The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-12-30
RALEIGH, N. G DEC. 80, 1913.

tiat Is Quichiy taken up by others |
j ohm Blue has been paying attention
to rye as profitable crop to subdue
new land and he says that his expert
ence shows rye TO be a good thing to
raise, If for nothing else than the
ground alone. His plan is TO plant q |
few pecks on any kind Of ground. as |
rye is self-reliant plant, and will |
grow where many other things will |
fail. But little fertilizer is given the |
rye crop. Last Summer Mr. Blue had
yields Of rye reaching close to thirty
bushels to the acre, on land that gave
little promise for anything else, and
with but slight stimulation from ferti-
lizer.
Rye takes but little work, and leaves
he ground with stubble that bene-
EQf,Ishe soil for the next crop. The
o1e',s for a good price. the farm
el- - iere- wanting it for seed,
Tor tho ing of rye as winter crop
is becoming more popular.
Another crop Will Blue has been
concerned in is the dewberry. 1t is
profitable crop in the Aberdeen and
Roctfish territory, the principal draw
back against it on big scale being
the need of plenty Of pickers at har-
vest. Dewberries will not wait for a
future day to be harvested, but must
come off at the time when they are
| ripe. A slight delay Is fatal. How
! ever. large crop Of deWberries is
raised in the vicinity of Aberdeen, and
the Blue berry fields have been among
| the representative ones from the
| start.
| Strictly Practical.
| 1t must not be misunderstood that
| the Blues are simply experimental far
| merS, or exhibition experimenters.
They are strictly practical with all OF
| their tests. Their farms are conduct
ed on a big scale, and their crops are
| made year after year for the profit in
them as we'll as for the example they
afford Of varied farming. They &C
deeped than the mere showing OF
what can be raised In their territory
They raise it, and establish the bus
: mess which they recommend. The de
sire is not to locate settlers on tht
road, but to establish successful indus
: try there, and to establish successful
! industry they realize that they mus
Head the experiment to a successful
finish, not simply to a finish tha
! shows what can be done. The re
| suit that will pay has to be a resu!
} that can be attained year after yea
and by the ordinary farmer with or
binary facilities. The Blues look on a
industry as a good one only II 1t
4 permanent and successful for its man
. ager. A farm that is not productiv
4 | they regard with regret So the
| strive to bring prosperity down tn
!. line
In this they are encouraged by tn
leading farmers Of their section. an
in every movement they propose the
! are backed by the people already es
= tablished, and the team work ths
u results is one OF the good signs.
\ Valuable ROckfish and Aberdeen.
= 1t is Impossible to OvereStimate tt
:. value OF such agencies as the Abe
q deem and Rockfsh railroad. The b
a systems are of enormous importane
= in a great many ways but the lit
. loads come close to the people, ar
] work with the people who in tur
= work with the little roads. IT is tn
~ lOcalizing of effort that in the er
;s lays the stable foundations for all tt
~ -, big things. Probably no single factt
had more to do with the progre
made in the North and East than II
. old custom of the town meeting wheI
va the people gathered TO discuss and d
- rect local affairs The town and tow
- - ship unit brought the responsibili
= right home to every man. and onliS
= ! ed his help and interest
4! John Blue and VIII Blue know Il
- people along the line Of their roa
IS IS The people know these men are i
y, terested in local affairs. a communi
sn OF interest and confidence is felt
-, -, eN cry movement that IS propose
ds Mass play is applied to everything.
ei This is having its results. Pro
g ably not another portion of the sta
is making swifter or more substanti
ly progress than the section served
p the Aberdeen and ROcEhsh roa
ca Probably in no other part Of the sta
nd is there a more cordial feeling b
IL tween the railroad and the people.
ey Sure, we kick occasionally becau
r. the trains are late on this road, a.
we put up the usual Srowi about an
as thing that pertains TO railroading,
ps it is the hereditary privilege or I
NJ f.ee-born American to lind ault vi
or @, erything. But after the ll1nmeri
to l. done il is safe guess that the 7
ne tlons of this little road regard
n CLerators of it as among tie most Il
IN pCrtant instruments or the coTnmun
Tg for the common good.
To- Work OF Blues More Than Local
The work these men do Is mo
than local. If good point - ma
he in Quewhiffle township II IS not 10
Ip-,