The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-01-01
Scotland Co., N. G.
AGRICULTURAL STATUS OF NORTH
CAROLINA.

upon the above subject Core
spending Editor Irby, of The Pro
gressive Farmer, contributes very
readable letter to a recent issue of
the American Agriculturist. We
are sure that what he says will be
of interest to our readers, and we
therefore copy his letter herewith:
North Carolina is at present at
tracing wide attention from the
manufacturing world. Numerous
cotton mills, wood work and various
other factories are going up over the
State. Ten years ago nine-tenths of
her people were farmers, and only
One-tenth were engaged in all other
professions. There is a great change
in progress. Many of those who
were farmers are now turning their
attention to other industries, and
there is a large influx into the State
of Northern capital and people to de-
velOp her natural resources. Many
farmers look upon this change with
despair. They feel that farming is
about to play out. On the other
hand, those who wish to farm can
continue the business with every
assurance Of success, for whenever a
man quits farming and manufactures
profitably, he is one less in produc-
ing farm products, and one more on
the side of consumers.
From present indications the State
will be divided very differently in
the next 25 or so years. That the
agriculture OF North Carolina is i'm
proving goes without saying, with
those who contrast the condition of
today with that of 10 years ago. Un-
fortunately for the North Carolina
farmer, heretofore he was limited to
his home market in the ordinary
farm products. This State is often
called sample agricultural State, as
it fills about every blank in the agri-
cultural Department in Washington.
Though growing such variety, it
excels in very few things. For in
stance, we cannot compete with Illi-
nois in corn, with the West in wheat
and oats, with Mississippi in cotton,
nor with Louisiana in rice. In to-
bacco she excels in quality, but the
yield is low. Hence the North Caro-
lima farmer has been compelled to
depend on the home market for the
disposition of nearly all his crops.
Now if our home demand increases
and the number of farmers decrease
in proportion to men in other lines
of work, we readily see that we will
obtain better price for our products.
There is a slow but sure growth in
agricultural interest, and, as our
farmers are conservative, they take
on new ideas and new methods rather
slowly. The change is evidenced by
the improved farm machinery now
being shipped in. This was striking
at our last State Fair. The manu-
facturers of these improved ma
chiness send their goods, not only
to localities where they are needed,
but wherever they will be bought.
The agents say they have never met
with more encouragement than this
falE The farmers are calling for
better seeds, and for greater varie-
ties than ever before. The small
grains, clovers, etc, are being sown
much more extensively. 1t is not
uncommon now to see farmers using
cover crops for winter, thus protect
ing their lands from teaching and
washing, besides securing some
grazing. They are growing renovat-
ing crops freely during the summer,
and practicing rotation. They are