The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1904-02-23

THIS WEEKS PAPER-SOME RANDOM COM
MENT.

'ANN S"A R~"PA SAS NSAAAAA W NO~ NN 49,
ton, for the 100000 annual guano bill of
North Carolina farmers is a fearful tax, and the
proper application of the materials is a matter
of vast Importance. As our next number Will
be a special Cotton Edition, Prof. Kilgore will
talk next of fertilizers for cotton. He will also
contribute an article of unusual value on the best
varieties of cotton for North Carolina growers.
Mr.. Blake Johnson's suggestion in regard to
keeping accounts deserves attention. We run no
risk in saying that if you are a thinking farmer
and are not satisfied, after a years experiment,
that our CASTOR friends plans is worth while, we
will pay the expense of the test.
There have been so many inquiries regarding
Prof. Kilgore's article, "Composts and Com
posting" that we are printing on page ? a letter
from Prof. Soule, of Tennessee, containing some
practical suggestions as to this kind of work.
The Governments plans for fighting the boil
weevil are outlined on page 2. We observe, by
the way, that the Louisiana farmers are up in
arms against the plan to stop the weeviTs east
ward march by stopping cotton growing within
the western counties of their State. If it were
clear that this would probably stay the weevil,
however, the National Government should forbid
the cultivation of cotton in this area and REIN
burse the growers there for any loss they would
sustain.
Double Teams" is the shortest article on page
2, but no other article in the paper contains more
good counsel to the square inch. Think about it,
and wait for a longer article on "Plowing," by
DR.. II. F. Freeman, which we shall print within
a week or two.
Mr.. J. S.. Gates is furnishing us a thoughtful
series of letters on live stock conditions. Citizens
of other States often comment on our backward
ness in this particular as one of the first and
most notable things observed by a traveller in
North Carolina. This week Mr.. Gates calls at
tention to the neglected industry of mule rails
ing.
Mr.. Samuel Archer discusses some important
points in sheep management. He is to furnish
ether articles on the same topic.
Of our Home Circle features, we especially en-
phasize, "In Anticipation of Spring" One can
not do a better thing than to get into touch with
Nature at the very beginning of the growing sea-
son. And we are much afraid that Mr.. Ader's
charge that "two-thirds of Adams race have
never learned to eat properly or to take proper
care of the body God has given them" is borne
out by facts.
Nor should you forget that some of the most
valuable features of every issue are the ad-
vertisements. Don't overlook them. The men
who solicit your trade through our columns are
men of known reliability who have something of
value to offer. If we did not get a cent for the
ads, it would be we'll for us to have them be-
cause of their value to farmers who have supplies
to buy and wish to know where to purchase. But
the advertisers do pay us, and every time you give
one an order and mention The Progressive Farm
or, you help us in our effort to give you a better
paper. Commenting on the part played by the
advertiser, the publishers of Everybody's Magazine
write as follows in their March number:
are YOU aware that the magazines publisbed