The Farmer And Mechanic

Jack Frost and the Tobacco

Farmers.

Can a Warning be Given in

Time?

We are indebted to Senator Vance

for the following correspondence; and

if it should ultimately initiate efforts to

signal the coming of Jack Frost's

deadly raids upon the Plant-Beds of

North-Central North Carolina, thousands

of our readers will thank him also.

It is doubtful, however, whether

the same means used in Louisiana

would be effective here, owing to the

fact that we are so much nearer the

"frost line." A cold snap, starting at

the great lakes, can be announced by

telegraph to the sugar planters, 48

hours in advance. Nevertheless, 'tis a

subject worthy of discussion and experiment.

There are large sections of

Granville, Warren, Vance, Orange,

Durham &c., which could be notified by

telegraph if two days time were given.

U. S. Senate Chamber,

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 1882.

Capt. R. A. Shotwell :-

I enclose you a letter from the Chief

of the Signal Service, the subject of

which I think is important to our people.

As it is in your line, I beg you to

publish it with a view to calling the attention

of our farmers thereto. Had a

well concerted system of signals been

employed to give one warning of the

early frost last fall, hundreds of thousands

of dollars might no doubt have

been saved to the State.

I know you will agree with me that it

is quite refreshing to see our government

once in awhile consider the chief interests

of our people, and spend a very

little money for the benefit of the agricultural

classes.

Yours, truly,

Z. B. VANCE

War Department,

Office of Chief Signal Officer

Washington City, Feb. 9, 1882.

Hon. Z. B. Vance, U. S. Senate

Washington, D. C.:

SIR:-I have the honor to invite

your attention to the fact that in the

fall of 1880 a system of frost warnings,

in the interest of the sugar planters of

Louisiana, was devised and put in operation.

The amount of success attained is

best shown by the following telegram

from the Governor of that State:

NEW ORLEANS, LA., Nov. 9, '81

General W. B. Hazen:

In behalf of the agricultural interest

of Louisiana and the Gulf coast, you

are respectfully requested to renew the

series of weather signals of last year

forecasting severe changes and coming

frosts. Such signals will be of incalculable

value to sugar planters.

S. D. McENERY, Governor.

These warnings were continued during

the past season with entire success,

and with great benefit to the sugar interests.

It is believed that similar

warnings would be of advantage to the

tobacco growers of your State. Warnings

could be sent about two days in

advance of killing frost and, if promptly

circulated, would prevent loss to

planters by enabling them to secure at

least a portion of the crop.

You are respectfully requested to

consider this subject and to inform me

if such action on the part of this service

would be beneficial to the tobacco interest

of your section, and the length of

time which should be covered each year

by such forecasts.

I have fully recognized the practical

importance of this and similar work for

the benefit of the agricultural interests

of the country, but I have not been

provided with sufficient force to carry

out my views. I anticipate favorable

action by Congress, during the present

session, to increase the efficiency of the

Signal Corps, and a much greater extension

of the usefulness of this service

to all interests affected by the weather

conditions of the country, may be expected.

I am, sir, very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

W. B. HAZEN,

Brig. and Bvt. Major General,

Chief Signal Officer, U. S. A.