The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-05-29
AgriC ture.
AGRICULTURE OR MANUFACTURING!

Energies Toward Manufaoturing?-
Mr. J. J. Lilies of Anson County, at A. &
II College, Raleigh, May 10, 1900.
North Carolina is an agricultural
state. It's lands are productive, in
all sections yielding under proper
cultivation a generous return to
labor. Even if we are excelled in
the production of a few special crops,
we cannot afford to give up any that
we now raise. If the wheat and
corn crops of the Western States are
failures. those States are badly
crippled. but with our soil and eli
mate. we are not dependent on any
one crop. If the sugar crop is Il fail
ure in Louisiana, if the corn crop is
failure in Kansas, if the cotton
crop in Texas and Mississippi is
ruined, then these States are thrown
into a deplOrable condition but with
our diversity of crops we are sure to
hit the season.
1t is true that we are eXcelled in
Z
afford to give up our 900, 900 bales
worth $24,OOO,OOO when the demand
for cotton as now shown by the ris-
ing price, is far in excess of supply?
We raise $1,000, 900 bushels of corn
annually, worth, at a low price, S16,-
500. 900; and we must continue to
raise this necessary product, because
when the Western crop is a failure,
this quantity Of corn is worth at
least $25. 900, 600. Although we raise
only 1, 75O 900, bushels wheat, worth
$1,000, 900, it is to our advantage to
continue its production. Our Oat
crop amounts to 7,65O,OOO bushels,
&2.2OO,OOO.
Even if we had to give up these
four crops which are produced in the
face of such great competition, and
which are worth $40, 700, OOOy we have
others Take hay, sweet potatoes
and Irish potatoes worth So, 500, 900;
cattle worth 1,SOO, 900; hogs valued
at $f,5OO,O0O; apples and peaches at
low price bring $6,OOo,0Oo; and to-
baccO. Sc. 900, 600.
Our tobacco is first in quality and
second only in quantity to that of
any other State in the Union. We
have a worldwide reputation for this
product. In civilized nations, in
blrbarOus nations, wherever men
smoke, there the fragrance from this
plant grown in North Carolina rises
from pipes filled with BLACKWELL 5
Bull Durham.
North Carolina ; Strawberries are
the finest in the world. They have
been sold in Northern cities for 10
cents per single quart. OF course
this was an exceptional case, but is
Indicative Of what can be done.
From one farm Of 80 acres in 1896
$4,000 was received Gardening
under glass and in heated green
houses is the coming opportunity for
our truckers. One firm at New
R1nn last winter made on one acre
ot lettuce during the month of March
$1,000. Another grower had 81
acres under. glass and realized from
his frames during the winter and
spring S6. 800. In "a single season
from the farm of Messrs. blackburn
& Willett have been sold produce
worth 50, 900. Our early vegetable
crop of the East and the late crop of
the West were, four years ago, sell
iu- Tor 100000 Now they bring
t1ir. that amount. Putting Il low
estimate on all of our crops and sum-
ming them up, we find that we sell
>1.00n.00O worth of produce an
nUallv, besides d large sum which is
realized from our forest products.
ON the other hand, when we look
into the conditions of some of our
leading ngmanufacturing States, we are
brought to realize the necessity Of
continuing as a farming people.
The area of North Carolina is 81,
S@G square miles, and that of Massa-
clu~attS only S,315. The rented
houses of our State number 166, 436,
and massachusetts, less than one
sixth the size Of North Carolina has
"'-,a6. nearly twice as many as we
have Our mortgaged houses num-
".r $3.50, while Massachusetts, one
Oh the leading manufacturing States
"i the Union, has 66,249, nearly ten
uno. as many. We find Connecticut
IN the same condition. Her area is