The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-01-12
er, has not yet been received. He

says:
"I do not think that there were
much more or less than $4,000 tons
sold in 1887 of all grades of fertilizers,
including acid phosphate and MINOR
lated fertilizers. This amount is cal
culated from the returns already in,
and estimated for the others.
At an average of a selling price OF
$50 (including acid phosphates, which
sell for less than this, and ammoniated
fertilizers for more) the cost would be
$3.50, OOO."
At the High Point Farmers 1nsti-
tute last spring, we asked DR.. Dabney
how much was expended by the farm
mers of this State for fertilizers during
the year 1886. He replied, "about
$3,325, OOO." We then asked him
how much he thought was lost to the
farmers of the State in one year
through neglect and mismanagement
of homemade manures !? He replied:
II should say at least twice the
amount spent for fertilizers" And
we believe that any observant, intelli-
gent farmer in the State will agree
that DR.. Dabney's statement was not
at all exaggerated. But for the pur.
pose of this article we will take nc
conjecture. We accept and present
the facts as given us by these gentle
men. DR.. Dabney says that during
the year 1886, our farmers expended
$685., 900 for fertilizers. DR.. Battle
estimates that for the year 1887, they
expended $3.50, 900. We have mo-
the official figures at hand, but we are
not far from the mark when we say
that the cotton crop of our State fo1
the past ten years has averaged abou'
SIS, 0O0,O 600. Nor do we think tina.
we are too high when we say that We
have averaged during these tsn year.
$4,000, 900 for fertilizers. This would
amount to 100000 900 in ten years
and the cotton crop to $3.50, 600, 900
So we see that we r expendins
hoenty per cent. of the value of the cro]
for fertilizers alone! Now when W,
add to this all the other expense Incl
dent to producing the crop, and re1ec
that the cotton exchanges Of Liver
pool and New York have put tn
price at about eight and a half cent
per pound, where is the profit in cot
ton culture to the North Carolin
farmer? The average yield in GU
State is about one-third of a bale pc
acre. Where is the profit?
We want some reader of Tn
PROGRESSIVE FARMER to take tn,
above facts and figures and try hi
skill in the science of mathematics ant
show us some profit to those of GU
farmers who are producing cotton
We refer, of course, to the representa-
tive, typical cotton farmer Of GU:
State. He who buys fertilizers, hay
meat, corn, &C., to run his farm
Now what we desire to say to GU:
readers who r pursuing this policy
with the view of making money OF
cotton or tobacco-stop and re
fleet. See if you cannot do as vel
and use only half the amount of fer
t~ilizers this year that you used thu
past year. And if you have not tht
cash with which to pay for that half
study awhile longer and see if you hac
better not try to do vathoM 1t altogether
Now that the season for buying fertil
izers will soon be upon us, the time
for buying hay and meat and corn anc
flour, the time for putting your heac
in the lien-and-mortgage collar, We
beg our farmer friends to stop one
reflect, :a.
r. OUR STATE FAIR.