The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-12-23

pnoophorlc acid, which shall NOT :
man . per cent; soluabIe notassio uht%
snai not be less than one per cent an
49, "nicn snail not be less than TWO
= eent. This created an immature
attH-anu ior acid phosphate, as if required
40, i'lop pounds Of acid phosnbato
trra. !" practically controlled bv a
,hon very tor of this fertilizer
"hen me soils did not need il
oon ~ eHacted, | estimate at least se5o
~ !" year Tor acid phosphate from tho
- Vi North Carolina in excess of
ao OF the phosphoric acid they
L As the law is now, they can use
"nd' chemicals their soils and crons p o
qulre and are relieved fror
.lust tribute if they see fit to do 90
Inc soils of the Coastal Plain r do
Hclent TO potash and if our farmers viii
: q lar2c percentage of potash in their
elOlHzer they will find it greatly 10 thor
"oFahlage TO do so-making larger crops
Win cheaper fertilizers, and fertilizer
COMPANIES Will make brands to suit their
uenidhos. The brands Of fertilizer on the
iialhet now, and most generally used
sun contain S per cent. phosphor;c acid
winch ~phosphoric acid is used as q frer
ana IN many soils is entirely unneeded
An intelligent club of farmers could
use only what their soils demanded and
puy thelr fertilizer in quantities. which
"oaio De a greater saving. AS an illus
tfatlon of the difference in wholesale and
retail prices, | will instance one. | saw
acid phosphate offered in December
1879, Tor $3.50 a ton and sold at retail in
May, 1900, at $500 a ton. If farmers
associations would buy the raw material
tcnemlcals) and mix their own fertilizer.
C1eN would ave several dol1a,c % +~, ~,
each ton used. or more thar 81, GEO, 900 a
year. This alone is worth organizing for.
l nave reason to believe that during the
year 1903 several farmer fertilizer com
panleS viii be organized in North Caro-
INA (thls is probably the most inviting
leld tor investment in our State today,
and | nope that our farmers will soon be
sharing with the fertilizer trust some of
the profits they are making out of the
fertilizers we are compelled to use.
For a generation the power and in
fuence of the farmer has been waning.
In North Carolina four-ffths of our peo-
pie live by agriculture, but they are a
scattered, unorganized mass and do not
exercise the influence they should. 1t
has been estimated that of the young
men coming of age in North Carolina
annually, about Is, 900 become farmers
'"' ySA5 civ "
the same number become preachers and
doctors. Is there any question as to the
relative influence welded by these boys
individually? Is the farmer welding the
power he should?
In the United States today, more than
half its population live on the farm.
More than cne-third Of the people en-
gagged in "gainful occupations" work on
the farms and they have invested in
agriculture twenty billion dollars, or
four times that invested in manufac-
turies. Of the appropriations of the
last billion dollars Congress-, the smallest
of the general appropriations was made
10 agricuIturc--$5, POS, 960-when the pro-
ducts Of agriculture amount to five
billion dollars annually. The business
interests of the country are organized
and are legislated for and protccted-the
laboring man is organized and demands
protection and his voice is hcard-the
millions of farmers are forgotten. Why?
Because he will not assert himsclf-be-
cause they are unorganized. Combined
they would be all powerful.
Organization is our hope-it is the key
to the situation. and we should meet
combination with combination
1t is to be hoped that the general gov
eminent Will eventually supervise and
control trusts. but our only salvation
now is in oursclves-let us unite for self
protcctiOn-in which righteous cause it
is only necessary for the farmers to stand
together to ultimately better their con-
ditiOn and succeed.
This meeting at Rocky Mount should
be well attended. The interests of indie
! pendent buyers, manufacturers ware
housemen and farmers are interviewer
and Independent, and they cannot af-
ford to lose this opportunity to consult
together concerning those matters which
so vitality concern their welfare.
]. Bryan GRIMES.
December Il. 1902.