davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-10-29
RALEIGH, N. c., OCTOBER 20, 1895.

the before mentioned quantity of fer
tilizer before sowing, and along about
the month of March. just when the
oats are beginning to joint out, scat
ter about one hundred pounds of kainit
per acre, broadcast, and pass light
harrow over the land this loosens the
soil about the roots and helps wond 7r-
fully to make them grow, and the
potash is sure preventive for rust. l
found that by treating the oat crop IN
this way that you can depend on get
ting at least forty to fifty bushels off
ordinary Florida pine lands, and some
times more. A person Can save good
deal of this fertilizer expense. partlcu
larly the heterogeneous part or 1T, by
using a little forethought, and when
the corn crop comes eff or sowing the
land to cow-peas at the last working of
the corn and blowing that under jus5
as the peas come in blossom, and then
at the time of sowing the oats using a
little more potash and one hundred
PC0h0O OO4 VI CAOA0 pAOSPl4GA1C'
This dls3Olves the green crop during
the winter and the result will be a good
crop of oats IN the spring. AS have
said already, we have to keep our eye
on the poor spots in our fielos and try
to have the crop as even as possible.
Ihave found hard wood ashes scattered
just before rain a great help, but
generally speaking, these spots can be
cured by using a little extra potash, as
our lands are very deficient in that In
a word. if you want good stiff straw
that will stand up against a good gale
of wind, and nice round plump grain,
use potash, and plenty of it, but above
all things study your soil and know it's
requirements, and act accordingly
The days of hap hazard farming are
gone, and the live, wide awake man
Deed not fear as to the future, come
what may. @ K. MCQUARRIE.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-10-29
LIVE STOCK,
LIVE STOCK ITEMS.

The pumpkin is very highly priced
by many swine fee ders, and it is valu-
able.
The practice on.some farms of throw,
ing corn and stalks to the hogs so that
corn is before them all the time, is bad
Feed no fattening animal more than it
will eat up clean.
1t is claimed that an acre of corn
fodder is worth two acres OF timothy.
That it is worth more is certain, if it is
good fodder, but how much more we
are not prepared to say.
How many years will it take to sup
plant the horse by machinery, elec
tricity, etc asks a correspondent. We
cannot say definitely, but as nearly as
we can get at 1t. about 9 600, 600 years.
The talk Of the coming uselessness of
the horse is an absurditv.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-10-29
No. SO

oe told what to feed his stock. Those
"l'nout one should not compel the
stock to eat straw, as it is Door econ.
omy. Good clover hay, or at least
that which is part clover. and q small
ration of gram will keep stock in good
condition. Heavy grain feeding will
not pay IN butter making, no5wish.
standing good authorities saw it will
ou6 the stock will be in better condition
the manure richer, and it will be a
pleasure to see stock sleek and fat
Keep the animals we'll bedded This
Will pay In the added comfort both to
yourself and stock and also in the
value of the manure, that is by far the
best use a farmer can make of his
straw. If owning more than can be
used in such way, sell it and put the
value of it in meal It is an undisputed
fact that it pays in dollars and cents to
make stock comfortable and contented.
Morse, Vermont, in American
Agriculturist.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-10-29
STABLE COMFORT IN WINTER.

Warm stables and proper feed are
essential In keeping cattle in thriving
condition during winter, but few live
up to their knowledge of these facts
because of carelessness and neglect. To
do this in the easiest and cheapest way,
if the stock are not provided with
warm, comfortable stables, provide
them at once It can be done as cheap
ly now as at any season of the year.
Nail boards over cracks and cell the
inside with matched boards. stuffed
mine between the walls and ceiling
with swamp hay with good results.
An inside and outside door should be
provided, md the former should shut
tight. The cost of such an outlay on
a stable feet 30 feet long will be about
SIS; it will save that value in fodder
the first winter. If water freezes In
the stable provide heater at a cost of
SIS to $40; you will willingly give the
wood and labor to see the COWS drink
If both a warm barn and warm water
cannot be provided, warm the stables,
even though the stock has to drink ice
wster. 1t is far more comfortable.
too, milking withoutan Overcoat and
grasping icicles.
The dairyman with silo need not
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-10-29
HOW TO KEEP POTATOES.
Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.


Correspondence Of the Progressive Farmer.
COLLY, n. o.
see several in your valuable paper
giving their experience about stacking
potatoes, and l have concluded TO give
mine. In the first place l want hill
or high place, place where am sure
in a wet spell the water will not stand.
l dig out the ground in the center of
the bed about six or eight inches deep
the dirt get out of the centre of the
bed I raise the outside of my bed With.
l then scatter some pine straw Gong
leaf pine straw is the besO about three
inches deep on the bed. If want to
| put about twenty bushels to the stack
Chat is enough to put in a stack l
then after scattering the straw on the
bed, put in about ten bushels of pofa
toes or slips l then level them fat on
top and throw straw around and over
them about six inches deep. l then
put upon them and the straw about
SIX bushels more potatoes or slips and
level again and throw straw on and
around again to the depth of about SIX
inches as before. then put on again
about four bushels, and that brings my
bank to its he1ght and finish. 1 then
throw on straw to the depth of six
inches. If the weather is warm when
dig let them remain without dirt
being thrown around them until it be-
gins to turn cold, aud then throw the
dirt food thick around the bank; and
when get the dirt to the top of the
potatoes set a square box, made of
boards or plank, about four inches
square, on the potatoes, leaving the
box open at both ends; the box should
be two feet long. Then I throw the
dirt around said box above the potatoes
to the depth of eighteen or twenty
inches. then put good cover made
of boards on them, and hardly ever
lose them. The straw between the po
tatoes and the hot air that ac3umulates
In the bank being allowed to escape,
preserves the potatoes.
Respectfully,
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-10-29
SWINE DISEASE.

Editor Farmers Voice: In several
sections of illinois hog cholera is raging
and every swine breeder is anxious, for
unfortunately, owing to our reckless
breeding and feeding, nine-tenths of
the hogs in the county are Iiable to
come down with the disease, if they are
only slightly exposed. The fairs, in
many instances, spread the cholera,
When there is disease in a county the
fair managers should warn breeders
not to bring their stock to the fair. The
disease too, can be carried by people
who go from farm On which it exists
Whether or not it can be carried in the
clothes do not know, but suspect it
can. It can be carried on the shoes.
however of one who has been around
hogs that have it. One of the greatest
dangers is running streams Swine
breeders cannot be too careful to keep
their swine away from running streams
that run through an infected section
Nor can the owners Of swine that die
from cholera be too careful to bury the
dead. Just so long as the carcass of a
dead cholera patient is on top of the
ground, there is no telling how far the
disease germs may be carried by dogs
or other means. As to preventives, the
greatest is cleanliness il quarters. in
feed and water, but even that does not
go a great way when a hog lacks vigor
as the result OF bad breeding or bad
systems of feeding The first thing to
ain at is to keep the digestion good
Now, fat forming foods, let it always
be remembered, are enemies to diges
ton. When we ourselves eat fat meats
we frequently break down the diges
ton. So when the hog eats corn all the
time the digestion may be impaired,
though the hog has a wonderfully
strong digestion. The thing to do is to
feed to considerable extent the class
of foods that do not fatten. They are
not so dry as the fat forming foods and
they make bone and muscle, and bone
and muscle is to the hog what the
foundation is to the house. If the
foundation is weak, the fabric is liable
to fall. As to the preventives, in the
way of medicines, they must consist of
tonic and of something that will aid
digestion and absorb gases. The hog
needs some salt, not too much, or ii
will prove poisonous. Ashes are good
Charcoal is excellent, and a worm
medicine is always in line, for believt
that three quarters of the disease that
is called cholera, is nothing but worms
The hog is very susceptible to worms
They inhabit every part of the system
at times. WILLIAM DENsMORE.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-10-29
A. J. BORDEAUX

Now is the time to give all stables,
barns and sheds thorough overhaul
ing and repairing. Make good all de
fective roofs, doors, and windows, so
that, when the cold winds and rains
come, they may not find entrance in
side. Provision also should be made
for carrying all water from the roofs
away from the buildings and the ma
nure heaps. When repairs have been
made, then give the buildings a good
coating of lime wash inside and out,
and they will then be sweet and ready
for the stock.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-10-29
FERTILIZERS FOR OATS.

Now that the season is coming around
once more for sowing oats in this South
land, a few lines giving past experience
will, hope, be deemed not out of
place. Among the nativ farmers here
in western Florida and southern Ala
bamR, ten bushels of oats per acre is
considered a good yield. But it is with
oats as with everything else, the crop
depends on what treatment the land
gets and how it is fertilized. To grow
oats to perfection requires the land to
be in good physical condition and to
supplement this with the necessary
fertilizers. always hold that the
farmer that can show the best crop is
the farmer that studies his soil and
even the different coils IN the different
fields, or even in the one field, because
in all fields there are streaks of soil
poorer or richer than the surrounding
land, and these poor spots are to be
treated according to what the soil
lacks. think these streaks are
AS@A AAAOAO SSL4u4J4 III Lu0 ll6l
through any of the Northern or West
ern States. I always like to SOW oats
after sweet potatoes or Irish potatoes,
because these crops leave the soil in a
very good condition to SOW grain in.
If the potatoes have been fertilizad
with stable manure, l scatter broadcast
before blowing, about two hundred
pounds of cotton seed meal per acre
and two hundred pounds of kainit I
| then SOW my seed at the rate of about
two bushels per acre, and plow it under
with an ordinary one-horsa turning
| plOw- I used to cover the seed with
an ordinary fine tooth horse cultivation
but 1 find the crop is better by plowino
IN the seed, about four to six inches
deep. Last winter taught us a very
practical lesson on that point, oats that
L had drilled In about the Both OF No
Vember were entirely killed by the
freeze of the 29th of December. / Ither
resolved them at once and plowed the
seed urder, and the crop came through
the freeze 7Ch and 9Th and the 18th anC
l4th Of February unscathed. If have
to SOW oats on land that had produced
a grain crop the previous year, Idoublt
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-10-29
CROP REPORTS.

The October returns to the statisti-
clan of the Department of Agriculture
make the general condition of corn
95 per cent, against 96 for the
month of September. In most of the
Southern States the condition has
fallen since last report. The averages
or condition in the large and surplus
corn growing States are as follows:
Tennessee, 90; Kentucky, 90; Ohio,
81; Michigan, 80; Indiana, 90; Illinois,
90; Wisconsin, 81; Minnesota, "a; Iowa,
96; Missouri, Ill !; Kansas, so; Nebraska,
go Tue returns of yield per acre of
wheat indicate a production of IL 5
bushels, being 10 of bushel, less
than last OcCober's preliminary esti-
mate. The rate of yield of selected
States is as follows: New York, 18
Pennsylvania, 10; Ohio, 10; Michigan,
12; Indiana, 9; Illinois, II; Wisconsin,
10; Minnesota. 10; Iowa, 18 8; Missouri,
10; Kansas, 8; Nebraska, 12; South
Dakota, 10 8; North Dakota, 19; Wash
ington, IA; Oregon, 20; California, TO-
The indicated quality for the country
is 957 The quality in some of the
principal wheat States is: New York,
90; Pennsylvania, go; Kentucky, 81;
OHIO, S5; Michigan, 81; Indiana, "a
Illinois, 70; Wisconsin, 90; Minnesota,
96; Iowa, 95; Missouri, 78; Kansas, SO;
Nebraska, 50; South Dakota, 65 /; North
Dakota, go; Washington, 90; Oregon,
90; California, 81. The preliminary
estimate of the yield of oats is 20
bushels per acre; Of rye, IA 4; of bar
lev. 264 The condition of buckwheat
is returned at "a 8; of Irish potatoes,
81 4, and tobacco. sos The returns
for the month of October make cotton
show decline of 81 points from the
September condition, which was 70 8
against 65.1 for the present month.
There is a general complaint from all
the counties reporting of extensive
damage from early rains, recent drouth
and ravages by bollworms and other
insects. In South Carolina, Georgia,
and Mississippi there is not one excep-
tion; in the remaining States very few.
The top crop almost everywher is re-
ported failure and the yield is short
ened by premature opening. The per-
centages by States are as follows: Vir-
ginia. 7S; North Carolina, 6S; South
Carolina, "a; Georgia, 72; Florida, "a !;
Alabama, 20; Mississippi, 81; LouiAiana,
GA; Texas, So; Arkansas, 79, Tennessee,
20; Missouri, So.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-10-29
MEASURING Hay IN STACK.


The Northwestern Agricultural on
snis subject very correctly says that
measuring Is very crude unsatisfac
tory method of estimating the weight
or nay. There are times, however,
WRen 1t is impracticable to use the
s;alee'- and a close approximation to
si3e true weight will answer all pur
poses. Then, by taking into considera.
zion that fine, soft hay will pack more
cioseiy than coarser, sitter quality,
ena9 when cut early in the season it
ssilI become more solid and stiff, late
cut hay, that the degree of dryness
when stacked will affect the weight
that the compectness of the lower part
OF tne stack or load is affected by the
height, the time it has stood or the dis
tance and kind of roads it has travelled
over, 1t Is quite possible for a person of
ordinary experience and Judgment to
make an estimate Of the Quantity in a
load or NOW. 1t is estimated that
with the above mentioned conditions
At an average, timothy, in stacks of 10
feet high and up wards, measures about
800 cubic feet to the ton; clear clover,
between 600 and 700 cubic feet. To
ind the cubic feet in a circular stack,
multiply the square of the circumfer
ence by four one hundredths O4) of
the height. Below is given set of
rules for computing the number of
cubic yards in ton of hay in the field,
stack or load, which can be easily re
dnced to cubic feet by multiplying the
result in cubic yards by 81:
1. The number of tons of meadow
hay in the windrows is the quotient of
the produce of the length, breadth a. d
height, in yards divided by 25.
2 To find the number of tons of hay
in NOW, divide the product of the
length, height and breadth by Is, if
the stack be well packed. If shall
low, and the hay recently stacked,
divide by Is, and by any number from
Is to Is, according to the density of
the stack. In square or long stacks
the number of tons is the quotient of
the product of the length of the base,
the width and half of the length, in
yards, divided by 10.
8 Ia loads the number of tons of
Hay is found hE ,n,...,tipIring :S.s1c Sc.s,1ct4ao,'
the length, width and height, in yards,
and dividing the product by 90.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-10-29
AGRICULTURE.

dvJc, S from New York City indi-
lhet a great scarcity of milk pre-
Is 1t Is said that the dealers are
ole TO obtain their usual supplies
n Orange, Duchess and Putnam
ottes The cause of the scarcity is
late drouth.
mix dealer has admitted that he
water In his milk. This is out
GUS. Had the man a spark Of pro.
o al pride ne would have put milk
le water; then instead of adulterat
milk he would have been improv-
water.
8 said that cut flowers will keep
fresh if a small pinch of nitrate of
,sh. or common saltpetre, is put in
water in which they stand. The
Of the stems should be cut eff a
every day to keep open the alb
ing pores.
le wheat crop of California is said
George Ohelyer of that State to be
smallest in years-some say in 25
3 Up TO the beginning of harvest
appearance of the crop indicated a
Weld. and IN some counties above
average. The condition of barley
other spring crops has not been as
Ppolntlng as that of wheat.
.0n let the sweet and Irish pota-
stay N the ground until the frost
the vines. When growth has
ted and the tubers are ripe, lift the
g at once. They are now drv and
n, and can be stored in a condition
nsure their keeping, If proper care
sEan IN making the lies" or they
It rcd IN properly constructed eel
70 ensure keeping, the 'pieso or
ars should be weiI-ventilated until
roots have gore through the
etG." Do not make the pies OF
Ps 100 large; place them on high,
lround, and cover with straw q
tsgs. and a light covering of soil
I1g the top of the pie only covered
leCraw, over which board may bt
n case of rain. Keep this top Oper
u ala heat has, gone out of the pie
then cover all over with a gOOC
[ o5 s1il. SO as to preserve an equabl'
.peTature. The secret OF keeping
Is over winter is an equable tenn
azure of about 40 to 10 degrees L
cd IN a cellar, Ventilators should b
Vlded, go as to be able to regulate
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-10-29
FARMERS INSTITUTES.

The average farmers institute is a
splendid school for the farmer. While
it is true that some of them are little
better than useless, the system of hold.
ing Institutes has been pretty generally
perfected to a M arked degree. The II
stitute must be practical, or it is moth
ing. It is no place for the airing of
political doctrines or the advancing OF
untried theories. Every word spoken
ought to mean something of valuable
import to the practical farmer. In
many sections the talent can be secured
at home, or near hOme,, to make the
proceedings of great interest Yet it
is advisable TO secure men, when pos
sible, from a distance, for the methods
of prominent farmers in a community
are apt to be pretty Well understood by
all the most intelligent farmers of that
neighborhood. The directors of some
of our experiment stations are valuable
on the program of an institute. If
they are really practical men they
have opportunities for demonstrating
facts that no farmer can have. Intel
hgent specialists can impart much In
formation. Still these men coming
from a distance, unless they are ex-
ceedingly careful and explicit, may
mislead, for their experiments and
achievements may have bsen under
materially different conditions from
those existing In the county where is
held the institute that they address
The method that may do in Wisconsin
might not do at all in Southern Illinois.
Farmers who usually attend the insti
tutes understand themselves and their
business pretty thoroughly. 1t re-
quires exceptional ability and broad
experience 10 teach such men in the
science of general farming. Yet they
attend the institute TO learn something
new, and are disappointed unless they
do. The boys should be encouraged to
attend these meetings. We know of
no other place where boy can learn
so much, in the same length of time.
as he can at practical farmers insti
tute. He will learn things here often
more readily than he will at home,
even though his father could and in
the long run would teach him these
very things. Where the dairy receives
special attention, the institute is OF
special value TO the boys.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-10-29

There is Away considerable differ
ence bet ween the best and the poorest
pigs of a litter. This shows itself at
birth, and almost invariably the pigs
that is largest and best then will. other
things being equal, make the best hog.
1t is some times said that the runt pigs
can be made better by better feeding
This Is true to a certain extent. But the
reason the pig is q runt Is usually
because digestion is poor Feeding a run6
pig too much injuries its digestion still
more, or If the food is digesCed it goes
to make fat rather than growth. For
this reason the poorest pigs IN lot
should be put up for early fattenIng:
giving longer feeding to those that will
best pay for it.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-10-29

I7eft .. tl2e UOOCe-79GnleG papers GTe
sested to Eeep the list standing on
f3Tst page and add others, OTODtded
s are dsII2 elected. Any pager JGiL-
10 IGl5OcGte the OcGEG platform JUiIl
. 7oDped from the list promptly. Oar
~ c17l 7lO5U see IgbGt papers are
seta1 an their i7ateTeat.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-10-29
aArIoNAL FARMERS ALI
AJCR AND INDUSTRIAL
UNION.
5rasident-J. f. Willetts, Topeka,

5ragidont-J. T. Willetts, Topeka,
Fice President-H. Q. Snavely, Leb
.1eEreaary- - -Treasurer-Col. D. 2. Dun
-, Columbia, 8. &.
EXECUTIVE BOARD.
4 T. Loucks, Huron, 8. D. j; Mann
"a Brandon, Virginia; I. E. Dean.
3po~e Falls, New York; II. Q. Dem
y. secretary. Harrisburg, Pennsyl-
ia; Marion Butler, Raleigh, N. Q.
JUDICIARY.
4. Southworth, Denver, Colo.
=. W. Beck, Alabama.
4 D. Davie, Kentucky.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-10-29
EXECUTIVE BOARD.
ssa CAROLINA FARMERS STATE ALI
AHCE,

AHOE,
resident Dr.. Cyrus Thompson,
HANDS. L.
ICE er6sident-Jno. Graham, Ridge
4sretary -Treasurer-W. s. Barnes,
sigb, \. Q.
racturer-J. T. B. Hoover, Elm City,
t, Sesrord-Dr. V. N. seawell, Villa
.53apiain-Rev. n P. H. Massey, Dur
DOR =. - keeper-Geo. T. Lane, Greens
0. II. Q.
saistant Door keeper-Jas. e. Lyon,
r ham, n. &.
oTyaant-at- Arms-A. D. z. Wallace,
~ ;herfor ton, n. 9.
.sCe business Agent-T. Ivey, Ral-
/. n. G.
rnstee ? Business Agency Fund-W.
3 3raham, Machpelah, N. &.
.CTTTTvs COMMITTEE OF THE NORTH
- s.yLIHA FARMERS STATE ALLIANCE.
T Hileman, concord. N. G.; N.
Engli,h, Trinity, N. G.; James ID,
wborne. KIns on, n. q.
ra ALLIANCE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.
ohm 3raham. Gatesville, N. c.; DR..
Harrell, Whiteville, n. c.; 7. ].
= .dIer, Acton, N. Q.
La Carolina Reform Press Association.
95eoTs-J. L. RamSey, PTeside'1t ;
son Butler, Vice President; w. s.
res, Secretary,