The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-10-29

little value for internal commerce,
and are shut off from the commerce
of the world by bars of sand that
blockade the coast from Norfolk to
| Charleston. 1t seems as If nature,
after making for us a climate per-
fectly suited to health and labor, and
creating wealth material wonderful
in quantity and variety, had hest
tated to bestow upon one people two
suoh splendid gifts and, finally, had
looked up against IS her resources
of wealth, in order to compel Us to
that high degree of human endeavor
which can be achieved only by the
aid of so perfect a climate
AGRICULTURE IN NORTH CAROLINA.
The chief pursuit of our people
and our chief source of wealth is
agriculture. But the average yield
of our soil per acre is scarcely mor
than half the average yield Of the
United States. Our yield of corn is
IA bushels, the average of the United
States, % Jul yield of wheat 9 bush
els, the average of the United States,
Is our yield of oats IA bushels, the
average of the United States, 26.
| Our yield of cotton and tobacco per
acre is above the average in quantity,
but also far above the average in
cost of production. In fact, if we
consider cost of production, which
is the real test, the average yield per
acre of the soil of North Carolina is
scarcely more than one third the
average of the United States. 1t
may be doubted whether the same
amount of labor bestowed upon agri
culture by the white race anywhere
on the globe produces such small re-
turns as in North Carolina. What,
then, shall we do about it? Shall
agriculture be abandoned? God
forbid No people a abandon agri
culture and maintain their civiliz4-
ton. The decay of Roman power
began with the decay of agriculture.
The greatness of England was
founded upon her splendid farms,
cultivated by splendid yeomen. The
force that preserves France from
decay and destruction by her vicious
and nervous cities is her hundreds
of thousands of little farms and her
-oS1IS0-a 0E nnoonr%a 1Sufr~ Gfn Mo
healthful lives of honest and honor
able toll.
There is a magic power in the soil,
which gives life and strength to
whatever lives upon it. From the
soil comes the food, the clothing,
and the dwellings of all mankind {:
from the soil comes directly or indi,
reotly every material for human
satisfaction and enjoyment. Nor is
this true only of material products.
All great men spring from the soil
The myths of all nations declare
their founders so have sprung from
mother earth. In all countries there
is an endless stream of humanity,
that flows each year from the oOun-
try to the city, carrying with it the
health, the strength, the character,
the power of mind, body and soul
requisite for the work that cities re
quire. Such power is produced only
on the farm. 1t can neither be gen
Grated nor developed in the atmo-
8 here of cities. Cut off the supply
of manhood material that the coun-
try sends yearly to the city, and the
cities would perish from the face of
the earth, as surely as if the supply
of material comforts were stopped.
HOW tt IMPROVE OUR AGRICULTURE
For the improvement of agrioul
ture in North Carolina, 1 should say
rather for the preservation of Ugri-
culture, there is need of four things.
l. More general use of machinery.
2. Better knowledge of agrioul-
ture.
8. Greater economy of labor and
of living,
4 Development of other industries
besides agriculture.
MORE GENERAL USE OF MACHINERY.
There is little employment of ma
chinery in North Carolina, especially
on the farm. Our people do not
know how to use it. 1t is doubtful
whether Wake county contains a
dozen farmers who can properly set
up an improved harvester, or a
shredder and husker. If got mp + T
them, they cannot repair it, should