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Modern Farm Methods
As Applied in the South.
Notes of Interest to Planter,
Fruit Grower and Stockman
Trucking Suggestions.
A noticeable complaint among the
housekeepers of all of the larger
cities of the South is their inability
to obtain an abundance of fresh
vegetables. The market gardener
seems, for the most part, to be dead
or to have emigrated. There are
plenty of vegetables and truck to be
had, of course—such as it is. The
produce merchant carries a consider
able stock, as a rule, and the best
that he can get; but where does it
come from? Bermuda tomatoes and
open the market is midwinter
and then come Florida and the Caro
lina coast, successively. This is but
natural. Yet later, when local truck
should be in season what do we find?
Why the same old thing. It all
comes from a distance. Little or none
is provided by the contiguous terri
tory. And later clear from Chicago
md beyond come train loads of cab
bage and turnips and other truck
ers supplies for the local markets of
Georgia and Alabama. The produce
man doesn’t like to handle wilted
goods; naturally he would much pre
fer to sell them fresh and crisp and
sound; but what Is he to do? He
can t get them locally in large
enough supply to equal the demand
and he is compelled to depend on the
outside. (
Now there mu-st be something
wrong in such a state of affairs. Of
course, given the experience and skill
necessary for successful trucking no
one is going to indulge in the busi
ness for pure fun. There must be
found a profit, and a reasonable one,
or it is unhesitatingly dropped. This
must evidently be true regarding the
major portion of the trucking in
terests around our larger Southern
cities. It somehow doesn't seem to
pay and is therefore not conducted
on a scale large enough to meet the
eager demands of a multitude of
buyers.
But surely it ought to pay. The
Illinois and the Ohio and the Michi
gan and the New Jersey man seems
to make it pay well enough to ship
hie stuff a thousand miles and sell
it in Atlanta and Birmingham. Why
can't the local truckers around these
two (and other) .Southern centres
of population manage to keep up the
business successfully? Why don’t
a larger number come in te engage
in it, for gracious knows there’s
plenty of room?
Well, there are several reasons,
and all of them more or less sound,
but none of them, fortunately, incap
able of removal. The first reason
is that the trucking public—and by
this I mean experienced and skilled
gardeners, who know their business
and also how to hustle in conducting
it—haven’t yet been “made wise”
to the facts. They haven’t learned
what a chance there is waiting for
them; for naturally their local breth
ren in the business are not going to
advise them of it, and invite a host
of rivals in to share the feast. Be
sides, men of experience and ability
in market gardening are doing fairly
well, wherever they happen to be,
and do not as a rule care to leave a
good thing for the mere chance of
a better.
Then there’s the item of labor.
The recent complete demoralization
of farm labor has also included the
market gardener and has hit him
even harder than it has the cotton
grower, since his labor must be neces
sarily of a higher and more depend
able type, and therefore scarcer.
These two facts account largely for
the failure of the suburban market
gardener to keep' up with the de
mand of the rapidly increasing popu
lation of most of our cities.
But there is a third factor that
also suggests itself—and a very
serious one, at that. The two most
important growing months in the
spring for vegetable and truck crops
—April and May—are two of the
driest in the year. In the last issue
of the Cultivator it was also shown
that our mean annual rainfall was
gradually falling off. This may ac
count, to a large extent, for the fail
ure of the truck growers to keep pace
with the rest of the industrial ad
vancement in our growing com
munities.
For it is a risky business, under
the conditions normally prevailing in
vegetable growing, to put one’s all
«& the hazard of the season. An inch
er two, more or less, of rainfall, at
the critical period of development,
may spell “Blue Ruin” in big let
ters! Profits may be large, but even
a nervy man thinks twice before em
barking in an admittedly hazardous
undertaking. Average conservatism
will think more than twice over such
a matter —in fact it will not enter
tain the proposition for a moment.
That is why capital is so hesitant to
take up and tackle the problem of
trucking. It s too uncertain—and its
uncertainty is due mainly to the sea- !
son—not to cold or frost, but to the
great probability that when water ;
is most wanted for the developing ;
crop water will not be forthcoming.
But when the mountain wouldn’t |
come to Mahomet he saddled his
dromedary and went to the moun
tain. Just so must it be with the
trucker; he must arrange that when
the water will not come to him by
natural methods he can make it come
artificially.
For more and more each year we
have thrust upon us the wonderful
results to be obtained from irriga- j
tion—not for the farm, for the area
which it is possible to irrigate in
this section successfully is greatly
limited—but for the garden and the
truck plot. This can jo done and it
is done, and done profitably.—South
ern Cultivator.
Three Cents an Acre Will Kill Smut.
All country people are familiar
with a peculiar blackened condition
of oats, wheat, rye and barley at har
vest time, commonly known as
“black heads,” “smut” or “bunt.”
This is a disease and it prevails wher
ever oats and other grains are grown,
and often to a very serious extent,
much more always tr.an the farmer
is aware. It is frequent to observe
a loss of as much as forty per cent,
of the value of the whole crop from
this disease >1 fields in North Caro
lina. Throughout the State the aver
age loss is probably about fifteen per
cent. In one case which I visited
last summer the loss was more than
ten per cent, of the total taxes col
lected in that county.
This disease is caused by another
small plant known as a fungus grow
ing within the oa. plant, and the
blaok cloud of dust shed by the plant
as the oats mature c -insists of the
spores or reproductive bodies of the
fungus. In function these spores cor
respond with the seed of the higher
plants. If these spores fall upon the
oat plant of susceptible age they
will germinate into the oat plant, and
as the oat arrives at maturity cause
it to produce smut instead of seed.
A very peculiar thing concerning this
disease is that the oat plant is sus
ceptible to attack only when it is
very young, only prior to the attain
ment of the length of a half inch
by its first leaf. It thus happens
that if the farmer can protect the
oat plant in its infancy, he can save
it from disease. It is further true
that only those spores which are on
the seed and are consequently plant
ed with it are able to infect the
young plants.
The method of preventing oat
smut, based upon these facts, consists
in sft treating the seed before plant
ing as to kill all of the adhering
spores. This treatment is an ex
ceedingly simple one and consists
in spakiug the seeds in formalin, a
chemical which may be had from any
druggist at small cost, diluted to the
strength of one ounce to three gal
lons of water. After so treating, the
oats are allowed to remain wet for
several hours, and are then dried
and planted. This treatment is ab
solutely perfect, preventing every
single grain of smut. It applies
equally well to wheat, oats, rye and
barley. It costs less than three cents
per acre and in view of its great
efficiency can bo applied to these
crops with equal profit.—F. L.
Stevens, Professor of Biology A. &
M. College, Raleigh, N. C.
Farming.
The man who grows cotton and
expects to buy everything he needs
to feed his stock upon is not a farm
er, he is a cotton grower that is at
the mercy of a lot, of speculators on
both sides of his business.
The man that wants to get in line
with the independent farmers’ move
ment had better get at it now by put
ting in a large crop of small grain,
and head off the heavy feed bills for
next year's crop.
About time to pitch next year’s cot
ton crop, cotton, we think, will be
fetching over fifteen cents. This
price, no doubt, will cause many cot
ton tots to get at the old game of
again trying to get rich growing cot
ton at the other fellow’s price and
buying the stuff to make the cotton
with also at the other fellow’s prices.
Now is the time to make a break for
your freedom by preparing some of
your best lands for next year’s corn
crop by deep plowing. In most ciay
subsoil or alluvial lands it is not pos
sible to plow this land too deep. You
have some such lands that would
double its yield by plowing eighteen
inches deep this fall. —J. C. Strib
ling, Pendleton, S. C.
An Indiana judge has ruled that
when a woman marries a drunkard
she must live with him.
Georgia Briefs
Items of State Interest Culled
From Random Sources.
Must First Organize District.
In answer to a question from the
comptroller general as to tho period
for which a school district may collect
taxes, Attorney General Hart has held
that a district in order to collect taxes
for the year within which it is created
must be organized prior to the date
fixed toy law for the return of taxes
* * *
Slow Demand for Fertilizers.
Trade in fertilizers this year indi
cates a falling off of about 16 to 25
per cent, as compared with last year,
according &o information received at
the state department of agriculture.
Last year the sales of fertilizers in
Georgia were something more than 700,-
000 tons. Present indications point to
the fact that this year’s sales are like
ly to fall below 600,000 tons for all
purposes.
• • *
Prisonerse Cremated In Jail.
The county jail at Statesville was
destroyed by fire, believed to toe of in
cendiary origin, one night the past
week, and two negro prisoners burned
to death. One of the prisoners was
charged with shooting a -man named
Westberry in a recent riot between
negro employees of Perkins Brothers, a
sawmill firm, and white citizens and of
ficers, and it is believed that the fire
was an aftermath of this affair. There
has been much ill feeling between two
factions in the county.
* * *
Medicines Subject to Liquor Tax.
John G. Capqrs of the internal rev
nue department in Washington has
submitted to the revenue agents in
Georgia a list of 54 medicinal prepa
rations, any one of which if handled
by a Georgia druggist, will require pay
ment of the internal revenue tax or li
cense. The list shows under analysis
a sufficient amount of alcohol to re
quire payment of this license tax.
Now a new question has arisen with
druggists. How many of these prepara
tions would fall under the ban of the
state prohibition law? One druggist
appeals to Attorney General Hart for
instructions.
* * *
Electric Road 6eeks Franchise.
Austyn Granville of New York, who
Is engaged in gold mining two miles
from Acworth, has petitioned the Ac
worth city council for a franchise to
run an electric railway through the
streets of Acworth. Mr. Granville and
his associates, all New York capitalists,
propose to run the electric railway
from Acworth to Kennesaw, Lena,
Noonday, Elizabeth, thence to Mariet
ta, and north to connect with Allatoo
na, Bartow, Hugo, Emerson to Car
■tersville. A part of the track has
already been laid and a large amount
of the machinery ordered. Work will
he pushed forward at once.
* * *
Patterson Again Heads Embalmers.
The annual meeting of the Georgia
board of embalmers was held in Macon
the past week. The principal business
of the meeting consisted in admitting
seven applicants as licensed empalm
ers.
H. M. Patterson of Atlanta was
again elected president of the board,
and L. H. Burghard of Macon was
made secretary and treasurer.
The applicants who were admitted as
embalmers were H. E. Strong of At
lanta, Holt Waterhouse of Macon, E.
D. Newsome of Augusta, W. A. Curry of
Valdosta, H. F. McCoy, Robert Harri
son and Sarah Watson.
* * *
Teachers to Meet in Augusta.
Preparations are being made for the
annual meeting of the Georgia Educa
tional Association which i-s to be held
at Augusta next April 30, continuing
through May 2. Over 1,000 teachers
from every quarter of the state are ex
pected to be present.
Lawton B. Evans of Augusta, presi
dent of the organization, Is now arrang
ing a program and flooding every coun
ty with invitations, and is being assist
ed in his efforts to make the meeting
a success by Vice President C. B.
Chapman of Macon, Secretary R. B.
Daniel of Valdosta, Treasurer J. C.
Wardlaw of Milledgeville and by State
School Commissioner J. M. Pound. Com
missioner Pound is particularly eager
to see a large attendance at the con
vention.
• * *
County Clashes With Government.
The road overseers of Catoosa coun
ty, on the Tennessee state line, and
the federal authorities are now in a
tangle over the right of the state of
ficer to make employees of the gov
ernment do road work.
Some weks ago the Catoosa county
road man notified a number of team
sters and other hands working on the
government reservation to appear with
pick and shovel to do a part in work
on county roads in that section. Tho
men failed to appear and the road com
missioners caused their arrest and im
prisonment.
The matter was brought to the at
tention of the federal authorities in
Washington and communication was
opened with the district attorney in At
lanta. Colonel Henley of the district
attorney's forces went to Catoosa
county and appearing before Judge
Fite of that circuit secured the release
of the men upon a nominal bond. The
case will be taken up before Judge
Fite at Cartersville shortly.
• • •
Cotton School Work Endorsed.
The 103 farmers attending the Uni
versity Cotton School adopted resolu
tions in which they stress the import
ance os education and the good work
being done by the University Cotton
School. The resolutions conclude as
follows:
’ Inasmuch as the income of the
stale- is approximately $5,000,000 |a
year, it is certainly not asking too
much that one-hundredth part of this
revenue be set aside for the maiute
nano of agricultural education, which
is the backbone of the state.”
Hon. J. J. Connor, president of the
Georgia Agricultural Society, chairman
of the board of trustees of the agricul
tural college connected with the uni
versity, and also author of the bill
which authorized the appropriation of
SIOO,OOO for the foundation of that col
lege, states that the great success of
the cotton school during its Initial ses
sion will undoubtedly result in an ex
tension of the time for the next term.
The interest in the school is growing
by leaps and bounds all over the state.
• * *
Seed Crushers to Aid Dairymen.
Secretary C. L. Willoughby of the
Georgia Dairy and Live Stock Associa
tion has sent out announcements from
his home at Experiment Station, stating
that the funds of the organization are
eo low as to cause its abandonment un
less more funds are secured whereby
to continue this important associa
tion.
He states that those expected to con
tribute most largely to Its support, the
farmers, have failed to do so.
One of these circulars went to Pres
ident Harper of the Cotton Seed Crush
ers Association of Georgia and another
to Secretary Wallace at his home In
Augusta. These officers have, at once,
taken up the work of rescuing the
dairymen’s association by having the
members of the Cotton Seed Crushers
Association in Georgia take out mem
bership and contribute to Us support.
Should the Georgia Dairy and Live
Btock Association have to disorganize
for lack of support, It would be noth
ing short of a calamity, to not only
the farmers who are feeding and rais
ing cattle, but to those who manufac
ture products that are extensively used
In connection therewith, for it is well
known that cotton seed meals and hulls
are the best and cheapest stock food
on the market.
GEORGIA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Called By Chairman Miller to Meet ia
Atlanta February 6th.
A call for the state democratic ex
ecutive committee of Georgia to meet
in Atlanta February 6 next, has been
issued by Judge A. L. Miller of Macon,
chairman of the committee. The com
mittee, it is understood, will have for
its principal object the fixing of a date
for the state primary to elect delegates
to the national democratic convention,
which meets at Denver, Col., July 7.
TO PROBE THE NEGRO QUESTION
Mississippi Legislator Would Have Com
mittee to Visit the South.
A concurrent resolution has been
presented in the Mississippi legislature
by Mr. Dees of Jackson inviting all
the states in the union to appoint a leg
islative committee of fair-minded men
to visit the south and thoroughly study
the race problem.
ON PLEA OF UNWRITTEN LAW
Jury in Oklahoma Frees Doctor After De
liberating Ten Minutes.
Pleading the unwritten law, Dr. E.
W. Daltan, was acquitted at Sulphur,
Okla., of murder by a jury which de
liberated only ten minutes. Dr. Da
kan six weeks ago cut the throat of
John Mitchell, whom ho found in Mrs.
Dakan’s room.
JURY CONVICTS WALSH.
Chicago Bank Wrecker Found Guilty of
Misappropriating Seven Millions
of Funds of Institutions.
John R. Walsh, president of the de*
funct Chicago National bank, was
found guilty Saturday of misappropri
ating funds of that institution.
The penalty under the law for the
crime for which Walsh is convicted, is
imprisonment for a period of not loss
than five years. It does not permit
of the substitution of a fine for tho
prison term. He was found guilty c*
54 counts.
The original Indictment
182 counts. Demurrers were sustained
as to 32 counts which left 150 upon
which the jurors were required to
pass.
Walsh was present in the courtroom
and received the verdict with littlo
show of emotion. On the contrary, ono
of the jurors, Elbert Fuluier, of Har
vard, 111., burst into tears as he took
his seat in the jury box and was so
overcome during the proceedings that
he was scarcely able to answer tho
clerk when asked if the finding repre
sented his view as to the guilt of tho
defendant.
The emotion shown by Juror Palmer
upon tho polling of the jury caused a
flutter of excitement among the specta
tors. As the juror sank into his chair,
burying his face in his hands, Attorney
Miller rose to his feet and demanded
that the juror be further questioned
“ Mr. Palmer, is this your verdict?**
asked Judge Auderson. “Answer me."
Palmer nodded his head weakly in.
the affirmative, and made a reply la
audible to any but the court.
"I suggest,” said Attorney Miller,
“that Mr. Palmer be required to repeal;
his answer.”
“This is mot necessary,” replied
Judge Anderson. “He has answered
yes.”
"One of my associates,” said Mr.
Miller, “understood him to say some
thing else. It is suggested to me that
the juror said he would ‘have to say
yo* ”
“That Is the same thing,” replied
the oourt. “Any juror understands that
when he signs verdict and ha*
agreod to it, he has to say that he did
•o.”
The remainder of the jurors wero
polled and each answered boldly In tho
affirmative. The jury was then dis~
charged.
Formal motion for a new trial wa*
made, and Judge Anderson set th«
hearing of the arguments for January
28. Walsh was allowed to remain at
liberty on the same bond, sso,o(lo,which
had been given after his indictment by
the federal grand jury.
The charge aaginst Walsh grew out
of the closing in 1905 of the Chicage
National bank, of which Walsh wa*
president, and Its allied institution*,
the Home Savings bank and the Equit
able Trust company, Walsh was ac
cused of having loaned funds of these
Institutions aggregating some sixteen
millions of dollars, on fictitious and
Insufficiently secured notes to nearly a
score of struggling enterprises which
he himself had founded and practically
owned. Many of the notes, It de
veloped at the trial, were signed with
out authority, in the names of various
employees of Walsh. The directors of!
the bank testified that they were not
consulted by Walsh as to the making
of these loans and that they knew
nothin# of them. 1 _
TALK OF WAR IS REVIVED
Through Admonition of President That
Honolulu Be Fortified.
•‘Fortify Hawaii and fortify it quick,"
was the highly significant remark made
by President Roosevelt a few days
ago to Senator Dolliver of lowa that
has renewed in Washington the talk
of war with Japan.
The president’s utterance 13 regard
ed as an indication of the administer
tioc’s apprehension and its anxiety to
be prepared tor any emergency that
may arise.
MANY CORPSES IN SINGLE GRAVE.
Sad Sights Connected With Burial of Boj*
ertown Theatre Victims.
Despite many pleas Coroner Strau*
ser at Boyertown, Pa., announced o#
Saturday that all the unidentified dead
must be buried at once.
Twenty unclaimed bodies were co*
signed to one huge trench in Fairview
cemetery Saturday afternoon. One ol
the saddest sights of the whole horro*
occurred when six boys and girls, sla
ters and their cousins, were buried to
gether in one grave.
