The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-01-19

be procured near to the place they are to
be used. The following are two very.
cheap and useful methods of binding
with poles: l. Take poles, green old
field pine preferred, 10 or II feet long;
beginning at the source or upper end of
your ditch, lay your pole to n side Of
the ditch, elevate the upper. end of the
pole a few inches; then take a second pole,
place it's upper end on the lower end of
the first, allowing them to lap a few
inches; continue, this throughout the en-
tire length of the ditch, placing the upper
end Of each succeeding pole upon the,
lower end Of it's predecessor; then to each
pole take 3 cross-pieces, a little longer
then the ditch is wide, and let one end of
them rest on the poles and the other end
at the junction of the opposite bank with
the bottom; then upon these cross-pieces
pile in poles, brush, ETC., the more the
letter, provided they do not com near
enough the surface to be in the way of
blowing and %cultivating the land. This
is a cheap drain which gives. the water
several chances. of escape, and is a drain
that cannot be stopped by the craw-fsh.
2. This method is especially adapted to
shallow bitches and lands that are in
clined to cave. In this method you put
a string of poles in each side of the ditch;
across these poles put cross-pieces 5 or 6
feet apart, then another string of poles as
before; then more cross-pieces, and over
these c~ross-pieces lay your poles: and
brush, ETC., and finish as in the other
methods. ,
Other methods of undertaking were
discussed before your committee, but
time and space forbid that we should en-
ter further into the discussion Of this sub
ject in this report. 80
ROTATION OF CROPS. :... .
We earnestly recommend a system Of
rotation of crops as being more profitable
to the farmer and indispensable to the
proper preservation Of the soil, but the
climate and soil of North Carolina are so
diversified that your committee cannot
recommend any one system Of rotation that
would apply to all the different sections
Of the State. The crops that grow most
successfully in the West are not adapted
to the East. Those that flourish 50 luxl-
riantly on the red lands are not so profit
able on the sand hills. So your commit
tee would suggest that each farmer study
and decide for himself what rotation is
best suited to his particular soil and local
ity and adopt the same.
GRAINS.
(Time and space forbid that we should
say much on this subject. Too little at
tention is given to the selection Of good
seeds, and we would most cheerfully en-
dorse a more intense system of cultivating
these grains, believing a system of deep
and thorough preparation before seeding,
followed by clean seeding and thorough
cultivation combined with high manuring
is more beneficial to the soil, besides
yields a greater profit to the farmer.
GRASSES N STOCK.
Your committee would most respect
fully urge upon you the Importance of
your careful consideration of this great
and important subject. There must be a
change in our method of farming. The
old exhaustive system of cutting down
our forests, clearing and wearing out our
lands, has gone on from generation to
generation until much of our land once
fertile and productive, is exhausted, laid
waste and abandoned.
The farmers are sick of this continual
taking away and giving nothing in re-
turn.
What is our remedy for this evil?. We
can no longer cope with the great West
and Northwest in the production. of the
great staples wheat and corn. :.
We cannot grow cotton with much
success; only a small portion Of our lands
are adapted to the growth of fine tobacco.
The hope of Western North Carolina
and the Piedmont section of the Old
North State lies not so much in the pro-
duction of cotton, tobacco and the grains,
as in the growing of clover, the grasses,
and in rearing and breeding Of improved
live stock. We have all the natural dd-
r~ontoges of climate. soiz, avater, etc: Most
of lands are adapted to the growth of
clover and the grasses, and while many
of them are poor, still they are capable of
being brought to the highest state of fer:
tility at a very small cost. We may i'm
prove our lands by turning under green
crops, but to bring the land to the very
highest state of fertility we should have
manure. To make manure, we must keep
/ stock; then to keep stock successfully we
should nave clover and grass. j
Few farmers seem to realize the fact
that it costs no more to raise a good, we'll
bred horse, cow, pig or chicken than one
of the scrub breed.
We would encourage the breeding of
improved, thoroughbred stock, and
especially the breeding of thoroughbred
males.
To recapitulate: To get the best results
from farming, our lands must first be
thoroughly drained. Then by a proper
| rotation of CROPS and iudicious manuring,