davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-07-28

, for manufac ctured goods will be greater
than was ever known SO early in the sea
son, not only because many have done 50
long without such goods but because of
the better condition of the farmers and all
other consumers of the products Of the
cotton mills and the great necessity exist
ing for such goods.
Sth-The farmers being now undoubtedly
better prepared than ever to withstand
. the attack of the bears on the products
OF their labor, and will market the
staple slowly and not in rush form
erly as they have seen and felt the IN
wisdom of such a policy, and the only
way for the bears now to coerce them
into rapid marketing early in the season
Is to offer them fair prices for the staple
and if the bears stand aloof our friends
the bulls, will toss it up for
Fair prices now are not to be placed on
the same level with fair prices years ago
as the same circumstances do not now OBJ
tain in that formerly paid from s6 TO
IS per month wages for farm hands
! whereas we now pay from 50 to SIS a
month"; and then when meat cost from 4
to ; cents per pound and meal from 40
to so cents per bu5hel with which to feed
such labor, they now cost double that
and while the farmer could then buy
mules at from SIS to 500 they now cost
from S125 to 5000 While it cost them then
! from 40 to 80 cents per bushel for corn
and 25 cents to 80 cents per bushel for
oats with which to feed their stock it now
costs nearly double the sums | could
mention many other articles which go to
make up the farmers equi pment and work
ing capital, such as plpWpolnts, gear and
/ farming implements of'every description
! which without single exception are
much higher than formerly, but consider
the above sufficient and conclusive to show
! that cotton, the main product OF our farms
is no dearer at 10 cents than it was in the
past at half that sum. | shall not pass
/ this point without saying that while We
are paying more for farm labor, such labor
! is inferior to that of ten to twenty years
ago, as every farmer can with truth tes-
| tify the able bodied of the colored race
and the most intelligent, seeking other
means of livelihood as the saw mills ard
/ turpentine fields and the cities where good
and intelligent labor IS III demand thus
| leaving the farmer the refuse of such la
! Dor.
Thus we have the situation before us,
not in a netshell as you viii no doubt
say Mr.. Editor, but In truth and in fact
/ Now in the face of these facts roughly set
forth. is the world increasing in popula-
ton and in refinement? We can only an
| swer that it is and when we so admit the
! fact we must know that our people, to
keep pace with their advancement in these
respects will wish to dress better and It
will be necessary for the manufacturers
of goods to keep pace with the times and
demand and not only must they continue
| to manufacture goods but better goods
. and more of them, as there are not only
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-07-28
Notes from a Carolina Garden.

The only real bush lima beans we have
ever grown are Henderson's and Wood 5
bush hmas. The last named Is an improve.
ment on Henderson's and now (July y
they are about ready to begin eating on.
Dreers Wonder bush lima, planted later,
is running fully four feet long l found
the same thing with Burpees bush lima.
Perhaps they viii stop running now and
go to blooming, but yet they show
no signs OF bloom, though claimed to be
the earliest III cultivation. In the straw
berry beds are now fighting the crab
grass, the great pest of Southern gardens,
and the great hay crop ,L.r oye:,.
truck farms after the early truck crops
are off. The way crab grass makes hay
as good timothy without seeding after
an early and heavily fertihzed truck crop
would be revelation to those who I'M
aglne that grass does not grow IN the
South. TWO tons per acre of fine hay
Is a common yield after a profitable yege-
tables crop has been shipped North. The
snap bean vines are ploWed down as soon
as they are ripe and the crop sent North
The first warm shower starts the crab
grass and In a little while there IS a
luXuriant meadow waist high, and Of as
good hay Is made anywhere. l have
a piece of very intractible clay soil IN my
large garden on which [ intend to sacrifice
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-07-28
AS to the Cotton Crop and Prices Likely to Prevail

der the most favorable circumstances from
now on, it will not exceed that OF last
season even should a killing frost not
come before the average date. With anv
set backs, such as TOO prolonged drought
/ or excess of rain or the appearance Of
boil Weeyll- or other pest, storms, early
frost, etc. either one OF these conditions
will greatly curtail the production and
very high prices may be looked for rot
only at the opening. but for long time
to come and my advice to farmers Of
Which | am one, is to hold their cotton,
marketing it only as compelled TO do SO.
Spots IS good thing to have from ncw
on and Will prove mighty good anchor
for the old ship on which we farmers are
riding the waves and when storms arise
and the raging waters of Wall Street seem
almost about to wreck us we have but
to cast anchor and say ''be calm OF you
be damned, as We feel in the humor. r,
used TO be the case when they would
say ''stand and deliver. We would throw
up our hands and deliver everything NC
had, but the time is rapidly approaching,
# not already here. when We can jump
behind bale of cotton and give then4 al
the Sass we wish Moral stand by lie
bale and have it between you and all Who
seek TO overthrow you and you viii find
it Will withstand all attacks and you can
not be routed from your position In the
COS used cotton bales to protect us
from the weapon of the enemy and row
10 times Of peace and plenty when we
hear the glad shout OF prosperity or every
hand let still cling to our old time pro
tector and place it between Us anI that
strong and numerous herd Of bears
whose groWl viii soon be heard from their
lar. and they Will not fail TO make the
usual attack when they hear the first hum
Of the gin it prepares the feccy staple
for the market. Heretofore tn, farmers
who have been 0verburdenei with debt
aud buffeted and torn and bleeding from
their annual attacks have beea ii no con-
dition to offer much resistance ana have
capitulated at once but nov since the2
have by superhunan effort pulled them
serves together and gained knowledge BY
experience, with its hard blows, they may
say to Mr.. Bear, lay on Tor rather lie on)
Mr. Bear and damned be he who first
seeks the rear. / refrain from giving sta
tisticS for they have been Ovef1tden So
often by the bears and price. dccrEei
when they should have advanced ;tet they
are not worth much to the farmer but It j,
q fact that the world needs twelve to
thirteen million bales of our cot -on per
annum now and it VIII gradually require
more and the present crop with that which
is left over Of any viii not supply the
world ) requirements. We cannot hope tc
gather from the present crop exceeding
eleven and hall million bales and posi-
bly, not over nine and onehalf 20 ten mil
lion, hence my conviction that higher
prices even than those now prevailing viii
follow notwithstanding the Herculean ef
forts of the bear element to prevent this.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-07-28

8 Prc>idsa t14rt-~ sIuu t Faa-
der~. New York
sugar Sapp.A q tnt,s States 'as-
tam i. q ls4rr Graraa
!, AErlcuituT4l Ceu..fl4u. l-asFesa...
20 East ~ our ia~.Ear Ios-t.-.0a- aHl
thr In~-ib.tle- iu Fa..r att,.#Y#
Hon Timothy y W0usraG ltsah# Is
NeN. York
8 Hl-top 81 Governmental ovuxg~a.t.
IA IuhAc llau,-
Farm ri3 .u,t- s. thr Mari rs - .ta
World - II tU-tn Washington f. g..
Infectious ana Con,aetaa- u.-ya-s-.,r
Farm Animals aua tn,ir @are ou >m,.
can Agriculture Ir Il + Salmon Wa-.l.
lngton G
:. Disease and In-eet Pests nf F1sut-
and Tier En,ct ion Amgr.an NeI.uI
turc Professor r. NJ Webster tfp,aa.
Illinois
l0. How Cau We Enlarge oHr Eara u
Markets ioI Cur Eafu Products Hon.
James Noot Mt kI-ea. y d
II Extension OF III, Tu1Htf,- Of our
Mail System Aaron Jou- Sousu Bend.
Indiana.
Tins completes the l~t n general .EI-
j,ct1 which tslIi hc Incorporated iu the ;.lo-
gram tor the four days a.ct4u. Iu a4-
dltiou to these moup other -uN5eets alEl
be discussed tu >hoII addresses by doi,-
gates. Th, l~ also the year for Ee ciet
4 ton Of officers De last election h4a.ae
taken place AZ Sioux Fans south Dakota.
TWO years ago The officers oi Use CON
gress are elected every two years. aud
80 are the delegates This docs mot lar
any new delegate from attending The ~ta-
sion this year Who were not appointed last
4 year. The appointment of uil delegates
are made hy the governors 81 thv diff
I fcrcnt states. ana amy person VINO desire
t. attend the congress a a regularly ao-
i credited delegate from his state should
secure his credentials Of appointment from
/ the governor ot his state. The sessions.
/ however, arc always open, and per 0n- can
attend without credcnuals bat they can-
lot take part IN the election oi oihccr5
or serve on the committee which arc cz-
/ pccted To look after the business OF the
oreanizatlon ~ one Of the ofhcsr- of th.
association | anu deeply interested in ec-
curing a. large an attendance from the
South, and especially Georgia. ar possible
! Any Information that any person desire.
regarding the meeting. tickets over thc
railroads or anything else pertaining to
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-07-28

Last year [ wrote some articles on cot
ton, predicting high prices, even going 50
far as to say that it would not surprise
me if the staple brought, before the sea
son was over, fifteen to twenty cents pc!
pound and while | was somewhat IN ad-
vance of the times-I did not miss it fay,
and it may be that we viii, before the
season reaches its end, or very soon there
after have offers of fifteen to twenty
cents for the good grades left.
| now predict that another season. the
farmers, in general will reap some of the
benefits of the high prices which have
been prevailing and few of them have
been getting ,le benefit OF having for the
most part disposed Of their crops before
the demand became 80 great, the conse-
qucnt high prices following. I shall hail
with delight the day they shall be so ben
Gifted, as | am one of the few, and have
been for many years, who feels, that with
a prosperous and well-to-do farming ele-
ment (Which is the very backbone of the
country and without which country
could not hope to make great progressl
We will not soon hear the cry Of han /
, times / say, | predict the farmers Will
reap during another season some OF the
benefits of this labor. by reason OF higher
prices early in the season, on the following
grounds:
1st-The lateness of the crop.
2nd-The non-increase IN acreage.
3rd-The depleted stock of old cotton
now in sight
4th-The complete exhaustion of all that
cotton which has been held by a certain
number Of farmers in their gin houses
awaiting high prices which the present
high prices have induced them to bring
in and market and III my huble opln
ion, before the season IS entirely closed
there will not be bale of. such cotton
left on the farms TO be added to the
coming crop.
5til-Those of the mills which bought
freely, when the staple was eight to ten
cents. made money, either on their mani
factured goods, or on the SAFE OF l!ieit
raw cotton, and tnese VIII, IN my OPINION,
NOT he slow to again repeat their acts.
6th-Thosc of the mills who bearded
the market, believing that eight and ten
cents cotton was too dear under the cir
cumstanccs, and had finally to purchase al
nine to twelve cents, and even more, q
shut down, will under the existing status
become eager buyers early IN the next
season so as not to be caught again with
.1beir breecncs down. as it were
7th-Again the past and present hlgn
nrices of the staple have enabled the mlii
men to advance the price OF their soods
and owing to the depleted stock OF such
goods in the mills and IN the store rooi'lS
Of merchants, they will be IN POSITION
70 eo in, all together, and pay prevalhhs :
higher prices for the raw materiai ana
manufacture. and sell their products al
profit, as the demand from all quarters
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-07-28
Timely Talks with Farmers.


nave been running cold spring water con
tnually LOT over twenty years and where
the bottom IS springy OF quicksand they
are not only cheaper but better than tiles
About twenty years ago we drained a low
piece CT bottom In the Virginia noun
t&lns, from which the neighbors had been
cutting Ice for years. 1t was in the form
OF cove of several acres, surrounded by
steep hills. We cut d ditch around the
base of the hill to cut off the springs snd
from this ditch cut a series of bitches
straight to the river. Pine poles were
skinned, each about four inches thick at
the butt Two were laid on Vne sides Of
the ditch and one of the largest on top
OF these so as to leave passage for the
water between them. They We're then Gov
cred with pine leaves to prevent the
earth from getting In and the bitches
We're then filled. We saw that piece of
land two yeara ago, and it was covered
with fine clover and the pole bitches were
still good, and We expect lnat they are
still good.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-07-28
Farmers National Congress.

The next meeting Of the Farm
ers NatioIsl Congress, United States
Of America, viii be convened at
Niagara Falls, \. Y Oh sep.
tember 22nd TO October 10th The
actual business session of the congress vii
hold Tor tour days in which 10 complete
the program and attend to the Official
BUSINESS of the organization. The balance
OF the time, fourteen days, Is made a. TO
give members an opportunity to visit
places OF special interest and to get full
extensions on tickets. This null time of Is
days Will give members an opportunity to
see something OF the country in that
section and not hurry them back home on
sEort time tickets. The railroad associa-
tlons throughout the United States have
made a rate of one fare and a third for
tins occasion, and tickets viii be for sale
throughout the South from April Is to
70, good until about OctoberN II. This j.
not desirable a rate as the Southern
roads gave Us last year when the congress
was held at Macon. At that time we Sc
cured through the officers of the South
eastern Passenger Association a fiat rate
OF one fare Tor the round trip from all
points. The Southern roads first made the
rate last year and the balance of the
lil'tS 'tCQuleSctu, DIX lIIS year the eastern
hnes operating IN the immediate vicinity
OF Niagara Falls had to first make the
rate and the best our committee has been
able to do with them is one full and a
third fare. This Is due probably to the
fact that roads in that section Of the
country do an enormous amount OF pas
Senger business any way and special eX
cursIon rates are not specially desired by
them. However, the rate which has been
made, While not just what we had expected
nor what it should have been ought not
to operate as q bar to a full attendance
OF members from all sections OF the Union
We. ought to have many hundreds of dele
gates IN attendance, and make OF the con
gress as full and complete meeting as
had last year at Macon. Perhaps as full
represen tatlOn from the Southern States
viii not be present at Niagara Falls this
year there was st Macon last year, be
cause the latter place was on Southern
soil and the cost of attendance was imi-
ted to the lowest possible figure. But
there are hundreds of Southern farmers
throughout the South who are Interested
IN this great organization and who are
fully able to attend the meetings OF the
congress matter where they held.
Not only this, but it is highly important
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-07-28
SCHOOL LIBRARIES.

CIV. +. Massey, in Practical FarmerD
with the growing interest in agrlcul-,
tural instruction IN the rural schools auI
III tie efforts To establish school libraries
in these schools. there il still TOO little re-
gard to the class 81 books the lIBrari.-
shall contain The school library should
be very largely a reference library M aid
TO teacher and pupils N an the studies
prosecuted, and il agriculture is one ~
those studies, the library should contain
the best reference book. OH agricultural
and horticultural topics, and there j, no
place where the farm papers would be bet
ter appreciated than ia the rural school
Files Of the papers IN the country schools
would lead to d more extensive ciIcntae"
for the papers for tae bOy7 and girls who
get into the habit Of reading them At the
school house viii wont 10 have them iu
their homes a they grow ap. Then. too,
the education in elementary agriculture
would be immensely aided BY the refer
ence books and tine farm papers. ana the
boy going from such a school INTO the col
lcge Of Agriculture VIII be far better
grounded in the elements Of his profc.-
sion than If he had not had these ad-
vdntage-. Many of the children ny
most of them IN some sections. come from
homes where there are no books nor farm
papers, and tins Is one of the .trongr-.
reasons for their beng In every rural
school house. The great difficulty Ia in
PRODUCING agricultural studies in the com
mon schools OF the country Is the lack of
training IN these studies on the part OF
the teacher. The farm paper, at hand in
the school library, and kept on file there
would go a long way towards rcmedylng
this defect.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-07-28
County Board of Education.

The Wake County Board of Education
was in session Saturday.
The principal work done was the ap-
pointing of school committeeman in place
of several who had not o:,alified. and fix
ing the salalies for tea IS in The various
schools.
Four school districts have been merged
into two, and all parties are said to be
satisfied Superintendent Clements says
that they have rule that no school house
shall be more than three miles from the
farthest patron Of the school
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-07-28
BOX Drains.

w. H. Linton, Kerby, Ore-''1n your
-'-. % Burton Singleton, article on tile
-'l4s. page 3S2, you state th.t. drains
o. tour narrow planks nailed in
P' 9I ppe ana breaking joints on
''''1" sides VIII make as good drains as
i2' twenty years OF more. Please
ise description more explicit There
a., i. NY places III this country where
. s -HFuctIcab!e on account of cost
""ei' lumber Is cheap, that if there
>t, "E TO make drains of plank it
f,.. ' known. What puzzles me is
,b:. water Is TO get into the drain
u, .'' t.ahEs are nailed together" We
do @'1 writing at random, and never
IIa,1 any practical! subject We know
ana 4,Ia.n- which have been down and
c.a, "' good and draining the land for
mad. 'h'y years, and the drains were
rto, ='P pine Any lumber lasts well
but ., rom the air and always wet,
b. a4 aolhc coast red wood would
place 10y ndeStructibe in such a
banl boxes or pipes are made of
into inches wide They are nailed
The Dr., 'u'huous box or pine by having
ste .id, Joints alternately on oppo-
two .ia. nat Is. make the ends of the
er ana p.''NN come opposite each 9th
tom rl,a, ends OF the top and bot
tonre,['N come midway the sides This
might '' mem getting out of line az thew
Iace w.. we ends were at the same
Ter H8H rl ''ei not lear that the wa
d. ali the H. Tor 1T will pass in
oNS' Drains of this sort
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-07-28
Bv HARVIE JORDAN.

that Southern farmers and business men
do attend the annual sessions OF THIS con
gress, because only those matters wh5ca
affect cur national interest. are discussed
and acted upon. Tho Farmer National
Congress has great influence upon IN
Federal Congress At Washington and lcr
l,latIon may at this time be ask.3 OF con-
grc~s by Northern ana Western farmtr-
which would work hard>hip> and perhaps
injury TO Southern agriculture. interests
The Minnesota farmers are already max
ing demands for a Federal tax on all
woolen goods into which cotton S worked
protective tariff 10 tile Western wool
interests. II such a tax We're granted and
made so high a. to prohibit the use Of
cotton IN such goods, a. a matter 81 course
the Southern cotton producers would sur
Ter to the extent OF the curtailment III
use OF their product in such goods which
al this TINE i considera bile and j. grow
ing larger each year | name tins ~ One
OF many Instances IN which our interests
might be affected through national legs
!ation as the outcome OF protective poll
icy engineered BY different sections Of the
country. If Southern farmer, WilI attend
the congress and stand up for their rights
these things will not come 10 pass 80
easily or quickly
In addition to the matters just discussed
there i great opportunity for improve
ment IN our agricultural conditions ~
annually coming In such contact with hun
d-eds of the leading farmers from all sec
tons OF the Union, and by listening to
and taking part IN many Of the able dis
cusslOns that take place upon national
topics OF agriculture. The views of dele
gates are broadened the scope of research
i broadcned, and the opportunities for
Improvement and the adoption Of progress
sive up-to date methods greatly facilita-
ted.
THE OFFICIAL PROGRAM.
The official program for the congress has
just been issued by President G. l.. Fland-
ers. of Albany, n. Y, and l publish it
below for the information Of all those who
likely to be interested in atten5
ing the next session, and also for the
benefit OF others who desire TO be inform
ed as to the nature of the discussions
that take place in the annual sessions of
the congress.
/. Address of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS b. b.
Odel Jr., New York.
2. Responsibilities Vice president Haryic
Jordan, Georgia.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-07-28

Don't get the idea into your head that
woman is more economical than a man
Just because her waist Is smaller.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-07-28

Down in North Carolina there = this
summer a great summer school for tie
teachers in the public schools. and it Is
gratifying to know that about two hun
cred of them, mainly young women, arc
taking the course in Agriculture Biology
and Nature study. When these two hun
dred teachers go back to their schools
next fsll they will go with new ideas IL
regard to agriculture, and start viii be
made in the teaching at least in 200
schools. As this summer school for teach
ers IS intended to be permanent thing at
fie North Carolina College of A griculture
it IS evident that in the future that col
lege is going to get students IN agriculture
Better prepared at the start, and hence
better fitted in the end.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-07-28

a COW pea crop for the sake Of nellowing
it. The peas are nov about knee high.
and | will let them ripen, and when the
leave, are falling Will SOW crimson clover
all among them. Then IN the spring will
plCw under the whole growth. and be-
Eeve / will have that clay in better
state for vegetable crops. At any rate !
Will have a lot of humus- ma king material
there. With lima beans and tomatoes
plentiful, plums ripe and peaches ditto,
we are IN the height Of summer Injuries
and in little while the royal watermelon
OF the South Will be ready to complete
the series Of good things. Woods bush
lima beans the first to come n.
While the pole beans have just bloomed
Some of the new snap beans are about
ready and we viii have something to say
soon in regard to them. Dreer's Wonder
bush imas are wonderfully strong growers
and are beginning to bloom. 1t is fair
say they were planted some weeks later
than Woods, so we can hardly compare
their respective earlnesS,
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-07-28

A dull man occasionally makes a cutting
remark.