The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-10-01

ment of several rural free delivery
routes in Guilford county. At pres
ent there is not one of these routes
tnethe county, and, strange to say,
no effort has ever been made to
secure one. A great many people in
the county have expressed a desire
forroutes, but no one has taken the
initiative. Congressman Kitchin has
induced the Post Office Department
to send an inspector to this district
TO go over proposed routes in several
counties. HI will this week go to
Rockingham county, where it is pro-
posed to establish two or three
routes.
A few days ago a State flag was
run up over the Manufacturers Club
In the Observer building in Char
lotte, and that paper says that pretty
soon people began to make inquiries
as to what it meant. Some of them
thought it was a weather signal flag,
others that it was the club colors
and others something else. There
upon the Observer had to explain
that it was the flag of the State. of
North Carolina. All of this suggests
that probably not one person in a
hundred knows the States colors or
would recognize a State flag if they
were to meet it in the road. 1t would
be a good idea if these flags were a
little more in evidence so that the
younger generation at least might
get acquainted with the States col
ors.-Exchange.
A good deal of the year has passed,
and but little has been done to reach
the vast number of children who
cannot read and write. The larger
and more valuable part of what has
been done is due to the earnest
efforts of two denominations-the
Presbyterians and Baptists. Col.
Toon is greatly interested in better
ing the public school system, but he
will find, if his own eyes are not al
ready opened, that some of the men
who talk the loudest about the free
schools have furnished the least real
and help 1t is one thing
to talk, but another thing to do.
The children of the free schools do
not very deeply interest some of our
leading educators. But the churches
must continue the good work they
have begun and some time, if not in
1908, every child in the State will be
able to read and write.-Charity and
Charlotte Observer: Mr.. R. r.
editor of the Statesville Land
who is spending his vacation
at Balsam, Jackson county, writes
interestingly to his paper of the
country and people. "Cattle sheep
and hogs-especially cattle and
5heep"-he says, "are raised for
market, and this industry is CON
siderable )" but, he adds: The lum-
Der industry, however, is the chief
industry. Corporations, in the main
of Northern men, have
secured timber rights all over the
Mountains. They have built tram
,oads and by bringing into use all
modern appliances are rapidly put
the timber on the market. In a
:ew years, unless something unfOre-
Jeen occurs, the mountains will be
lenuded of the magnificent forests,
which means that destruction by
storms and floods, which always fol
ow the destruction of timber, will
70 greater in the future than any
hing we have yet seen. Thus do
ne of our natural sources of wealth
and with it our natural
nd only protection against floods
nd overfows.
The farmers of Cleveland county
purchased more improved farm
ng machinery this year than ever
efore. A larger number of wheat
rills, binders and reapers we're sold
han is usually the case, but none of
hese were in it all when it came to
axes and mowers. For the past
the sales have been unparal-
led. Over $50 mowers and rakes
ave been fitted up and sold by
helby dealers to Cleveland county
and all have not been sup
lied, but the manufacturers have
of hean able To fnrnish machines