The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1904-05-03

tA0 puU41C IOduS, GuS 1ChS i'll o"u
ing of the public schools, and the introduction of
such conveniences as rural mail delivery and the
rural telephone should be brought up and dis
cussed. Keep eternally hammering away at these
things. Tell of the latest article you have read
about them, the advantages they are bringing 9th
er neighborhoods, and of what pleasures you are
robbing yourselves by failure to get them. Write
for all official bulletins and circulars in regard to
these matters and see that your less progressive
neighbors also receive this information. Do not
rest satisfied until your neighborhood has the best
roads, the best schools, the best mail facilities, the
best rural telephone system, and the %prettiest res
licences, churches and schoolhouses buildings and
grounds), in the county.
4. Nor should the advantages of business CO.
operation be neglected. In buying and selling
there is much to be gained by standing together.
At every meeting the members should inquire if
there are not certain supplies for farm or home
food supplies, dry goods, implements, machinery,
furniture, etc.-which are needed by more than
Ole man and which can be purchased more cheap
ly by buying together. In the matter of cemmer-
improvement. Before another crop season begins,
every sub Alliance should make a study of the
value of different fertilizing ingredients, the needs
of different crops and different soils, and the ad-
vantages and economy of home mixing. But even
if home mixing is not attempted, there is consid-
cradle saving in buying in large quantities. Then
too we ought to cooperate more extensively in
the purchase of the more costly farm mahhinery.
Let the members of the Alliance take up the mat
ter of buying such things as feed cutters and
stump pullers for the use of the entire neighbor-
hood, and also cooperate in bringing improved
breeding stock into the community. In some sec
tions cooperative creameries should be establish
ed and in other communities special lines of truck
ing and fancy farming could be developed by a
number of members acting together.
S. And last, but not least, is the educational
work of the Alliance. This has already been dis
cussed in part in other paragraphs of this article.
Every Alliance ought to have a good library for
the use of it's members. Every Allianceman should
be urged to read good agricultural, local and AL
lance papers. The publications of State and
National Departments of Agriculture and of the
several Experiment Stations should be read by all.
Let the Secretary have a little fund for postage
and whenever a new bulletin, year book, or farm
advertising catalog is wanted, let the Secretary
forward the names and addresses of those who
wish to get 1T. Once or twice a year let the Secre-
tary read a complete list of the Farmers Bulle-
tins issued by the National Department of Agri-
culture and apply for as many copies as the mem
bers desire. Let him also send to the State De
partment of Agriculture the names of any who
fail to get the Monthly Bulletin regularly. And
let young and old exchange books and magazines
and discuss their contents. Let there be a revi-
val of interest in the great old books that have
stood the test of years and that will be fresh in
the vigor of perennial youth after the latest popu-
lar 100, 000-copy novel has been forgotten. Science,
travel, poetry, mythology, history and especially
nature study-let these have attention. Courses
of study should be mapped out, and debates ar
ranged for the discussion of disputed points. The
Alliance and the Grange have contributed not a
little to the education of thousands of men and