The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-10-09
Agriculture.
THE BOYS ON THE FARM,

The tendencies of modern inven-
rs are towards increasing the city
nd decreasing the country popula-
.,n Too many young men are in
,uoo5 IN iOin the army of consumers
II leave the ranks of producers.
n, rasults are noticeable wherever
20 have hard times and money is
,7,sp Then there are thousands out
: omDIovment and families are COM
,,,Ied to live in poverty. This is an
;rdication that there is something
.,5ica17v wrong with the methods of
,,riculturists. The boys are neg
Ise+eI. They see more signs of pros
rsritv among their city cousins and
ara easily led into the metropolitan
channels. The gaudy displays of
.nnarent wealth make them believe
+ba+ life i more real in the city than
in the country.
The evils of the cities are alluring
r;+f,7Is into which many thousands
If honest country boys fall before
they realize their mistake. Some of
-be responsibilities for this condi-
-ion Of affairs must rest on the shoul-
Iqrs of parents. The instructors in
-bp district schools and even in some
If the colleges are largely to blame
f5r directly and indirectly sneering
At men who come from the farm.
Bows are taught from many sources
that manual labor Is degrading and
NOT Characteristic of modern Ameri-
canism. They see their parents
struggling on old farms upon which
former families have failed and be-
reve there Is nothing in farming.
The frequent dilapidated condition
Of rented farms and the small yields
in comparison with the days of their
fathers cause boys to lose faith in
agriculture.
In every avenue of life the boys
notice the results of concerted or
ganization against the farmer. They
see the numerous trIsts, great cor
p5rations and combinations Of cap
.tal arrayed against the farmer with
noappurent better conditions in sight
for the future The land produces
small crops of wheat. corn and pOta
toes and Il combination of buyers or
board Of trade corners the market
md lowers the prices of wheat the
-armer has to sell and raises. the
charges when he is the buyer. These
mfavOrable conditions must change
before the boys will be content to re
main on the farm. They must be
Fec0gnIzed by the present farmers in
-1e matter Of wages and the future
6 land holdings.
One Of the great evils of farming,
noted by the boys, is the generallOss
t soil fertility and the consequent
decrease Of crops and land values. A
Prop of corn yielding so bushels per
Fcre, viii remove 81 pounds of DhOs-
l1orlc acid, g. pounds of nitrogen
End :" pounds Of potash annually
Pom that one acre. If this is kept
9 for many years without replen-
Shin the plant food the soil be-
ONES worthless for corn growing. a
ou~Ael crop of wheat takes from
lie >p-. 2lpounds of phOsphOric acid,
pounds of nitrogen and 81 pounds
poca~I The same land will not
NJ remain a prolific wheat field if
4e soil Is not replenished. This can
don. only by using fertilizers con
amin the elements Of plant food
a6en Up by the respective crops.
''a-..u Of crops does some good
IA1 leaving the land to rest Occa-
2na-.E assists in holding the essen
~.> Vi plant food, but annual appi-
~"Dl~ Ut fertilizers Is necessary. I
L'e.- farmer should study first
W" IT, increase his annual yield of
'im lroducts, and second how to
PROPERTY market what he produces.
-e secret of the first lies in the pur-
~1>ln- and using of fertilizers, and
~e second in cooperating with
~er tnrmers in securinga profitable
oF1er. \ proper mixture Of pot
~' llosphoric acid and nitrogen,
--.1 -un be learned by reading re
'9-e a-ricultural journals and test
= IAn soil, will increase the yield
Corn from 30 to so per cent. and
ave the land in fine condition for
y following year. Repeated official
>~r1uents have demonstrated this
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