davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-01-16

see that the conditions of our soil are
right beto ore we plant. We cannot
aft 1rd to throw away work and fertili
zers on a crop which may fail for
want of this one essential crop point.
We cannot afford to run risks.
I recently rode through neighbor's
bottoms where the corn crop was a
failure on the richest land he had, be
cause it was too wet. ALI the land had
been prepared and fertilized alike in
the spring, but where he should have
had his best CORD, he had the poorest
What loss! And it could have been
prevented so easily by a little under
draining last winter when he had the
time, and could have done it well
enough. How many years the crop
has been a failure on that piece of
land I do not know, but a great many,
1 should j ldge, for the land has been
IN cultivation a long time and every
wet season adds to the debit side of the
ledger against those acres
Now is the time to do this work, and
keep at it until you are ready to start
your plows next spring. No invest
ment that know of will begin to pay
as we'll as money and work put into
under drains in the right places, and
when the work is well done, it will
Oring with it steady revenue each
year, to say nothing OF the pleasure
and satisfaction of knowing that you
are doing your bgst.
Now, friends, remember that in
every successful undertaking, it is
necessary to begin at the bottom; and
IN agriculture this often means at the
bottom Of the ditch.
e. J. MERRIAM.
Battle Hill, Ga.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-01-16
WESTERN CAROLINA APPLES.

It is we'll to severely cgiticise the
careless-often reckless msnner-in
which apples are gathered and mars
keted in this rsgjon. but more should
be said ii regard to the shameful neg.
Iect Of the trees in too many instances.
In fact it is the exception when they
are really properly cared for. Too
many are SCARED, hacked to pieces,
instead of being carefully and intelIi-
gently trimmed, and left to battle un.
aided with Injurious insects and fun.
gous diseases that are increasing so
rapidly that the time is soon coming
when only those who give faithful, in.
telligent and unremitting care to their
trees will secure choice fruit,
What with the numbe RS of worth
less seedlings that are allowed to con.
tinue bearing their inferior fruit in.
stead of being grated into good varie-
ties, the hasty and injudicious seleo-
tion of varieties often made when
growing or buying trees to plant, and
the neglect of the treee after being
planted, great deal of the fruit is in.
ferior or worthless before it is gath
cred.
During his recent visit to this region
to secure apples to exhibit at Paris
next year / let Seer etary Bruner have
five barrels of the fifteen to be fur
nished by the State GEO. E Boggs.
in Charlotte Observer.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-01-16
SAN JOSH scALR IN GEORGIA.

Thirty thousand fruit trees, COM.
prising the entire orchards of D. @. &
6 N. Bacon, in Mitchell county, Ca,
we're burned Monday by order of State
Entomologist Scott, owing to the raw.
ages Of the San Jose scale.
In the immediate neighborhood os
levitt, Ga, in the counties of Irwin,
Berrien, Worth end Mitchell, are more
than 300 900 fruit bearing peach trees,
and in justice to the owners Of neigh.
boring orchards, as we'll as to perform
a service Of the State, the trees will be
destroyed. Toe work Of destroying
the orchards will require several weeks
time,
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-01-16
RALEIGH. N. G.. JANUARY le. 1900.

ing at that, not eff of cotton, let tt g
price be what it may, but utterly and
entirely independent of cotton. First
make the living eff of the products of
the farm, then raise all tie cotton you
can, always being sure that it is cotton
and not provisions that is the surplus
crop.
There is and always will be brisk
and constant demand for beef, butter,
poultry, eggs, etc., and usually at
prices that will en- able the wide awake
producer, who takes the trouble to
understand his business, to realize a
profit thereon. Although sudden
changes from cotton to tobacco, or
truck, or indeed, any other sudden
change in the way Of cash or money
crops, oftentimss entail decided and
disastrous loss, there is no possible
chance of loss in gradually enlarging
our pastures, in raising more hay,
more small grain, as wheat, barley,
oats and rye, sowing more land down
! TO COW peas, putting out more fruit
! trees, and taking better care Of our
orchards, enlarging our vegetable gar
dens and raising vegetables in greater
variety and gre eater abundance. Then,
when we have done all this, incres sing
cur supply of live stock of all kinds,
until we have enough on hand to con-
sumo the increased amount of forage,
then would we be able to increase, in
stead OF continually decreasing, the
fertility Of our soils. Then would our
farms be rendered really and truly
s9lt-sustaining; then would the acre
age devoted to provision crops be so in
creased, and the acreage devoted to
cotton so decreased, as to insure re
munerative prices for all the cotton
that could possibly be produced on this
decreased acreage. Then would the
cotton raiser be rendered largely inde-
pendent Of the indolent, and often
times impudent, class Of labor with
which he is at present accused Then
would that humiliating and enslaving
habit of depending on the merchant
for the veriest necessities of life, as
meat, bread, etc., become a thing of
20 past, and instead OF having these
things to buy, he would have them to
sell. This is the kind of diversifcation
the South needs, and needs badly. A
eystem of diversif1cation that shall
render them largely independent of,
fret, the thrifty, kind and extremely
ooligiog merchant; second, the indo-
lent, shIftless labor, the transportation
companies and the fertilizer manutac
turers; in short, it would work hard
chip or injustice to none, while is would
render the Southern farmer the most
independent being on the top side of
Gods green earth. In this not worth
striving for7
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-01-16
HORTICULTURE
GOOD ARTICLES AND WIDER
MARKETS.

Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.
The question of increasing the profits
of fruit growing must always interest
farmers, and ct this season of the year
it is a good time to lay plans for the
next campaign. Most of us are just
ordinary fruit growers Who follow the
old ways of others without trying to
make any particular reform. On the
whole the man who always sticks to
old, tried principles is safe, but he does
not make the most of his talents all
ways My father and grandfather
raised fruits before me for a living, but
l cannot make the money they did by
following their business methoCs The
reason seems to be that the times have
changed, and the new conditions de-
mand new plans and ways.
Specializing an industry frequently
brings better results than anything
else; for years have tried to 81 eciali19
the work of raising fruits. Ny special
ties are simple enough, and some would
hardly dignity my efforts as such. But
I have some we'll defined plans which l
am working out and every thing moves
toward their completion. Ny first
speciality is that Of raising fine fruits
It must be a good article, or do not
ship it to market. Whether the crop
is OF pears, peaches, apples, plums or
berries, it must be above the average
in quality to suit me. am working
to ward this end all the time, and be
lieve it is in that line that we must ex
pect to find theSgreatest profits. Bet
ter articles each year is what I strive
for, but do not always succeed.
The next point Of specializing that I
wish to refer to ia a wider market
Many people speak of widening their
marke ts, but do they understand that
they have got to have the right goods
to enter wider markets with9 A lot
of ordinary fruits raised in one corner
of the country could not seek wider
markets where transportation rates
are large, but il they were exception
ally fine fruits they might go to the
most distant markets and command a
premium. You cannot widen your
markets unless you have superior ar
ticles to sell. First raise good article,
then, if prices warrant it, ship them
thousand miles away. have sent
fruits this distance and obtained ex-
cellent returns on them. Usually,
however, markets nearer home will
absorb all the fine products that can be
raised. It is quite a rare occurrence
for any large city market to be glutted
with very fine products. II is the in
ferior and second rate articles that pull
down the prices. Raise only the best,
and you can always find purchasers.
That has been my belief, and my expe
rience with fruits bears it out in every
detail JAMES 8. SMITH.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-01-16
WINTER KILLING OF INSECTS.

Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
It Is refreshing to learn from scEen
tific sources that other things be
side fruit rees, winter wheat and other
farm products suffer from cold,
open winters. 1t appears pretty clear
now that many noxious insects are
killed by the intense colo, and in some
sections they are nearly exrerminated.
Sudden changes of temperature are
| specially destructive to these insects,
and an open, severe winter is generally
followed by a fewer number OF noxious
insects, while winter OF uniform
temperature and with plenty Of sno "
on the ground is succeeded by a good
crop Of early bugs and insects, It will
Oe noticed that the same kind Of win
ters kills the insects that generally in
jure the fruit trees and crops. Oonse-
quently we can mak e scme calculations
as to when we need to be the most en-
ergetic in spraying.
The insects that are specially in
jlred by the severe wiz ter weather are
the white peach scale, the harlt quin
cabbage bug, the grub, thrip and simi
tar insects. In fact, very few of our
injurious insects can withstand the ex
treme changes Of freezing and thawing
which characterize some of our win
ters. Ali of these insects can be freq IN
up in blocks Of ice and they will come
out again as lively as when they went
into Information quarters. But freez
and thaw them for several days or
weeks in sue oession, and they quickly
succumb.
Insects which winter in the ground
are thus subject to destruction by the
intermittent cold and warm wea her
Of winter, but the noXious and friendly
insects are alike killed in this way. If
we could devise some means of saving
the latter we would find real benefit
in our winter weather; but unfortun
ately this seems impossible. As the re
suit the friendly insects are often
killed off in such numbers that some OF
th g noxious which are bred in protected
PLACES appear in larger forces than ever
because their natural enemies are
fewer in numbers. There is quite a
problem to learn how to control the in
sects in winter as well as in GUNNER
1t has been suggested that by spread
ing some food for the inEecls in a
certain field late in autumn they can
be attracted to a restri icted area, and
Oy keeping this place free from the
prote c5ion of snow most Of them might
be killed off. But this plan has more
OF the experiment in it than actual
facts After it has been ono demon
stresed scientifically that alternate
thawlng and freezing kill the insects in
may not be so long before some means
may be discovered to make this knoWI
edge OF practical value. Heretofore we
thought the insects were absolutely
proof against cold weather in any
form. Now We know differently, and
that is one great step 10 advance.
JAMES 8. DOTY.
New York.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-01-16
No. 48

ILL, remarks what is worthy to be con.
sldered by all orchardists. He says:
More orchards fail through being
set in unsuitable soil than from any
other cause. The trees should always
be set where the soil is supplied with
sufficient store of plant food"
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-01-16
FARMERS QUESTION BOX.
CURING MEAT; PICKLING PORK.

EDITORS PROGRESSIVE FARMER
Please answer the following ques-
tions through the columns of your
paper:
1. What is the best method of cur
ing pork2
/. What is the best method for pick
ling pork for summer use9
H.F.C.
Cumberland Co., N. O.
(Answer by Corresponding Editor
Emery, M. s.
/, We do not know that the method
we have used is the best though it has
given very toothsome hams. We cur.
tailed the curing some not liking the
strong smoky favor 80 we'll, but for
summer use it would be we'll to con-
tinue the smlke two to three weeks.
Kill pigs in the early part Of cool
wave. Cool the meat by hanging at
least "a hours, but do not allow any
part of it to freeze. Then cut up as
desired and salt down in bulk. Thor
ough cleanliness should be observed at
eve,y step. Use from one to four
ounces of powdered saltpetre dusting
it over the flesh sides. Some have a
rule to use one fourth pound for each
hundred pounds of pork. We have
used less, but have never tried to pre-.
pare hams for long keeping. Rub salt
freely over all the cut surfaces and pile
on bench or clean plank floor with
good drainage. In three days re-pite
and sat over, allow the meat to re.
main about one day for each pound in
each ham or shoulder. We have short
ened this some. Then break bulk,
wipe off excess of salt and cover the
cut surfaces thoroughly with pepper.
This is best done by making rather
stiff mixture of pepper in molasses.
This wards off insect attacks. Hang
in smoke house and smoke two TO
three weeks, observing to increase the
smoke every day. II omissions occur
lengthen the time. Hickory chips or
trimmings, corn cobs, or oak are the
best smoke fuel. When smoked in-
close hams, shoulders, sides and break
fast scrips in close fitting muslin or
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-01-16

In note to the editor of The Farm
ers' Voice, Charles E Himmel, the
well known horticulturist of Bishop,
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-01-16

[OoNTTNUM on PAGE 81
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1900-06-26

Young America.

In one of the large cities OF the mid
die west a man who occupies an inn
portant and responsible position in the
councils of the Standard Oil company
happens to reside not far from the
home OF labor agitator. The two
men naturally have not much in COM
mon, bat their two boys, upon whom
the artificial distinctions of society ex-
ercise less restraint, are great friends.
Papa" said the son of the rich man.
coming in ore day from romp with
his playmate, ARE you going to vote
for Higginson ply which name may
be designated one of the candidates for
mayor in pending city election. ITO
be sure" answered his father. "Well.
/ Wouldn't" said the boy, with great
positiveness. why, not, Freddy"
asked the magnate, considerably
amused. Would you vote for the
other man? No? What's your poll
tics, anyhow" "I don't know yet, "
rejoined Freddy. but" and he stuck
his hands in his pockets and stood
with his feet wide apart, I'm down on
trusts!"
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1900-06-26
Always Face the Engine.

From the Pittsburg Bulletin: In his
prime the late Mr. John Cook, the
great tourist agent, was man of iron
frame. But when years of railway
travelling, which averaged annually
some 10000 miles, produced certain
alarming symptoms, ne made a dis
covery that may be worth giving to
the public. He found that the threat
ened trouble, something spinal, disap-
peared when he no longer sat with his
back to the engine. He always there
after faced it, and that the principle
is sound will be borne out by others
whom he advised to do the same. All
who are called upon to do much rail-
way travelling will be wise to sit fac
Ing the horses"
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1900-06-26
THE BURLINGTON ROUTE
BEST LINE,

WEST: st. Louis to Kansas City.
st. Joseph, Omaha, NebrasA a. Den
yer, Utah, Pacific Goast-TW @
TRAINS DAILY. Weekly California
Excursions,
NORTH EST: to Black Hills,
Montana, Washington, Puget Sound
via the short Bil ings Route-50 to
500 miles saved. from st. Louis.
Tourists sleepers Tuesdays and
THURSDAYS, Kansas City to Seattle
NORTH: to ST. Paul and Mime
apolis-THREE TRAINS DAILY.
HOMESEEKERS' EXCURSIONS
to the West and Northwest.
1900 Miles Of Standard Railroad.
The Main Travelled Road in the
Louisiana Purchase.
Wide-VestlbEled, Pintsch-lighted
complete trains of chair cars (seats
freel, Pullman eleepers.
All Ticket Agents can ticket via
the Great Burlington Route.
Write.
FM FUGG, L w WAKELY,
t p A, Goa Pine ST., Gen. Passenger Ag,t
st Louis. Me. st. Louis, Mo.
HOWARD ELLIOTT, Gent NJ. uager.
ST. Louis, 40.
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1900-06-26
Farming In Colorado and New Mexico

The Denver & Rio Grande Rail-
road, THE Scenic Line of the World, 7"
has prepared an illustrated book ap-
Oh the above subject, which Will be
s0nt free to farmers desiring to
change tn cir location. This publica-
ton gives valuable information in
regard TO the agricultural. horticul-
tural and live stock interests OF this
section, and should be in the hands
ofevery one who desires TO become
acquainted with sthe methods OF
of farming by irrigation. Write s.
K. Hooker, g. P. e.. T. A, Denver,
Colo tt
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1900-06-26
First Thanksgiving Day in England.

Though Thanksgiving day is not
now national institution in England,
special days of national thanksgiving
have been from time to time appoint
ed after great victories or other deliv.
erances from national peril. The first
of these days, which is the first day of
national thanksgiving recorded in
English history, was that celebrated
on Sept. s, 1888, after the destruction
Of the Spanish armada.
Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1900-06-26
)Dnnt.tless .Renamhered..

The Advocate of India" tells of a
curious way of rejoicing. The Nawab
of Rampore being blessed with a
daughter, rejoicings were taking place
in his state, and weeks pay was de-
Quoted from every state official In
commemoration Of the event.
Morris tribune., 1900-01-06
Wednesdays Session.

After the call to order Wednesday
morning, the chairman announced
the following committees
Finance-O'Brien, Aanerud, Young
berg.
Court House - Eddy, O'Brien,
Youngberg.
County Farm Youngberg, Aaner-
nd, O'Brien.
Roads and Bridges-Full board.
Printing Aanerud, Eddy, Q 'Brien.
The remainder of the forenoon was
taken up mainly with going over the
bills and discussing them.
In the afternoon, after some discus
! sion of the inadequate provision
which is made at the court house for
probate records of the county, he
following motion was carried, That
the chairman appoint a committee OF
three to report on the advisapillty OF
building fire proof vault for ac-
commodation of the records of the
county and if found advisable to sub
NIT plans of construction and the
proper location of the same.
On motion, the auditors clerk hire
was fixed for the ensuing year at
$515.43.
The matter of electing the superin-
tendent Of the county poor farm
came up and Commissioner OBrien
moved that bids to do the work be
called for. This motion was voted
for by Aanerud and O Brien, against
by Youngberg and Smith The mo-
ton was therefore lost. On motion
J. H. Murray was re-engaged as sup
erintendent of the county farm and
his salary fixed at $500.
Morris tribune., 1900-01-06
WEATHER OBSERVATIONS.
The Average of Heat and Cold Varies
but Little.

1t is quite a general impression that
the seasons are changing, but the
records do not bear out any such con
clusion. Weather records kept in
Minnesota for nearly seventy-five
years show that the mean temperature
from year to year varies but little.
Some months are warmer than the
same months Of otker years and some
are colder, but the mean temperature
keeps nearly the same. When the
temperature for one month varies
much from the average, we can
reasonably expect the temperature of
some other month to vary as much
in the other direction; so that the
mean will be nearly the same.
During the past fifteen years the
mean temperature at Morris has been
nearly forty one degrees and during
no year has the mean temperature
varied three degrees from the normal
temperature for the fifteen years.
The variations from the average
precipitation for fifteen years has
been about seven inches. The aver
age precipitation, rain and melted
snow during fifteen years is 23.3
inches. In 1896 the precipitation
was 1853 inches, the smallest on
record and in 1896 it was 3O.5 inches
the largest.
The record for 1899 gave the fol
lowing temperatures:
January -11.2, six degrees warmer
than the average.
February -5.3, four degrees colder
than the average.
March -15.9, six degrees colder
than the average.
April 4.5, one degree warmer.
May-55.4, nearly the average.
Morris tribune., 1900-01-06
Teens
FROM THE INDIAN SCHOOL.

The work of tearing down the
buildings at Clontarf is still progress
ing.
Miss Smith, the seamstress has
been granted leave Of absence. She
started Tuesday to visit her parents
in San Francisco.
Wednesday evening at 7:30 fire
started in an empty room in the third
story. The hose was carried up the
bell tower and water was soon play
ing on the fire. Only slight dam,
age was done to the room, but the
water, however, soaked through the
floor and damaged the goods of Mr.
Warsdall in the room below consider
ably. A night wstchman vas ex-
pected daring the day and fire had
been built in the room. The stove
probably became so hot as to ignite
the woodbox which WAS between the
stove and wall.
The new dormitory is nearly COM
pleted and will be occupied near the
middle of the month.
The new night watchman and the
baker reported for duty Thursday
morning.
Morris tribune., 1900-01-06
Fridays Session.

The Friday morning session saw
sne consumation of the job to donate
$500 or $4O0 from the county fur DIS
to the support of the ring organ. On
the board psing called to order, we
stated that fHE tribune considered
itself under no obligations to accept
the award of the board to us of the
printing of the tax list for the reason
that our offer included all county
printing, as has been the custom.
The simple matter of designating
the Times as the paper in which to
publish the tax list then consumed the
combined energies of the board till
after II O'Clock. First the resolution
OF the day before haC to ce recon
sidered, Commissioner Youngherg-
be it said to his credit-being the
only one to vote against the recon
sideration. Then the Times was
designated as the official paper and
now the county will pay 19 per cent
of legal rates for having the tax Ii t
printed and SO per cent. of legal
rates for all other matter, aud the
treasury of Tammany will be that
much the richer.
Morris tribune., 1900-01-06
Thursdays Session.

A petition was presented praying
for another change in the road across
the Pomme de Terre river near the
N. R. Spur farm. A committee,
Youngberg, Aanerud, O'Brien, was
appointed to consider the matter.
They will meet on the afternoon of
Jan. 20 and proceed to the site of the
road
The petition of VIM. Wagner to be
set off from school District No. II TO
No. 26 was granted.
Bids from the physicians relative
to undertaking the work of the
county physician were then opened.
They were:-S. H. Spur, 1925; 81,
l.. Hulburd, $156; c, E. Caine, $3.50.
On motion. DIR. R. L. Hulburd was
elected county physician.
The bids on county printing being
opened were found to be as follows:
The TRIBUNE bid Is per cent. of
legal rates on the tax list and all
other official matter; The Sun bid 25
per cent. of legal rates on ali matter;
The Times bid 10 per cent: of legal
rates on the tax list and SO per cent.
Of legal rates on all other matter.
After the bids had bean opened, the
obvious thing to do was to elect The
TRIBUNE as the official paper, on
account of its bid being the lowest on
all counts, bat the board preferred to
let the matter lay over until after
dinner.
The petition Of Walter Page to be
set off from school district No, ~ to