The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-02-04

A port received at the Depart.
ment # Agriculture notes the con-
struv- Ion Of a device which will no
doubt be very useful to gardeners.
The machine is designed TO destroy
weeds in drives and walks by means
of direct heat of burning fuel brought
TO bear on the surface of the walk,
charring and killing all weeds,
grasses and fallen seeds. It consists
mainly of an inclosed fire box for
holding burning coke and drum
containing a fan for creating a
draft When drawn over the ground
and allowed to stand still for few
seconds, it is said to be very efficient
and TO do away with the expensive
work of hoeing drives, paths, or the
use of arsenioal poisons, hot water,
salt and like destroyers.
GROWING EGYPTIAN COTTON.
The Agricultural Department re-
ports success of the experiments
made in Arizona with growing the
long static Egyptian cotton under
irrigation. Attempts were made TO
grow this variety in the Southern
States, but the climate was not dry
enough TO warrant any further
trials.
If Egyptian cotton can be grown
in Arizona and New Mexico through
irrigation, it would mean a saving of
at 50, ,OOO, 900 year TO this country,
as we annually import that amount.
Owing TO the similarity between
the valleys of Southern Arizona,
New Mexico and Old Mexico to the
valley of the Nile-soil and climate
and the necessity for irrigation
there is every reason TO believe that
we should be able TO produce all of
our Egyptian" cotton at home.
THE FIGHT AGAINST OLEO FRAUDS.
The Committee on Agriculture of
the House of Representatives has
agreed upon a bill in regard TO the
manufacture and sale of oleomar.
garine, which it is stated, embraces
all the best provisions of the Grout
Bill of last year together with few
additions which seem TO strengthen
the measure.
The bill agreed upon by the oom.
mittee places a tax of ten cents q
pound upon all limitations oolored to
resemble butter and tax of only
one fourth q cent a pound upon un-
oolored limitations. This is the prin.
ciple championed by General Grout
while he was engaged in this fight.
Il puts premium upon the honest
marketing of butter limitations.
The Committee has also inserted
an amendment defining manufao-
turer of oleomRrgarine in which is is
explained that 'any person that sells,
vends or furnishes oleomargarine
for the use and consumption of
ethers, except TO his own family and
guests thereof, without oOmpensa-
ton, who shall add 80, or mix with
such oleomargarine any Ingredient
or coloration that causes it TO look
like butter shall also be held TO be a
manufacturer of oleomsrgarine."
The oleo advocates in presenting
their side of the case, have dwelt
upon the wholesomeness and purity
of their products, while the pure
butter people have tried so make
plain the fact that the fight is not
upon oleOmargarine as such, but
against the frauds which are COM
mitted by the producers and handlers
of that commodity.
If the law is strictly enforced there
will be no object for the retailer TO
sell the imitation product as pure
butter, charging butter prices for it,
for the tax will bring the retail
price TO approximately the average
of butter prices The sole purpose
then of coloring the imitation to
resemble butter wili be to cater to
the trade, preferring the imitation
TO the real, but which dislikes the
white appearance of the former in
it's proper state and is willing to pay
an extra price for the indulgence of
this taste.
THE CATTLE QUARANTINE.
The Bureau of Animal Industry
has just issued an order making sew
eral alterations and changes in the