The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-11-24
TALKS With Farmers.
Prot w. r MASSEY, in Practical

H0ard's Dalryman says that one man
gave IS a reason for not taking the paper
that he knew all about dairying already
and that the paper could teach him
nothing. The editor says that such a
man. one who knows all about dairy-.
rg should be an invaluable man on the
ta.torial staff. There are thousands Of
these 'know-It-all' men all over the
oud. We would like to see a farm paper
,3r by this class OF farmers 1t would
be equal to Puck in the way OF amuse
n.ut. Why do not some of these men
Who know it all tell some cf US poor
fellows. who admit that we have a great
deaf vet to learn, how to farm and raise
cattle for dairying? Why do they hide
their light under bushel? 1t reminds
u- OF q college professor who once asked
q student to define life. The student
thought awhile and then said, 4 did
know. sir. but really | have forgotten
How sad" said the professor, ''the only
man who ever knew what life is has for
gotten it" And the fact is that the men
who think they know all about farming
hat can be learned, have probably fer
gotten or never knew as much as the
TEST OF US. Human knowledge is not yet
complete in any line of study, and this
deals with nature, as that of the farmer
does She lets her secrets out little by
little and only to the earnest student
and observer and hides them from the
man who thinks he has discovered them
all. The fact is that the most unsuc-
cesstul farmers, rule, are these men
who know all about it, and the men
who are making the greatest success in
farming are the men Who read and OBJ
serve most closely and who reanze that
there viii always be great deal more to
learn. Brains in agriculture viii always
beat conceit and ignorance.
1t costs too much to allow the people
of this country to get valuable ANIMALS
and other periodicals at reasonable post
age rates; the express companies have
too much influence to let US have par
GELS post through the mails, and yet all
the time the plunderers were getting
their millions out of the Postoffice De-
uartment while its inefficient head knew
nothing about it, and said that the rob
berry was all hot air Now that the
report OF the Investigations OF frauds IN
the department. takes millions OF words
merely to tell of it, and it is claimed
that the investig ga ations are complete, the
American Review of Reviews says ths-t
this sea. of corruption, and they are well
aware that there may yet prove to DE
some unexplored bays AMI inlets. The.
are also aware that they have not alto
gether sounded the depths Of the sea" 5"
Now let the punishment of the wrong
doers be swift and thorough, and the
people will believe in the sincerity of the
irvestigat ton. 1t is evident that there
ras been enough stolen to have more
than given the public all they need IN
the way of postal facilit es. People in
foreign lands can send parcels and have
them delivered here by mail at SINAI!
part Of the cost that a citizen OF this
country would have to pay for the same
service 1t is time that the people were
served instead of the express companies
Let us have a parcels post, and let the
farmers tell their Congressman that they
want it. and want the cheap postage on
Irinted matter that they are entitled To-
Parcels post is not an experiment, but
mas been demonstrated to be 2 success.
Only the opposition of the express com
Ionies and the Indifference OF Congress
prevent its adoption IN the United
States.
Prof. Hopkins. ct the Illinois State
Institute gave the five following rules
for maintaining the fertility OF the soil.
1 # the soil is acid or sour apply hne
to make it sweet. 2. II the soil is poor
in nitrogen only, grow clover or some
other Iegume which has the power 70
secure nitrogen from the air. 3, II the
soil is poor in PHOSPHORUS only, apply
bone meal or some other form OF phos-
phoric acid A. If the soil IS poor il
potassium only, apply the potash salts
AI-.-nr,r ca,n and ne a II the ha rnva rd