The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-05
FARMaRs IN

correspondence Ol IL EIOSLCooAFO
Until quite recent years h farmer
was left to grope his weary and uncer
tain way as best he could. Although
he had to deal with the most wonder
full and the most important forces and
elements of all created nature, he had
no special training for his life work, he
had no scientific Investigations what
ever to guide and encourage him IN his
toilsom and uncertain lebors. TIE
farmer is most surely the most import
Ant factor in ali the makeup Of a great
people. All other trades and callings
are directly or Indirectly dependent
upon him for their very existence.
Without the patient toll of the farmer
in planting and tilling the fields, what
would become of the learned professors,
so cRlled9 The pursuits of the fine arts
and sciences, of business and traffic Of
every kind3 It would no longer be a
question of volume of business and it's
profits; it would simply be a question
Of animal existence, and if these condi
tions were long continued, civilization
itself would disappear from the face of
the earth.
But, thanks to a few brave and far
seeing statesmen, the absolute neceG.
stiles of the farmer in the way of edu
cation helps, are recognized by the
General Government in its munificent
establishment of experiment stations.
Through this generous act of the gov
ernment the farmer now has access to
all of the valuable researches of these
stations freely extended to him. He
has the agricultural departments at
Washington and at Raleigh, end a host
of we'll equipped men engaged in max
ing careful and accurate Investigations
into every line and shade Of his diver
sifed calling.
He has the agricultural and mechani-
cal colleges to teach and train the pres
emit and future generations Of young
men for useful employment in every
field of productive industry. The
farmers institute comes in right here
to supplement this great work OF these
most valuable institutions.
The Institutes are carrying out
among the farmers this information,
simpllfed, and they ere practically ap,
plying it to every department Of the
farmers everyday work.
The speakers in these Institutes have
a wide field of usefulness, and it is
always gratifying and really inspiring
terest manifested in every topic dis
cussed by every farmer present, who
desires to improve his surroundings,
get out OF old ruts, and make his farm
work more pleasant and more profG
able. The many questions asked in
these meetings on a great variety Of
subjects, about the COW and her feed
and management, about the many
difficult points in handling the milk
and making first class butter; how and
where to market, 30 as to real z9 q fair
profit; how and what TO feed for the
best yield, how to save and apply ma
nure how to reclaim aud bring up a
paying yield, old fields which have
been run down by continual cropping;
how to prevent cultivated lands from
washing; how to make terraces and
underdrains, and how to prevent bot
tom lands from oveTfowing; how to
locate, plant out, and manage an orch
aid, and which are the best varieties
for market and home use; how to keep
fruit trees thrifty aud fruitful; how to
haudle and how to pack for shipping;
how to grow eneilage corn; how to
build and i'll g siio; how to make pea
! vine and clover hay, and how to feed
it for best results; how to avoid and
cure diseases In the poultry yard, ard
how to make poultry keeping profit
able. These and many other questions
! OF vital interest to the farmer come up
| in every meeting for careful consIC era
ton.
Notwithstanding the Indifference of
! some, and the out spoken opposition of
| others, these farmers Institutes are
doing q great work for the State, with
out one dollar being appropriated by
the State for this purpose.
Governor Carr, in his message to the
last General Assembly, recommended
an appropriation of fifteen hundred
dollars for institute WORK but there
was no action taken on his Tecommen-
dalton, SO far as we are informed.
Other States, like New York, Penn
syIvania, Wisconsin and Iowa, are en-
~couraging the institute work by liberal
appropriations every year, and the
good results attending these meetings
are q guarantee that the money thus
expended is a good investment for
these States, as is shown by the increas-
ing appropriations from year to year.