The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-03-15

" I ~ 49, -
do not occur. with ineXcuSable frequen-
| cy. during which it rs impossible to buy
Il pound of butter. when egg are as
| scarce rs hens teeth: and when fodder
is not to he had for love or money.
The most pronounced M all the sur
| plrs products of the hill region is. proha-
bly,. II thcoretical desire for greater pres
pcrity, which IS expressed by u large
number Of the farming population. Ii is
wholly safe to say that much of this
EXPRESSED desire is purely theoretical
If It were actual and practical there
would be Il REIMBURSEMENT of the balance
of trade. 1t mas been said that the end
of all thought is action \ great many
people stay poor because they never 90
any farther on the road TO wealth than
the mere thinking that they would like
TO he rich. This applies to no one except
to those to whom it applies.
The observer cannot fail to be i'm
pressed. here in the mountains. with
the idea of Il manifest inconsistency
when he hears Il sore la%mcntation of
4 lack of money. mingled with the en-
phatic assertions of the great natural
wealth. and the marvellous possibilities
for wealth i'll the community which
SlohllN 'N'i IN Id' vi y
other man in the world is quite SO in
dependent Of money az is the farmer.
and yet, few classes Of men make so
great Il lament over their lack Of it as
do those same farmers. Western North
Carolina is distinctly Il farming region.
In agriculture lies the hope and the
only hope of the majority Of it's people.
Money. education. comfortable homes,
all of those physical comforts and enjoy
ments which arc so generally regarded
as absolutely essential for the reasonable
endurance Of life in this particular world.
are possible. for most of the people of
these hills. only through some Of the
channels OF agriculture. 1t is wholly
useless for us to look for any time to
come. in our day ut least. when Western
North Carolina Will be a manufacturing
community. Even though it were to be
come such. life in a mill or a factory is
no easier. no more cndurable or en-
joyablc than it is on the farm, and is
not often any more profitable. There
are Il few forms Of manufacturing in
dustIy which present encOuIag ing posi-
billtleS here's but they are not sufficient
III number. even in the fullest extent Of
their possible development. to give en-
ployment to one in every hundred of the
number of people which these valleys
and hillSidcs are capable Of supporting.
1t IS upon some department of farming
agrIculture. pomOlogy. dairying and the
hke-that the great majority of dwtllers
IN Western North Carolina must de-
pend for their maintenance. .\sheyillc.
and some other points. should draw. and
unluoStionahly will draw. a very pretty
revenue from tourists and seekers for
health and pleasure. But those people
must be fed, and they should be fed. to
I greater extent than they now are. by
the products of the mountain farms.
The Citizen Of February 26 saws: ="
large shipment of New York state on
lcoS mas been received. the prevailing
WnolcSalc price being &1.lO." What. in
the name Of AL that makes Us weep.
IS TN" necessity for importing onions
from New York TO supply the AShcyilIc
ilafkcl- ana 10" sending from the coun-
II! &c L money center. where moncy is
almost rotting from idIceSS. &1.4O for
every bl>hcl! Some degree or curics-
lty would also he pardonablc with ref
crence to the importation of northern
aI4l"S. western butter. western pork
ald western beef and Sundry other va
rleticS 81 food products. Northern ap-
pies IL estcrn North Carolina, Goals
70 NcWcaStie. Gold to the Klondikci
me writer Is tolcrabIy we'll at home on
lhc question Of northern APPLES. He
was RAISED on them. and is fully mlali-
1ied TO comment on the absurdity Of
any such importation. That is not saw
ing that northern apIcs are not good
lh"F are excellent fruit, but Western
-Nof'l carolina can raise pippins and
"lht'al> mat outclasS the northern ar
ticle. :"
M ni.rIi, So 49, ass
vile imports of these articles Of CON
sumption which should be sunulied NV
us own suburbs. tho question presents
lsclt Of how many miles of good roads
owe: which farmers could haul tbnir
products 70 the .Ashcville market With
d reasonable degree of economy. corli
DC quilt for the money now sent 70
o.isr sections to pay for the prodncts
= iaIm ana orchard range ana d,irr
TT Us BRING here all the visitors ~
can. They should come by tha tha,
SanI. where they now como ~ ~
score But let us not forget that tho
Meallh OF AAhevillc and of Wo.a.S
.loi'h carolina will depend upon two
LINKS Tar more than upon any ana
an "'hcFs. The first Of these i tho -
~ exploration Of farm nro,lnctc
;''lh me mountain farms. The otbor
na. N'pilS at home of every dollar
TW;nof OF those left here bv visitors
vin uue respect to those who look for
HgIlNfl'S 10 come via WASHINGTON and
splasha: II IS wholly certain thai me
nona VI western North Carolina do
TGlds infinitely more upon onions and
Mo. po'aooes' butter and chickens. an
fes ana SHE meat" than it doe, mon
nc important problem is. to get money
80 KIND. whether it be silver or
ta;n ': mere Is no better way for oh
snrn"n !, man by the increase of our
wn %pioouc's. IT Is a necessity that
We nave something to cxchanDa So,