The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-06-17
ORDINATIONS OF IN EAST TENNEssEE
FARMER.
Cor. of The Progressive Farmer.

"
son in East Tennessee, consequently
crops are not so far advanced as is
usual at this time of year, although
they are probably farther along than
at the same date last year. Corn, al
though small, is as a rule looking very
well, but the season has been too dry
for rapid growth. Wheat was winter
killed to a great extent, many fields
being plowed up for other crops. What
little is left has made a very poor
growth; and the indications are that
the crop will be the smallest in years.
Fruit is also a general failure. While
there will be a fair crop in a few
places, in many others there will be
very little or none. Pastures are not
so good as might be. wished; and alto
gether the outlook is for rather poor
year. 1t is hard to tell yet, however,
how things will turn out.
INCREASED INTEREST IN STOCK
RAISING.
Large areas of millet will be sown
again for hay and seed; and cow peas
are being planted more extensively
every year. This is one of the most
hopeful signs in our farming. When
East Tennessee farmers raise better
stock and more of it, and then make
pastures for this stock to Craze upon
in summer, and grow legumes to feed
it in the winter, the day of their de-
liverance will be at hand.
That interest in stock-raising is in
creasing, was made evident by the dis
cussions at the Farmers Convention,
at Knoxville, May 21-23. The meet
ing this year was a grand success, and
the attendance was said to be the lar
gest in the history of the organization.
Among the visitors present we're Ex-
Governor Hoard, of Wisconsin; T. B.
Terry, of Ohio; Col. J. B. Killebrew
and Mr.. r. L. Armistead, of Nashville.
Next to stock-raising and related ques-
tions, the subject most discussed was
the improvement of our educational
facilities. Surely there is nothing
that needs more discussion or more ac-
ton.
On May "a, Mr.. Terry and Professor
Mooers, of the University of Tennes-
see, addressed the farmers of Hamblen
County, at Morristown. There was a
large crowd, and much interest was
shown.
That these meetings have had and
will continue to have a good effect up
on our farming can not be doubted
1t is equally true that our methods
are very bad yet.
BETTER TILLAGE AND BETTER PAS
TUREs NEEDED
Two things that are very common
and very regrettable, are the scarcity
of pastures, and the poor preparation
of the soil for crops. Thousands of
acres of our hill-land which should be,
and might be, in grass, is cultivated
year after year, yielding poor crops
and steadily growing poorer. On the
other hand, when the farmer puts this
land in corn or wheat he usually goes
at it with a rush, and plants his crop
on half-prepared land. Under such
circumstances a good crop is almost
impossible. This poor preparation of
the soil accounts too for most of our
failures with grass and clover.
POOR FARMING IN THE COTTON BELT
1t is some comfort, however, to
think that our methods are not so bad
as they might be. A trip to the cot
ton-growing sections will convince
any one of that. Where the land is
plowed with one mule, or the cotton
planted between the old rows with no
blowing at all, and where cotton is
grown on the same land year after
year, the farmer is bound to be poor.
All these things-the one crop sys-
TEN, the shiftless preparation of the
soil, and the glaring poverty of the
cotton growing sections, impressed me
painfully on a recent trip through the
Carolinas. Our hills seemed rich com
pared with the lands I saw there; but
I may have obtained wrong ideas of
the conditions.
At any rate am satisfied that there
are worse places than East Tennessee;
and that with better methods it might
be made great country. This is also
true, no doubt, of the Carohnas.