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WARNING TO FARMERS
agricultural commissioner
STEVENS ON THK RECENT
‘ RISE IN COTTON.
ONLY DELUSION AND SNARE
Dawn of Better Times In Sight If
Farmers Will but Stand Firm
and Diversify Crops.
Atlanta, Feb. 1.
It ia to be regretted that many of our
fanners - are almost in despair at the
outlook ahead of them, and numbers of
them (particularly of the tenant class)
are talking of abandoning the farms
and seeking employment in the cities.
This would be a fatal move to the great
majority of those who might try it The
cities are already overcrowded with peo
ple who cannot obtain regular work,
and additional numbers would only ag
gravate this already bad condition. Re
member how your fathers acted at the
close of the war, 34 years ago. Return
ing as they did to ruined homes, with
out money, without credit, many of
them broken down in health, they went
to work with the same resolution and
bravery that had enabled them for four
years to resist the overwhelming armies
of the north, and out of that ruin they
built up a great state, and in a measure
restored their shattered fortunes. You
are sons of those heroic sires, and should
uot be daunted by difficulties no greater
than they met and overcame. Industry
and economy are bound to win now, as
they did after the war.
While the results of last year’s opera
tions have in very many cases been dis
couraging, let us not lose heart, but
with redoubled energy and with re
newed hope let us strive for better re
sults this year. “Where there is a will,
there is a way,” and if we earnestly de
sire to be rid of the despotic rule of
“king cotton,” we can certainly find a
way to do so. I think I can see the
dawn of better times coming for our
farmers. With the reports of largely
increased seeding of small grain; of
many flour mills being erected in thß
state (the largest in the south, now
about completed in Atlanta, which will
consume 5,000 bushels of wheat and
3,000 bushels of corn daily, and will fur
nish a cash market at railroad stations
for grain); of packing houses being es
tablished, that staud ready to purchase
every fat hog and beef that we will
raise, I am sure there is reason for the
“faith within me” that Georgia has
reached the last milestone on the
downward road to poverty, and will from
this point, steadily, and I hope rapidly,
advance towards the goal of prosperity
and independence. Do not be deceived
if as planting time approaches the men
who control the prices of cotton, permit
it to advance a little in value. They
want a large crop planted and are even
now getting anxious, because of the
prospective decrease in acreage. You
have been caught by this attractive bait
in former years, and experience should
teach you to recognize and avoid it now.
Don’t forget the caution that I gave in the
January letter, viz: to repel the thought,
that because your neighbors will plant
less cotton you will plant more in hope
of better prices. This is most danger
ous grouud to take, for if generally
adopted, the logical result would be an
enormous crop, with still lower prices.
I know that advice on this line is sel*
dom appreciated, but being a farmer of
long experience, I deem it my duty to
put the matter plainly before my brother
farmers, hoping that good may result
from it. If my advice given last month
has been followed, the fences on our
farms have been repaired; new terraces
run off and old ones mended where nec
essary; many compost heaps have been
made; as the weather permitted, much
grain has been seeded, and the prepara
tion of the ground for other crops is
fairly under way.
While the season for wheat sowing is
past, there ia still time to plant oats,
this being probably the best spring
month for that purpose. As the period
for rooting and growth of the crop be
oomes shorter as the the season advances,
it necessarily follows that the land
seeded to oats during this month should
be richer, and if possible better pre
pared, than land seeded in the fall. The
root growth of the spring sown oats will
not be as great as when seeded in the
fall, therefore if a good crop is expected
from the spring planting, there must be
more available plant food in the soil.
ou also need a variety of oats that will
mature quickly, and I known of none
better than the “Burt.” While they
do not yield as heavily as some'other
varieties, they mature very early aDd
Midom rust Do not fail to put in *
K-wi acreage in oats while there ia still
time to do so, for you are likely to need
badly next summer, and you could
have no better feed for your work stock.
In the southern part of the state corn
planting should commence before this
month expires, particularly on the red
lands of that section. These lands warm
| ap earlier than do the gray lands, and
can therefore be planted from ten days
to two weeks sooner. Don’t make the
mistake (so common among negro ten
ants) of planting corn very close. I
prefer T feet rows and 3 feet in the drill,
with ft row of grgnnd peas or field peas
in the middles. By this plan as much
or more corn will be made than by oloser
plan ting, and a crop ef peas also. What-
ever fertilizer is need for the corn should
be strewn along the planting furrow—
no fear but that the corn roots will find
it. ?n planting ground peas in the corn
middles, I advise the nse of the whole
ground pea, dropping one every 15 to 18
inches. Planted with the hull un
broken they will take longer to oome
up, but in my experience you get a bet
ter stand. They should be planted in
this way immediately after planting
corn. Many, however, prefer shelling
the peas, and in that case the planting
should be done two to three weeks later.
Some good farmers will doubtless
differ with me in regard to such early
planting of the above mentioned crops,
but from long observation of results 1
am satisfied that early planting of any
crop gives the heaviest yield. Great
care should be used in the selection of
seed corn, as there is such a large
amount of damaged corn this season,
much of which is hard to detect with
out careful examination. Many perfect
looking ears have a rotten cob, with
the germ of the grain discolored and
dead. You cannot be too careful in
this matter of selecting seed, as the en
tire success of your crop depends on it.
In the middle and upper portions of tho
state the same general directions for
planting will apply, save that the time
for planting gets later and later as we
go up the country, until there is fully a
month’s difference between the two ex
tremes of the state. When the moun
tain section is reached ground peas
would hardly be a profitable crop, and
field peas should be substituted for
them. The advice as to 7 feet rows for
corn, of course, applies only to uplands.
The river and creek bottoms will bear
much closer planting.
Sugar cane should also be planted the
last of this month. The ground should
be deeply broken and well fertilized for
this crop. If the stalks are long cut
them in several pieces, and in planting
let the pieces or the whole stalks lap,
for one-third of their length. By this
plan you will get a better stand.
Commercial fertilizers are best for
sugar cane, as stable manure heavily
applied gives the syrup a dark color and
an unpleasant taste. There is very lit
tle profit in making syrup to sell
at 15 to 18 cents a gallon, as at
present; but if greater care were used,
resulting in a fine article of syrup, and
the same should be put up in half-gal
lon and gallon cans, attractively la
beled, I believe cane-growing could be
made very profitable. The maple syrup
from the north is put up in this way,
and readily sells for high prices, though
not a whit better than our best cane
syrup. There is great room for im
provement here. Irish potatoes should
be planted this month, also all hardy
garden vegetables. Should a cold snap
threaten after they are up, cover lightly
with straw or leaves, which will afford
ample protection. Don’t fail to make
every effort to have a good garden, for
no other ground on the farm will pay
one-fourth as much on the investment as
will a fertile and well-cultivated garden.
It is to be hoped that you have given
ample care to your Btock of various
kinds during the severe weather through
which we have passed. A good thick
bed of straw or leaves, under shelter, is
as much appreciated by your stock dur
ing cold and wet winter nights, as your
own comfortable bed is by yourself. “A
merciful man is merciful to his beast,”
and will provide for its wants, but many
of our improvident farmers will permit
their cows to stand all night in a wet lot,
drawn up in fence oorners, shivering
with cold and hunger, while their hogs
run around squealing for warmth and
shelter, which they perhaps finally find
in the dust under some old outhouse.
This pioture is not overdrawn, but oan
be seen in every neighborhood in the
state. There is no profit in such treat
ment of stock, and if you can take no,
better care of your animals, you had
best sell them to some neighbor who
will care for them. This mistreatment
of stock is only one of the many curses
brought upon us by the all-cotton oraze,
and will quickly disappear, when our
people learn that there are many farm
products that pay better than cotton.
The excessive amount of wet weather
that we have had during the past three
months has very much delayed the
work of the plow, but we must not on
that account become impatient and
plow our lands when too wet. This
would be almost certainly fatal to the
crop that follows and might diminish
the productiveness of such land for sev
eral years. The energetic farmer will
always find plenty of work on his place
requiring his attention, whether it be
wet or dry, and nothing is gained by
plowing the land when not in proper
condition.
This applies not only to the top soil,
but the subsoil as well. The passage of
the plow through either, when wet,
will simply puddle the clay and render
it, when dry, impervious to the roots of
the growing crop. O. B. Stevens,
Commissioner of Agriculture.
Rise of Foatn In Churns.
Question.— Why is it that sometimes
in churning foam will rise in the churn
Mid it will take hours for the butter to
“come?”
Answer.—One of the best authorities
on the subject gives the following rea
sons for the condition you mention:
1. The temperature is not right—us
ually the oream is too cold in the churn.
2. The cream may have been kept too
long.
3. The cream of a “farrow” or “strip
per” cow mav be causing the trouble.
4. The cream may be too thin—get
rid of some of the skim-milk.
5. The cream may be too thick—add a
little skim-milk or water.
6. The churn Is too full.
To make good butter the cream when
chnrned should have a temperature of
between 55 and 75 degrees. If the tem
perature is below 55 degrees the butter
will not “come” readily, and if above 75
degrees the product is apt to be a white,
spongy bntter. Overchurning is also
to be guarded against, and care must be
taken to stop the churning at the point
where the bntter separates itself from
the milk. Otherwise the granular ap
pearance and character of the butter
will be lost, and you will have a smooth,
fatty product.—State Agricultural De
partment.
Silent Brideii.
In Korea during the whole of the
marriage day the bride must beasmnte
as a statue. If she says a word, or even
makes a sign, she becomes an object of
ridicule, and her silence must remain
unbroken, even in her own room, though
her husband should attempt to break it
by taunts, jeers or coaxing, for the
female servants are all on the watch for
such a breach of etiquette as speech,
hanging about the doors and chinks to
catch np and repeat even a single utter
ance, which would cause her to lose
caste forever in her circle.
This custom of silence is observed
with the greatest rigidity among the
higher classes. It may be a week or sev
eral months before the husband knows
the sound of his wife’s voice, and even
after that for a length of time she only
opens her mouth for necessary speech.
With the father-in-law the custom of
silence is still more rigid, and tho
daughter-in-law often passes years with
out raising her eyes to his or addressing
e word to him. In Bulgaria a month’s
silence is imposed on brides unless
specially addressed by the husband.
Wanted Her Money’* Worth.
Bridget Rafferty had served the best
years of her life as a cook, and now that
she was “wearin awa’ ” and an opera
tion became necessary she haughtily
declined to go to a ward, but took one
of the best rooms in the hospital. The
operation was successful, but the patient
was allowed very little food. During
her convalescence she made frequent
use of the electric bell at her bed. The
nurse would fly to her, to be greeted
with some trifling question or the re
mark, “I only wanted to know if yon
were there.
As such frequent use of her bell sug
gested to the matron on that floor that
the nurse was neglecting her patient,
the nurse remonstrated, and received
the following unique explanation:
“Well, you see, miss, here I am pay
ing S3O a week, and I’m not seeing any
thing, I’m not hearing anything, and,
miss, I’m not eating anything. So I
just ring the bell to get my money’s
worth, and, anyways, I enjoy hearing
it ring. ” —San Francisco Argonaut.
No Diamond* For Her.
Here is a story from The Bookman,
told by Rudyard Kipling. His father,
John Kipling, went to pay a visit to
an Indian rajah who was about to bring
home a queen. The elder Kipling had
been engaged in the decorations of the
palace, and its owner showed him the
gifts of stuffs and perfumes he had pro
cured for his coming spouse. The rajah
also sent for his jewel caskets and asked
Mr. Kipling to assist him in selecting
the gems to be included in the marriage
gifts. They were of extraordinary size
and value, such gems as are seldom
seen except in the east, and to the artist
the selection was a pleasure. Finally
he lifted a wonderful diamond, one of
the choicest gems in the collection, and
said: “You should send this. No wom
an could resist it.” The rajah looked
np, caught it and held it jealously tt) his
breast, then, slowly replacing it in
the casket, answered, “Nay, such gems
be not fear women.”
They Were Sew.
“Now, George, quit pulling my
ear!”
“It’s my ear now, sweet I Going to
pull it all I please!”
This is why the hard featured pas
senger with the iron gray chin beard,
who had been sitting in the seat behind
a young man in anew black broadcloth
suit and a young woman in a gray silk
traveling dress, got up hastily and went
forward into the smoking car. —Chicago
Tribune.
Here’* n Trtelr.
First Lady—What birthday present
are you going to give to your husband ?
Second Lady—A hundred cigars.
First Lady —And what did you pay
for them?
Second Lady—Oh, nothing 1 For the
last few months I have taken one or
two out of Jack’s box every day. He
hasn’t noticed it, and will be so pleased
with my little present and the fine
duality of the cigar*. — London Fan.
<O3BB
“ —To —
ATLANTA, CHARLOTTE, AU
GUSTA, ATHENS, WILMING
TON, NEW ORLEANS,
CHATTANGOGA, JNASHVILLF
AND
NEW YORK, BOSTON,
PHILADELPHIA,
RICHMOND, WASHINGTON,
NORFOLK, PORTSMOUTH.
Schedule in Effect Dec. n, 1898.
No. 408. No. 41.
Lv. New York *ll OOurn *9 00pm
44 Washington 4 40pm 4 80am
''Richmond 9 00pm 9 05am
“ Portsmouth *8 45pm *9 20am
Ar. Weldon 11 10pm 11 50am
Ar. Henderson *l2 57am *1 50pm
Ar. Raleigh *2 16am *3 34pm
44 Southern Pines 4 23am 5 58pm
“ Hamlett 5 07am 6 53pm
“ Wilmington *l2 05 pm
"Monroe, 6 43am 9 12pm
Ar. Charlotte *7 50am *lO 25pm
Ar. Chester *8 08am *lO o6pin
Greenwood 10 35am 1 07am
" Athens 1 13pm 343 am
Lv. Winder 2 08pm 4 28am
Ar Atlanta (C TANARUS.) 350 pm 6 20am
SOUTHBOUND.
No. 35.
Ar. Athens 8 05 am
Lv. Wiuder 8 46 am
Ar. Atlanta 10 40 am
NORTHBOUND.
No. 402. No. 38
Lv. Atlanta (C. TANARUS.) *1 OUprn *8 50pm
•* Winder 2 35pm 10 40pm
Ar. Athens 316 pm 11 19pm
•* Greenwood 6 41pm 2 03am
4 4 Chester 7 53pm 4 25am
Ar. Monroe 9 30pm 5 65am
Ar Cnarlotte *lO 25pm *7 50am
“Hamlet *ll 15pm *7 45am
Ar. Wilmington, *l2 05pm
Ar. Sontueru Pines 12 08am *9 00am
"Raleigh 2 10am 1118 am
Ar. Henderson, 328 am 12 50pm
Ar. Weldon 4 55am 2 50pm
Ar. Portsmouth 7 25am 5 20pm
444 Richmond *8 45am 7 12pm
44 Wash’tonP.R. R. 12 31pm 11 10pm
“ NewYork 44 6 23pm 6 53an.
NORTHBOUND.
No. 34.
Lv. Atlanta 5 30 pm
Lv. Winder * 7 25 pm
Ar. Athens 8 05 pm
♦Daily. TDaiiy Except Son.
Nos. 403 and 402.—.“ The Atlanta
Special,” Solid Vestibuled Train ol
Pullman Sleepers and t loaches between
Washington and Atlanta, also PnllmaD
Sleepers between Portsmouth and Ches
ter, S. O.
Nos. 41 and 38. —“The S. A. L. Ex
press,” Solid Train Coaches, and Pull
man Sleepers between Portsmouth and
Atlanta. Company Sleepers between
Columbia and At'auta.
Both trains make immediate connec
tion at Atlanta for Montgomery, Mo
bile, New Orleans, Texas, California,
Mexico, Chattanooga, Nashville, Mem
phis. Macon, Florida.
For Tiokets, sleepers, etc., apply to
Agents ir W. B. Clements, G. P. A.,
B. A. Newlaud, T. A , Atlanta, Ga.
E. St. John, V. Pres, and Gen’l Mg’r.
V. E. Mcßek. General Superintendent
H. W. B. Glover, Traffic Manager.
T. J. Anderson, Gen’l Passenger Agt.
General Offices, PORTSMOUTH, VA.
GEORGIA RAILROAD
AND
CONNECTIONS^
For information as to Routes,
“ Schedules and Rates, both
Passenger and Freieht.
write to either of the.undersigned
You will receice prompt and re
liable information.
JOE W. WHITE, <4.. G. JACKSON
2jr £ T. P. A.| G. P. A.
AUGUSTA, GA
S. W. WILKES, aK. NICHOLSON.
r&C. F. & P. A. G. A.
ATLANTA ' ATHENS.
W. W.HA RD WICK S. E. MAGILL,
S. A " |F. A.
MACON. MACON.
ML R. HUDSON, F. W.COFFIN,
f. a. s.;f.;&;p. a.
MILLEDGEVILLE. AUGUSTA.
, CUBAN RELIEF
Oolie, Neuralgia ami
I IWiIIVI v iu tivc minutes. Seur stomach
and Summer <om plain la. I'rW. 2 K
G. W. DeLaPerriere, Winder, Ga.
PROFESSIONAL CARDS.
L, C. RUSSELL. E. C. ARMIHTEAD ,
RUSSELL & ARMISTEAD,
r
Attorneys at Law.
Winder, Ga. Jefferson. Ga.
W. H. QUARTERMAN,
l Attorney at Law,
Winder, Ga.
Prompt attention given to "31 legal
matters. Insurance and ,Real Estate
agent. •*> •?*>
JOHN H. SIKES,
Attorney at Law.
Winder, Ga.
Offioe over Harness factory.
J. A. B. MAHAFFEY,
Attorney at Law,
Jefferson, Ga.
Silman’s old offioa
Winder Furniture Cos.
UNDERTAKERS AND—
—FUNERAL DIRECTORS.
C. M. FERGUSON, M’g’r.
WINDER, GEORGIA.
A. HAMILTON,
Undertaker and Funeral
Director,
Winder, Georgia.
EMBALMING
By a Professional Embalmer. Hearse
and attendance free. Ware rooms, cor
ner Broad & Candler sts.
DR. W. L. DkLaPERRIERE,
DENTAL PARLORS,
In the J. C. DeLaPerriere building,
over Winder Furniture Cos. Call and
see me when in need of anything in
the line of Dentistry. Work guaran
teed.
Honey to Lend,
We have made arrangements with
brokers in New York City through
whom we are able to place loans on
improved farms for five years time,
payable in installments. If you want
cheap money come in and see us at
oncej Shackelford & Cos
100 Broad St., Athens, Ga.
Lodge No. 33d, (Winder) Officers —N
J. Kelly, W. M.; J. H. Jackson. S. W.;
W. L, DeLaPerriere, J W.; J H. Ki.
gore, Sec’ty. every 2d Friday
evening at 7 o’clock
J. T. Strange, N Gk; C, M Ferguson,
V. G.; J. H. Smith, Treasurer; A. D
McCurry, Secretary, Meets every Ist
and 3d Monday nights.
RUSSELL LODGE No. 99.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.
Meets every Ist. and 3d. Thursday
vening in each month. R. B. Russell,
P. C. and Rep., C. B. Almond, C. C., H.
C. Poole, V. C., A A. Camp, K. of R.
and A. S„ W. B. Dillard, P., W. H.
Toole, M. of E., T. A. Maynard, M. of
F„ J. J. Smith, M. of A, F. L. Hoi*
land, L G., O, L Dabney, O. G.
ROYAL ARCANUM.
Meets every 4th Monday night. J.
T. Strange, R; J. H, Sikes, V. R; J.
J. Kilgore, Secretary.
(COLORED).
WINDER ENTERPRISE LODGE,
No. 4282. G. U. O. of O. F.
Meets every Ist and 3d Friday night
in each month. Dudley George, N. G.;
G. W. Moore V. G.; L. H. Hinton,
Secretary,
Honey to Loan.
We now have plenty of money to
loan on improved farm property in
Jaokson and Banks counties. Term*
and interest liberal. Call and see os.
Dunlap & Pickrell,
Gainesville, Ga.
Sept 12th, 1898
Crichton ~ ~
The Cooyplete Butuneea Course. Total Goat* $35,