The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-04-17

Alliance plant having no scorn made
by winters icy fingers took on a
miraculous growth Indeed 80 much
SO that in early summer it was discov
cred that it was than an annual
plant. 1t was found out That it would
be a mighty Tree if properly cared for
and cultivated. Now when it was
found that it would be a tree instead
of a plant that would do it's fruit bear
ing i n one year and then go the way of
the earth. Many or some at least who
had promised to cultivate it we're
astounded. They grew inpatient and
said by word and acts that they could
not wait for fruit so long. They being
tired left to return no more to cultivate
that tree. However its cultivation did
not cease, for those impatient ones left
behind them a good number of willing
hearts and hands. The Colonel said it
was a good tree even if it did take it a
long time to get to bearing fruit. He
said he wished they were planted thick
enough for their branches t. arch and
for their roots to permeate every inch
of North Carolina soil. Then the Cap
tain spoke and said me toO," God
speed the day"
On appointed days a good number
continued to meet as though they had
not lost a man and cultivated that tree.
as time rolled on the tree continued to
grow not with the rapid growth that
iU had when it was a tender plant, but
with a growth just slow enough to
make it firm and durable, thus prepar
ing itself for the many storms that
every son Of the forest has to endure
or else yield and prematurely return
to dust, and just fas5 enough to bring
fruit to it's protectors in due season.
Summer and autumn passed away
and likewise did winter with its snow
and ice, out they all left the Alliance
tree unmOiested.
Time with it's changing seasons sped
by. There was no special interest
manifested about the Alliance tree.
Though some continued to do what
seemed their part, but it seemed that
they took as much care to do only their
part as they did in their work. That
state of affairs had not existed long be
fore it was noticed that the tree had
about ceased to grow. 1t had every
thing but the appearance of a long life.
II remained in that condition a long
while. Some said that they were done
with lit vas too poor a prospect for
fruit. Finally some who had hopes
met on an appointed day and leach man
of them gave his Es"sOn for the trees
ackwardness. REfere were various
causes brought to light. However they
finally agreed that 1T needed fertilizer
and a brother who said he knew
whereof he spoke said that. the brand
most needed was manufactured by
| Colonel Polk at Raleigh. The brethren
with nearly one accord consented to
try it. The brother who spoke of it
first said as a years supply would cost
each brother but a mere trife and that
1T would be issued to them weekly
that they could not get a years supply
all at once as it could not be manufac-
tured fast enough to meet the demand
if handled that way. There was no
change noticed in the tree until after
the next meeting. At the next meeting
all who had ordered fertilizers reported
that it had ONE So they commenced
to dig around that tree and apply that
fertilizer and it fastened, as it were, TO
a rapid, hardy growth. 1t seemed to
spring into q newness of life and soon
blooms heralded the glad tidings that
fruit was on the way. Then the breth-
rem who had always been faithful piled
their task diligently than ever
and some who had quit their duty re
turned and some who had never been
with them came. The fruit was ripen-
ing, and with joy did those who had
labored view it as it hung in it's lus-
ciousness and beauty. It was noticed
further that there was blooms and
young fruit on the tree sven yet in the
midst of the ripe, showing clearly that
if proper cultivation was continued it
would bear fruit continually.
So time rolled on and the tree con
tinued to reward those who had toiled
about it as they ate of it's fruit. Many
were coming who had never been and
anxiously desiring to have their names
recorded as cultivators of this precious
tree.
Time with rapid strides sped by and
as had been prophesied by many of the