The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-08-18
Correspondence.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.

COOL DPRlNGS, w. ~. W.
August 10, 1886.
EDITOR PROGRESSIVE FARMER: L
am pleased with the movement to
organize the farmers, for they GER
tainly need to understand each other
better and need encouragement from
each other. Every other avocatlon
has its organization in order to fos-
ter a pride for the profession n to
increase it's usefulness and elevate
its standing.
[ have heard it said that farming
was much more poorly done than
anything else by any class OF our
people. If this be sc why not organ
lie our clubs and get all classes OF
our farmers together, recount u
success and failures, and those that
have the least success be stimulated
by the experience OF those that have
had more experience and greater
success? / think we should study
diversified crops and agree to raise
everything needed for ~sustenance of
man or beast. We should give spe-
cial attention to the raising of grass
es, sheep, cattle, and hogs. 1t is
only a question of time how long
the farmer who stakes his all on cot
ton and tobacco, and has his smoke
house in Baltimore and his corn-
crib in Chicago, will hold out. Time
buying at from 10 to 100 per cent.
and a lien on the crop to be sold
when everything is the lowest, is
sure ruin. Some say if cotton comes
down to Z cents and tobacco to 5
cents then double the crop and make
your money by raising the necessary
quantity. When anything is below
the O Of production, the less the
better for the farmer. [ suggest,
raise your home supplies, have a
little cotton and tobacco made by
using your own compost and then
you will have some money to school
your children and pay the preacher.
We have no organizations of farm
ers in this county, as far as | know.
All are fighting unsupported by each
other and remind ME of a scattered
army. Every n knows how i'm
portant it is to keep the lines closed
up to insure success in battle.
Our people have had a hard fight
this season with General Green. The
wet season set in the 18th of May
and continued up to the 10th of
July. There was hardly two days
together during the time that the
ground could be said to be in good
blowing order. Freshets entirely
destroyed the best lowland corn.
Upland was cultivated mainly in the
mud and General Green was victo-
rious in many instances. Wheat
was not half a crop, and that very
inferior, and then badly damaged
by the wet. There is but little that
is not badly %sprouted. Cotton and
tobacco promise but little.
[ am no alarmist, but think it wise
for farmers to look at these things
squarely at this time and make
amends when they can, and shut
every door they al to keep the
wolf out. | suggest sowing plenty
VI 'oPoIO III CliIlC III SdOI-
ering all ofthe forage possible. Many
neglected patches Of grass might be
turned to good account. Sow white
winter oats in August and .Septem-
Der. Sow Immediately a rich lot
near the barn in rye and you will
never regret it. Then use a good
quantity Of economy and you will
BE- surprised how we'll you will get
Farmers II pleased that an effort
is being made to establish the Me-
chanical and Agricultural College at
Raleigh. We feel that the $50, 900
that is raised ANNUALLY from the tax
on fertilizers colfes directly out of
our pockets and we\don't want it all
consumed in monthly bulletins and
salaries. Would not the Board Of
Agriculture do a wise thing to cut
the $4,000 man down to $1,000, or
let him walk and get a good chemist
at that price to analyze the fertil-
izer and let the other saIaried officers
get into better employment and thus
have a nice sum to educate farmers
and mechanics? III.