Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-02-04

NoND, Agricultural hditor oNtolu pemocrat
| Paris. Ne.
THE SEASON IN NORTH CAROLINA
The great drOuth OF last year was per-
haps less felt In this state than any
where east Of the Mississippi River
June, July and August were sessonable
and the September drouth came too late
10 do serious harm.
Crops II all kinds have been fairly
good; corn and tobacco very good
| Tobacco not only grew to good wrap
per size, aud cured uniformly bright
out prices for all grades are better than
IN five, or perhaps ten years. The to-
baccO markets now have much OF the
animation they had back in the golden
seventies, when II does seem that with
profits OF from $500 TO $500 per scre,
more growers than did should have
grown rich. know OF only one man
who seized this opportunity TO make
what was comparatively large fortune.
our cotton crop. has not brought more
In the gross than hast season. Although
prices were about 80 per cent higher,
the WELD was smaller; but the net profit
was considerably greater. Much less
fertilizer has been bought. The farmers
have az last needed the sermon preached
them so long. aud are using ther own
supplies. Consequently, whereas few
years ago every cOtton-seed was mort
gagged before il sprOuted, this year their
debts are comparatively light. Then II,
OF course, cost less TO pick, gin and bale
short crop, while the gross returns
were about equal 70 those OF last year.
From all these causes, Agricola l., and
OF right ought 10 be-, considerably
lighter hearted than of yore.
Long may this continue, As tell my
brother farmers, We have not one but
two classes OF wrongs 10 right-our polit-
heal wrongs and our own wrong doingS.
The hog cholera, which so long rem
dered pOrk-rSising IN uncertain business,
seems 10 have about spent itself, and
nearly every farmer now "sSves his own
bacon in more senses than one. The
long aud loudly abused ''nO fence Law,
Ia that il prevents the general running
al large Of stock, has done much To
check the spread OF contagious diseases
ike cholera. This is only one of its
good effects. Grazing on the common
no longer being resource, more grass
and clover is grown, and better stock j.
kept. The result i that butter and beef
are now more plentiful than was ever
known. Good beef and pork are selling
at IL cents pound for the whole ami
nal.
The reaction against the one crop sys-
TEN seems 10 be gathering force. May
= -. ~ r..
and cotton growers now grow diversity
OF crops. Some have even gone into
canning. Less sorghum was made than
the wear before, but still n great deal.
Crimson clover Is steadily forcing its
way into wider and wider use. Most OF
il i cut and fed green as needed, form
ing thus a valuable addition 10 the
ratiOns OF work animals at the very time
they need IL most. Corn and fodder
corn leaves still forms the staple feed
of the work animals. While more oats
and less corn would doubtless result in
better hoI ses, fodder has no equal in the
prOvender OF any region. Compared
with good fodder, the best timothy hay
i poor feed for horses in our climate AT
any rate. have tested both thoroughly.
A. well as they generally like change
of feed, always lind that they very un-
willingly give up fodder for even the
best hsv They also keep in better con-
dition on the fodder. even IL less corn Is
fed. Still IL is a moot point With many
farmers as 70 whether IL pays 10 save
fodder or not according 20 the present
,ystem, many holding that as fodder
has TO be pulled more or less green 10 be
OF value as a feed, the vitality OF the
stalk Is thereby impaired, aud the
quality, il not the quantity of the yet
Qnmatured grain, i lowered.
IL seems that this might be avoided by
cutting and shocking the stalks Is Is
cone North. and 20 some extent here.
But many farmers who have tried this
mode have gone back 10 the old fodder
pulling method. Some argue that AT
the south the corn leaves fire earlier
in comparison with the maturing of the
grain than they do at the North, aud that
n left till the corn i fix 20 cut, the fod-
der is worthless. Possibly pure inertia.
unwillingness TO move out Of the old rut,
has a good deal to do with it.-Country
Gentleman.