The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-07-22
TWO KIKps OF MEN WHO ADVISE
WARMERS"

practical experience on the farm, yet
constantly belabor our agricultural
population with gratuitous advice as
to the proper way to manage a plan
tation. Says Editor Johnson:
"Surely no set of men in all the
earth have had so much advice offered
to them without money or price. Ever
since we can remember the editors of
newspapers, some of whom do not
know a shovel from a bull tongue, have
plead with the farmers to diversity
their crops. And professors and
preachers, politicians and statesmen
have talked piously and wisely about
the extravaganza and laziness of 'our
agricultural population We remem-
Der that an eloquent and learned col
lege president made a Statewide rep
utation on the necessity of scientific
hillside ditching, though he could not
drain a half acre lot to save his neck.
All this a and top-lofty talk by
men on the outside of the fence has
created In the mind of the average
farmer a suspicion that what is print
ed or spoken in the way of advice to
farmers is mostly buncombe. And he
is right. Much of it is exactly that
very thing. The finest farmers we
know are not very glib either with
tongue or pen; but they know their
business. They are doors rather than
takers. 1t is all very well for a man
with a billed shirt to sit in the shade
and tell the farmers how it ought to
be done, but it is about as sensible as
it would be for him to write an arti-
Gle on how an engineer should run his
engine or a saw mill man his business.
The farmer is going to do the best he
can for himself, and he will be apt to
listen to a man who knows how to adj
wise him, but a professional who
farms in the shade, he will not hear"
There is some reason for this warn
ing, for there is a class of writer's of
the character described by our con-
temporary, and some so-called farm
papers air their ideas regularly. The
pity of it is that the impractical ad-
vice given by such fellows has cast a
shadow of suspicion. over the work of
many men well qualified to lead the
farmers into nor progressive and
profitable ways-has even led some
farmers to look on all agricultural pa
-pers. as humbugs.
1t may not 6eRaPppgEGpriate there
fore to say just here, that the men
mentioned by Charity and Children
are never permitted to mislead Pro-
gressive Farmer readers. Our CORE
spondents are men who have had ac-
tual experience in managing farms
and who have made money at the
work. To illustrate, let us see who
are the men who have contributed to
our agricultural department this
week.
E1ISJ, LlSIS Is MI l. e. mGITldI1s
of Battle Hill, Ga, one of the best
known and most successful farmers
and truckers in the South. He and
his partner, Mr. Nash, have made as
much as $4,000 per year by their work.
No sane man would say that the aver
age farmer can learn nothing by read
ing the. views and counsel of such
men.
Then there is Mr.. W. G. Smith, a
large tobacco planter of Caswe1l
County, a progressive farmer, an ad-
vocate of better stock and better
methods.
Harry Farmer down III Columbus
County has had many years expe-
rience as a farmer, and has shown his
neighbors and his readers many help
full improvements and many ways of
lettering their condition.
Mr.. o. W. Black"aIl is one of the
largest strawberry growers in the
South. No other one man, we believe,
ships SO many berries to the New
York market.
And there are before us as we write
this, left over for publication next
week, an article on spraying by Mr..
Franklin Sherman who has given this
and kindred matters years of study,
and an article on s~heep-raising by Mr..
Samuel Archer who has managed big
Rocks successfully in the Great West
and whose wool has won premiums in
Europe and America.
Such men as these are the men who
speak to u readers week after week.
The editor himself, while he very sell