The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-02-18
Agriculture.
EEWs OF THE FARMING WORLD.

Sections Of the Country.
correspondence OF The Progressive Farmer.
The House Committee on Com
meroe favorably reported the bill to
prevent the false branding or mark
ing of food and dairy products. The
report de.oribes the extent TO which
uisbranding is praoticed and refers
20 the failure of our laws to provide
nunishment for dishonest an unscru-
pulous parties. Cheese ard maple
syrup are given as examples of ar
Holes often subject TO misbranding
Tho bill provides heavy penalties for
guiltv parties. Is is expected the
bill will pass the Senate and become
a lava short step in the direction
of a pure food act.
The Statistician of the Department.
of Agriculture is preparing a report
showing the
CHANGES IN THE RAILROAD FREIGHT
RATES
The report deals not only with the
charges for the transportation of
agricultural products to the principal
markets. and seapOrts, but also with
those for furniture, agricultural i'm
plements, dly gods, boots and shoes,
and other commodities used by the
farmer, from New York TO Chicago,
st. Louis, and other important dis,
tributing points in the Western
States and ON the Pa'ifio Coast.
The figures presented by the bulle-
tin show a steady oheapening Of the
freight rates. In 1857 it cost the
farmer on an average throughout
the country 90 cents or nearly 2
cents per mile to ship ton of pro,
duoe. In 1900 it COST him 20, or
less than three-fourths of a cent
ton a mile. Of course this is an
average and includes long hauls.
The figures of the last three years
show a great increase in the value
of freig hit shipped. In 1926 the aver
age number of tons carried 1 mile
per mile of road operated by all rail
roads was 523,83 The ton miles
Der mile of line for 1900 is reported
'35, 366, an increase in the density of
treigh5 traffic of over 40 per cent In
four years. The great industrial
activity of the last two years has
been enabled, through the adoption
Of cars of larger tonnage capacity
and the employment of heavier loco
motives, To produce this result.
The Department. of Agriculture has
In press
BRRF BULLETIN ON JOHNSON GRASS,
bye R. Ball, an Assistant Agrostolo
gist, which states some very inter-
esting history concerning this grass
and shows how a plant may spread
over the country. Johnson grass
was introduced from Turkey into
Alabama and South Carolina sixty
years ago. Is spread West until now
1t is found along the irrigating
bitches IF Arizona and California
and the coast region of Oregon and
Washington. Is il described as of
gree- value as hay and forage
plant, Lut it is also d pest as 1T l.
difficult 10 eradicate. The bulletin
deals specifically with this feature
OF possible control and shows that as
Its almost only means of propagation
Is thr ugh seeds, the spreading OF
she gru-s could be checked if the |
seels were not allowed so ripen. |
NoRing, cattle grazing and other |
means are suggested 80 keep this |
hay grass down. Whenitis grown for |
1t sl uII be cut before in full seed. |
This l.. proves tie quality of the hay |
also. Texas has law making it IA |
msGemeanOr to scatter the seed OF |
this grass Or Russian thistle, or TO |
sell a8y Oat or other seed containing |
1t. The bulletin states that the firm |
belief whlCn il ingrounGe Ell in many |
farmers that Johnson grass cannot
Be controlled or eradicated is IN
warranted, and discusses the various |
methods OF cultivation, winter fal-
low. summer fallow, cultivation in
crops, use of chemicals and present
Methods.
GROWTH OF THE OLEO INDUSTRY.
The Census Bureau has issued an
osher of its advance bulletins which,
II view of the debate over the oleo-
margarine bill in the House of Rep
t0sentatives, is very timely. The
Ouletn shows that in the ten years
ending J1pa 1OOO |