The Southern Mercury, Texas Farmers' Alliance Advocate. (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 8, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 20, 1890 Page: 3 of 8
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THE SOUTHERN MERCURY; DALLAS, TEXAS, THURSDAY, FEB. 80, 1890.
THE FARM.
Watermelon Culture.
This is an important crop in the
South, because our"colored people will
have "millions" if it takes their last
penny, and very few of them are en-
terprising enqugh to raise them. If
they are raised five or six miles back
from the railroad they cannot be ac-
quired except by purchase.
I plant several acres every year.
Several months beforehand I begin to
prepare my manure; I haul up a quan-
tity of muck, mix with it about one-
tenth its bulk of cotton-seed meal, and
throw the whole mass at once in the
box-stalls where I stable my horse and
mule. It is their only bedding; for
months they paw and stamp it, mixing
it thoroughly with their droppings and
«riñe. If need be, I shovel ii over
once or twice, but I do not clean out
the stalls until I require the manure
for use. Horse-hoofs will stir compost
■ore cheaply than I can with a shovel.
About the last of January is my
time for planting. First, the ground
must be plowed deep, say eight inches;
then run out your furrows eight feet
apart (or ten feet if the soil is rich),
cross them the same width, and at ev-
ery cross make a hill. For the hill dig
out a broad, shallow hole, and -in it
throw four shovelsful of the compost.
Cover this with three or four inches of
soil (I omitted to say that light, dry,
■andy ground is best for melons), for-
ming a hill about on a level with the
general surface. Let these stand
about a week,, then plant the seed.
My preference is for Georgia Rattle-
snake and Kolb's Gem.
I make a circle about a foot in di-
ameter, stick the seeds in it equi
distant and one in the middle of the
ring; pressing them down with my fin-
gers so as to make sure that they
•hall be covered to a uniform depth of
about an inch. As soon as the plants
come up I put a board frame, fifteen
inches square and four inches high,
over each hill, working it well down
all around so as to prevent cut-worms
and all other vermin from creeping un-
der it. It not only answers this pur-
pose, but it protects the plants also
from the wind. If left unprotected,
they are liable to be switched about by
the wind and get the "sore shins," as
the native farmers call it, which hin-
ders their growth. When the plants
have four leaves apiece, I consider
them out of danger and thin them out
to two plants in a hill. Old sacks or
pieces of carpet are kept lying beside
the, frames, and if there is a proba-
bility of frost at night they are thjown
over the frames and removed in the
morning. I let the frames stay over
the hills day and night until the vines
begin to reach and climb over them,
then take them away and store them
for another season. Shallow plowing
or cultivating is kept up at frequent
intervals early in the season, but after
the vines begin to run freely this is
gradually dropped. If the ground
was plowed at first as deep as it should
be, all this cultivation ought to be only
on the surface, especially close about
the hills. If a crust forms here, I
break it with my fingers; the hoe is
apt to scratch the tender vines.
Beginning a foot or two out from
the hill, I let a good many weeds
grow, merely breaking off the rankest
of them a few inches above the ground.
These serve the vines as a support. If
the weeds do not grow thick enough, I
often set scores of little sticks for the
tendrils to cling to. Without anchor-
age of some kind the vines will be
blown ruthlessly about by the wind,
doubled and twisted and much injured.
The weeds also shade the ground
against the burning sun and prevent
its fertility from being roasted out
of it.
To determine whether a melon is
ripe, snap it and then snap the top of
your old boot; if they sound alike you
may pull the melon. If you are still
doubtful, turn the melon over and see
if it is yellow on the bottom. Stick
the thumb nail into it; if it goes in
with a soft, mushy sound, it is green;
if it goes in with a sharp dink, it is
ripe. But the surest test is the sound
of the snap. Gentle pressure on a
ripe melon will make it crack inside;
but this test ought not to be tried very
nuch, for it the melon is green its in-
ternal economy will be injured by the
squeeze.
I always clear $75 an acre above all
expenses, aad frequently more than
W. White'
viewed.
Letter Be-
that Richard Puddy, in Dispatch, Bro. G.
Farmer and Fruit-Grower.
Helpful Suggestions. Editor Mercury :—I see in your
_ . , issue of Feb., 6th, a very interesting
The growing of poultry has come . „ . a _ ®
. 8 . # 1 letter from Bro. G. W. White. His
to be an occupation of more or less , . t , .
. ■ a. . . letter shows that he reads, and then
importance to the dwellers, not only in .. _ ... ' ...
, . . '' ' digests. I am glad he takes up a little
country places, but in suburban towns .° ® , .
... . ... , . time on Bro. Evan Jones' positioo on
as well. Amateurs m this business, as J [
. „ . , ., .. the money question. I know Bro.
in a 1 others, make unavoidable mis- . . Í r , „, ,
' , . . Jones to be one of the most level-
takes through lack of experience. ' ^
„ . , . , headed and honest men in the order,
Fo lowing are a few suggestions glean- . . '
® „ 1" v . .. . and fully competent to handle his end
ed„fr, " of the question, but I do not think
will be found helpful: Bro. Jone.' knowledge of the south
Eggs for sitting should be from . f ... ?
. ,v j v- j t , . , and its conditions before the war suf-
healthy, adult birds, not related. . . „ „ , _
, . , , t . . .... ficient to properly answer Bro. Whitei
Never breed from late turkeys, if it is . .. „ T . r
... ^_ vr k a I believe Bro. Jones a native of a grain
pouibl. to Be better. Never breed and ^ „
Ü,: ,he C0"00 beU' and ,houeh bu' * bo'
two-year-o s. when the war came to an end, my ob-
In winter, especially, it is desirable . . „ • ,
. .. t l * . . .« servations and recollections reach
to have plenty of chafTscattered in the . t „ ...
, . , , „ . . * . back to about the year 1854. I had
house for the fowls to scratch about t . , ' . "
... - .. previous to the last few years given
and pick over, for otherwise they t ¿ -
would have nothing to do but eat their but l.ttle thought.he etTects of la.
meal, at regular btemb. and wonld °° P'OW b ' "> « «""Í1"
. . . . deeply on these matters, and tried to
spend the intervening time in moping . r ,
' . ., . . *, . inform myself on them, and my recol-
around or sleepily sitting on their t ' . /
. . lections of the conditions existing just
roosting benches. , , . . ...
„ " . 11 u. berore the war have helped me won-
No matter how careful we may be, f .
, „ , , , derfully in realizing the fact that it is
we shall occasionally find eggs frozen - ,
. , n^t. c human nature for the strong to prey
in the nest These eggs are, of course, ...
unfit for sitting or marketing, but with Upon e wea''
a little care can be preserved and Bro. White asks if cotton is not now
made useful for culinary purposes, bringing as much as it did before the
The only precaution needed is to keep war- 1 am not prepared to admit
them frozen till they are to be used. (even cotton were as high) that the
To prepare for use, pour boiling water years proceeding the war were the
over them, and allow them to cool in most favorable to prosperity and pro-
a warm room. Then use them at gr£,s- My recollections tell me that
once the scuffle for existence among the
Poultry will not pay the rent of their m'ddle classes in the south was just as
roosts in winter, unless they have deperate then as now. There was a
clean, warm and light quarters. cla8s of slave holders who depended
These "modem improvements and principally on the increase of their
variety of food—corn, barley, oats, slaves for an increase o{ their weallh-
meat scraps, moderately seasoned one l'ie norl'1 Carolina moun-
with warming condiments, and a des- taineers Put "The s:ave holder
sert of ground oyster shells, and a raised n,Sgers to make colton t0 buy
choice selection of grável set on their more niggers to make more cotton to
table daily, and you may reasonably buy more niggers,' and so 011 as long
expect the rent to be regularly depos- as he lived- "and aH lhe use they had
ited in the boxes therefor provided. for a P°°r white man t0 ovcrsee
^ . , , , • * these niggers to make that cotton &c.'
Experience has shown that the best eo
mode of killing fowls is to cut the. When you put a young man out for
head off with as little of the neck bone l.ope was to get a good
as possible; then, as soon as scalded paying position as overseer, hoping
and picked, cut off as much of the pro-
truding bone as will enable you to
draw the skin down over the end of a ^armer 011 h's
it and tie tightly with twine.
A Boston firm furnishes the brief
directions here appended for dressing
and shipping poultry: Bleed from
the mouth; dry pick while warm;
should b-j neatly drawn, with as little
cutting as possible; should thoroughly
cool before packing in boxes or barrels.
Laynotovir 200 or 250 pounds in
each, with breasts down, clean straw
between each layer. For ready sale
and best market prices, ship often in
small lots. Game, such as quail, part-
ridges, grou«e, woodcock, etc., should
not be dressed, but wrapped in paper
and packed, same as poultry.
As a rule New York and Philadel-
phia dealers prefer dressed poultry
that has only the feathers removed;
head, feet and entra's remain. Bos-
ton, Baltimore*and Chicago markets
require that the fowls be "drawn."
Some markets—as Chicago, for in-
stance—give preference to dressed
poultry that has been relieved of the
heads and which has the skin drawn
up and neatly tied over the stumps.
Prairie Farmers makes this very sensi-
ble suggestion: "If you want to
know how to dress your poultry so
that (if otherwise good) it will com-
mand the highest price, send right
straight to a commission house that
deals in poultry, or to some retail
dealer in poultry in the place where
ycu propose to sell your poultry and
find out just what kind • of dressed
poultry sells best—whether dry or
wet picked, drawn or undrawn, is pre-
ferred."
St*t« Swine IrMdtr*' MmiIhr.
The Texan Swine Breeders' Miocfatton
will hold a "Swine Breeders' Initttute" at
the Agricultural and Ifaohaalcil College,
College Station, February 15, 1880. Every
breeder, and all others interested In the
-bog and hoaricy" question are invited to
meet with us. The programme la one of
more than ordinary Interest to every pro-
gmslve eitlien or Texas. Noted speakers
of experience will tell o' facta and give sta-
tistics that will interact efery intelligent
listener.
Breeders of swine, progressive farmers
aad eltl*«tos generally interested are re-
qnoeted to sseet with as. Remember the
dato, February 9, the last Tuesday is the
mouth. J. O. Tsmsll, Pres.
V. F. Bolum, see'y.
Dallaa, Texas. January 1.1WP.
Everybody that nods this ought la sub
sort be tor Tun Mnaovar.
that in the end he would own slaves.
There was but little chance for him as
own hook, in that
state, and I judge the other southern
states by that. Since the war, during
the times ufa plentiful circulating me-
dium, opportunities opened up for all
who had the will to work, and thou-
sands who would never have owned a
home if old conditions "had continued,
■made homes for themselves during the
few prosperous years just following the
war, and if the same per capita circu-
lation can be established again Bro.
White will see just as rustling a peri-
od as followed immediately after the
war. But alas ! having just escaped a
period of monopoly of labor, and op-
portunities, we have been drawn into
a period of monopoly of money, and
opportunities. Where the middle
class was swallowed up by slavery in
the south before the war, we are now
being swallowed up by money monop-
oly. The slave holder had the pro-
puct of the labor of his slaves to en-
rich him then, and through this un
comprehended trust crushed out the
non-slave holder. Now the bond
holder is enriching himself off the
labor of the non-bond holder, and
through money trusts is crushing out
the non-bond holder. Previous to
the war the slave holder simply col-
lected his revenues from his chattel
slaves, on whom he had to pay taxes,
and whose body he had to treat as a
human being. Now the slave holder
(bond holder) collects his revenue
from the labor of wage and farm slaves,
paying no taxes, and when superanu-
ated has no responsibility. No, Bro.
White, draw no comparisons between
this and the period just before the war,
they are not complimentary te the
manhood of either period. There is
one difference though in favor of the
present, to * limited extent, where 'he
party does not give voluntary servitude,
and that is in the freedom of the bal-
lot Unfortunately for my respect for
my state I remember two well how
matters were in election times. There
were recognized leaders or party
bosses in every neighborhood, and it
was their special business to whip into
line all the poor white voters in their
beats, and woe unto the stuck-up poor
white man who dared to say he would
vote as he pleased. ! do not say this
practice was universal, but know that
enough of it existed to make it any-
thing but a free ballot. This plainly
speaking the truth may offend some
who have a greater reverence for old
party ties than the truth, but I will be
sustained by thousands who know this
is true. Too many of our men are
to-day whipped into line by the party
lash and vote the ticket regardless of
who heads it, or what the issue at its
mast he*d. I am not in favor of de-
parting from old and familliar paths
when those paths lead to the right
place, but it seems to me a man would
be a fit subject for an asylum when he
continues to stay in a path that takes
him in a circle, and he never gets any-
where.
Bro. White asks who are the party,
and answers, the people. I say Bro.
White is mistaken, and he would him-
self know he was wrong if he has ever
watched a machine, called a conven-
tion. The people are no more the
party than the team that pulls the ve-
hicle is the driver. The people are
the team, the machinery of the party is
the wagon, and the politicians who
guide, are the party, the drivers are
numerous, and every one of them
drive, in hopes that some time he will
get to ride, even if it is on the little
trunk platform behind the carriage.
I think there is much good reform ma-
terial in Bro. White, and I hope he
will continue to think and work, but
he will not be a full-fledged Alliance
man untiljie can lay off his partizan
coat and cast a square vote for his
wife and children, and country.
Fraternally,
. J. A. TETI-S.
Ruston, La., Feb. 7.
Kkkp your eye on the labol of your pa-
per and send ub a dollar before your sub-
scription expire*.
The Panhandle
Uachinery and Improvement Go.
soli the
Famnus U. S. Solid Wheel
Wlnil Mill pvor sold In Texn . Long
Htroke. durnblo. N mill evor before of-
fered Ii ¡ib given bucti untUliict.ion. Send
lor cfttuloL'iieg.
The i'dcrre Company are (State Agents for
thecelebiutcd IJalludny Wind Mills, Sulom
Vurnpn, Purqubur Engines, K uro It a Wind
Mill*, etc. Have alwayw on hand it lull line
of Machinery Supplies, Bi-uhn Cloods, Uolo
ing, Pipo. Well Casing, Well Drill , etc.
Coiilrael lo furnish entire null, gin 01
water-tank ouifitw. Get their price*. It
you need anything In machinery lino, you
ean aave monty by so doing.
Live agenta wan tod In every
county in tbo state.
Address the
PANHANDLE IACHINERY & iPflOVEIMT CO,
Fort «forth. Tu
¡FARMERS, ATTENTION!
THE
, are tboM put up by
, D.M.FERRY&CO.
' Who are tbelargc t Scedimen la th« world. 1
D. M. Fsaior ft Co'i
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D.M.PCRHV4CO.
DETROIT, MICH.
IxMMjgw^horiui
to In vea 11 Kate thejnrrlta of t
ttwtlgionlnlH an<l ppnernl Inf
K A hON, Nraleb U rove, I
wile the bruRh. It will
For nnnaaomfly llhietratert catalogue, v'ternia.i
He Mill
machine. .......ki
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A $2.50 BOOK FREE!
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A copv o? THE
HISTORY OF THE WHEEL AND ALLIANCE AND TI1E
IMPENDING REVOLUTION,
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Address, SOUTHERN MERCURY; Dallas, Texas.
THE BINGEE & CONARD GO'S
1NQ VINES.New Hardy
SEEDS
WeolTcr/o.v//(i/V/at your door,
the LARGEST STOCK «T
ROSES in America, all va-
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CLEMAT18 nml CLIMB-
FLOWERING PLANTS, New Summer PLOWbRINO BULBS.
ROS ICS, New!
New QRAPK3. Satltj
IVritt/ur it FREE. ... „
THE DINGlili & CONARD CO.. Rose Growers and Seedsmen, West Grove, Pa.
THE. ARLINGTON HOTEL.
HO: , OOIJ i.i 11 <1 IKI7 MAIN HTHElíT. DAI.LAH. TJbiX,
Hoatlqu«rtere for the Farmer* Alliance
Hits Affuln cliiingi'd 1)uii<1h. Sir. .1. it. Wiilb ru linviiiir nml out umlrely. The hotel In now
until r mu uiHiiiiui.'iiiutil. or tltot l l tlmn-honorod in k, Mr .lolni l<\ Murphy, wh > will be
pli'HHiHl Ht ill I linns to moot lili o ti IrlentlK from Hie cmntrr, iintl will uiitio.ivor to p><
them. Uemtniil er thut our rntrs arn low mill a ^'oii|moilat.lonj konil.
Kpooliil i utos by 1 lio wei kor month. Come utvl m'h us.
37a. Manager.
2-1- EE. HAMILTON",
Wall Paper, Window Glass, Paints, Oils,
0 Artists' Materials, Pjoturo Frames, Elto.
747 I-Xl m otroot X3o.Ua*, Toxav.
Holstien-Fresian Stock Farm,
ferrir, ell!8 CO., tex.
I no- n-M of r in o iKhhiod nml Oriuled
Uolbticn-FrcHmn CJattlo.
AliflO
lloudan and Plymouth Rock Chicke
Eggs, $i.oo for 13.
i 'ir tin for salo 011 thl< rarm aro fully iiojII*
el I united. STi tise aro the nattle for Teta —
hitriiy and good ruatlerrt. Pur further information, Addrora N. J. X.'Ol'V, llatiairer,
%W Wo reler to tbo editor of The Moroury. Frrrit, Ten.
DISTRICT ALLIANCE EXCHANGE
OF SOUTHERN -TEXAS.
OFBICB COITON t I>0.ullINU. CIIAIlTR! RI> MAY 17, 188S.
Hone but mi-mimr* of tbo Karmors A'ilaneo ean own «took. (Irjranlaod o dlsioio «r
pronnetH and procure farm snppllea, In 'bo mo t eoonom ea> m anner. DMiirneU lo do I
^— .— — HavlUK ample faaliitiea for bandliuir, wo aolioit
«sai
MB-
other Farm Products,
immm for o i#" or produce in store.
altfutnentai f
Sugar, Cotton, Grain, Hidow, Wtxil and
and Invite orders for
GrocoríoH, (>oo<Im, Warm and Mcrchandimc, Iraplomonts and Müchinecy
IW The sale of Cotton will receive prompt attention. nr*Snnd for price* of anytbinf
you may nood. Addroaa. DIBTBlCr ALLIANCE BXCHAVtiB,
Houston, Texas.
HERE YOU AREI
Every farmer in Texas, and tfaoMC who contemplate locating in Texaa, nhould hubscribe (or *
LIVE, PROGRESSIVE AND STRICTLY FIRST-CLASS PAPER.
Jhe Southern Mercury
in recognized by all an an uncomproini ing and fearlcHH friend of the farmer .
THE HOUSTON POS T
is beyond question the LEADING WEEKLY PAPER in Texas that is published in connection with the LEADING
GREAT DAILIES of Texas. It is one daily paper that had the moral courage to stand up for the right ot the
farmers of Texas against the jute trust.
WE WANT YOU TO READ, we are Anxiour for you to Read, and we are Bound that you Shall Read,
therefore we will make you a sr PRESENT OF 60 QWS
in order to carry our point. The Houston Weekly Post is a i a-page paper, containing 84 columns of the late*
choicest and most reliable news from all parts of the world, and also the best MARKET REPORTS published hi
Texas, corrected up to the hour of going to press. Its Editorial Department is under the management of the Prest*
dent of the Texas Press Association.
The subscription price of the Houston Post is $1.45 per year; the subscription price of The Southern Mercury
is $1.00 per year,—or, $1.25 for both papers. Now, we will receive sucscripdons for the two papers, one year caca
for only tar $1.75. ONE DOLLAR AND SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS. $|,75.
Thus you see Ve will send you the t#> leading weekly papers in Texas one year and save you fifty cents, which
is equal to a PRESENT OF FIFTY CENTS.
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Dixon, Sam H. The Southern Mercury, Texas Farmers' Alliance Advocate. (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 8, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 20, 1890, newspaper, February 20, 1890; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth186126/m1/3/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .