The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-12-20

farmers to handle the railroad problem
and secure more reasonable rates for
either long or short hauls than when
they were glutting the market with
more produce than the railroads could
find cars to handle, When this con
dition of things has been established,
the low, long haul ceases and we have
what is known as granger Legislation.
Competition between railroads makes
the long haul reasonable.
The next inevitable contest that
comes up is the low, short haul for the.
distribution of jobbing and manufac-
turing products which comes in as the
result Of the development of the State.
There will come a time in this natural
development of agriculture when the
farms, which were doubled by reason
of grass culture, will be again divided
by reason Of their enhanced price and
the necessity for more diversified farm
ing, or what may be called intensive
farming. 1t is only when this time
comes that the ideal condition of farm
life is realized, viz: Small farms, titled
to the highest point by their owners,
bringing with it necessarily large
schools, better teachers and improved
social life and higher social position.
Another effect of the extension of
grass culture is to make the farmer
less dependent on any one crop. In
time he becomes able to hold his non
perishable crops, such as wheat, corn
and oats, from one year to another,
and thus there accumulates a perma-
nent and visible surplus, which puts a
quietus on all the schemes of gamblers
to run corners on grain.
We might mention other results, all
beneficial in their character, which
follow from the extension Of grass cul-
ture.
It must not be supposed that grass
culture necessarily ends with the limit
of what is now recognized gener-
ally as the improved grasses, such
as the. clovers, timothy, blue grass,
orchard grass, etc. Where the clovers.
end, alfalfa, on suitablesub soil, begins.
We have confidence that where this is
not practical, something will be found,
such, for instance, as awnles bronze
grass, which will produce good crops
where the\ ordinary tame grasses or
alfalfa will not succeed. Unfor Jun
ately, it is not a legume, and, hence,
cannot draw its supply of nitrogen.
from the atmosphere. Legumes, how
ever, will be found that will take the
place of the clovers, at least to very
great extent, and there is no reason for
permanent Encouragement to any man
who has settled beyond the present
grass belt, wherever it may be. How
ever, farmers who are purchasing
lands will do well to discriminate very
sharply between lands of apparently
equal value. Where the tame grasses
grow successfully there is certainty.
They are under known conditions and
can be calculated on for the future
Beyond this they are in land of un-
certainty and are dependent on inn
provement, toa very great extent, in
the line of. grass culture. 1t is well in
buying lands in the far West to take
this consideration into account.
Notwithstanding all that may be
said of the marvellous capacity of the
extreme western States to grow wheat,
it must be remembered that the ex-
haustion of these soils is only matter
of time, and that something must be
provided cheaper than artificial fertili
zers for the restoration of wasted fer
tilitV.