road. aud scare the life
out Of your horse! While here on the
right hand is 4 straight, strong plank
fence, with good gates, and a look OF
thrift. There is a fine farm.
Thanks that is my place"
All! we'll that a lucky guess of mine.
1t looks in good shape.
The place was indeed we'll located be
ing upon a broad rolling ridge between
the waters of Crabtres creek, and Neuse
river. Entering from the West, through
a we'll trimmed avenue of trees, we rode
.or about a mile towards the East, pass
lDg two comfortable tenant cottages neat
ly painted, and arranged. overlooking the
broad fields while along the lane at
regular intervals were the negro cabins
barns, etc,-all in good order. The farm
COu IiSCS wv dClCo. vi huICH i are III |
cotton, so in oats, 80 In corn, % in wheat,
10 In cover and grasses; besides potatoes,
vegetable, orchards, timber, etc. One
Of the most striking objects was a couple
~ofacres of ~Trefohum, or scarlet clover,
knee high, fragrant, ~succulent, and so
dense one could scarcely wade through it.
III there be anything In appearances it
ought to find a place on all OF our farms.
Mar thn nxrn NOS N 1000
niment, namely a gentle Alderney COW.
with a white furred calf, full of pranks
as any calf ought to be that is not a
Dude" and for which a $50 offer has
been refused.
Capt. Williamson took much interest
in pointing out numerous spots which
three years ago were red mud scald5, but
whi;h had been brought to a state of fer
tlllly and prodnctiveness by proper ma
nlpulatlon, drainage, guanos, pea-fallOw,
grasses. etc. Much attention to hiilsides
ditching had been shown 1t was diff
cult to comprehend the extent of the res
tOratlon until one noticed the place not
yet brought under treatment. There are
two competent overseers on the planta-
ton, but Capt. Williamson gives a great
deal of personal care to the details 90
ing out once a week for that purpose. 1t
was u pleasure To us to sec these
things. and to speak of them here; for
the future of Raleigh is largely Deepen
dent upon the prosperity of the adjacent
farming community, and every well kept,
well-worked, well paying farm serves as
an example and an encouragement wher-
ever its fame extends. Wake has MANY
excellent farms, but there will be sur
prislng Improvements ere another ten
years.
Paste this in your hat. The Raleigh