Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 73, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 December 1909 — THE SECRETARY’S REPORT. [ARTICLE]

THE SECRETARY’S REPORT.

Of the Nineteenth Session of the Jasper County Farmers’ Institute. Owing to the severe weather only a small representation made up the forenoon session. So the regular program was abandoned and the forenoon given over to receiving the exhibits. In the afternoon, both morning and afternoon programs were carried out. R. L. Thompson of Topeka, Ind., gave the first talk on Growing Wheat for Profit. This was a talk that every wheat grower and would-be grower should have heard. He said he once raised it for the mighty dollar but now he combines pleasure with profit and his greatest ambition is to so cultivate his land that it will be richer every year and insure a larger crop. He prefers clover sod or other Bod lands, which he covers with a manure spreader during the winter till Feb. 1, the manure from that time on is to be hauled on the corn ground. In the spring he disks the sod and after corn planting the ground is plowed with a jointer plow, he then works the ground from time to time till the first of September, when he has a nice moist seed bed, be it ever so dry. Under this system of cultivation he is able to raise 40 bushels of wheat to the acre, minimum yield 23 bushel. He also sows wheat in the corn but the yield to much lower, minimum yield 19 bushel, maximum yield 36 bushel. He rotates his crops from time to time, from what he said his land is no better than the wheat land of Jasper county, except as he makes it so. Winifred Pullins, one of our own young men and one among the best informed that it has been our pleasure to hear, gave a concise talk on some essentials to plant life. He is a lover of nature study, well read and has given this subject much study. He told ub how a plant lives, what it feeds upon and the condition best for Its development. Prof. Troop of Purdue University gave some pointers on Insects that are injurious to crops. Among other things Mr. Troop said that these insects destroyed enough every year to soon pay off the national debt. Some of these must be destroyed by mechanical means, others are of a dual nature and destroy one another. Injurious insects thrive better under poor cultivation and almost vanish under ideal cultivation. Dr. Kannal of Rensselaer spoke of “Tuberculosis In Dairy Cattle.” Mr. Kannal quoted statistics to show the ravages of this dreadful disease and how it was transmitted from the milk and the food supply of the animal to the human system. He quoted a general law passed giving till 1914 to eradicate the infected stock. After this time it will be a misdemeaner to keep infected stock. Infected stock can not always be told by their appearance but by the tuberculosis test alone. Every head in Jasper county should be tested for no one wants to destroy himself or his neighbor with this loathsome disease. Prof. Troop came in for a talk on “Orchard Fruits,” which was good within itself, but it was plain to be seen that the audience was not so much interested in fruits as in dairying, wheat and corn raising. Thursday morning, Mr. Thompson, gave us a talk on the dairy cow with general farming. He advocated a crossing between the Jersey and Shorthorn and gave as his reason better veal calves, larger flow of milk and better beef when the cow is milked out and goes to the block, but the writer thinks that such a system would be subject to much criticism.

He feeds a little grain the year around, and raises sweet corn, and sorghum to feed when the pasture becomes short, uses of meal as a concentrate, advocated a certain hour for milking and the same cows milked by the same person. Mrs. Oliver Kline gave "Dust and Its Dangers," in which she said she was much Interested in the crops and dairy, but considered health of more importance. She pointed out that many of the disease germs lurk in the old rag carpet and came forth fresh at every sweeping. She thought that hard wood floors or linoleums or ruga that could be carried out and dusted the most sanitary, and referred to the sanitary condition of hospitals, and that they were free from everything that would catch dust. She condemned tapestry and thought home should be as sanitary as the hospital. In the afternoon Mr. Thompson brought his message of "Mental Culture on the Farm.” He did not think that it would lower our standard of mental culture to be moneymakers. He thought it possible for us to be quite narrow in some things and yet be great factors in others. He said we neglected the ethical side of our nature too much and

thereby choked out our social relations. He considered the highest ideal in mental culture the purpose of raising a family. In this he took in much scope and pointed out many advantages and many dangers in our way. “The Daughter’s Share,” was next discussed by Mrs. Kline. She thought the daughter should be taught what to be afraid of and what not to be afraid of, but should be done In such a way that it would not excite the curiosity in her nature to know the things for herself that have been pointed out to her as dangerous. She said if the daughter was a good piano player and could not flop a pancake there must be something wrong with her mother. It was her opinion that a girl should be required to prepare at least one dish every day for the table, should mend her own clothes and learn to be an independent factor. No girl should have everything she wanted, and pointed out a queen’s daughter, who was once found playing with a rag doll because she said she had everything else she wanted—in other words—the desire to acquire a certain thing is of more pleasure than if it comes to her unsought. Miss Lizzie Lane read a paper, “Why We Have a Girls’ Club.” This paper was very closely allied with the previous talk of Mrs. Kline, pointed out the social, ethical and educational advantages of girls clubs for broadening the girl® minds. Wm. Day gave an excellent paper on what does it mean to be a good housekeeper and homemaker. No Jasper county Farmers’ Intitute is never complete without a speech from Barney Comer. This time it was “Future Price of Farm Products.” He spoke of the great advantages the farmer’s boys and girls enjoy now over the years ago. We are now better taken care of in every way. Better rigs to ride in, better roads to travel on, better houeses to live in, rural delivery at our doors, with daily newspapers from the city with news from all the world. How different frotn years ago when corn sold at 15c per bushel, hogs 3c per pound. The point was that the corn belt of the world is limited to the agriculrepublic and a few of the states in the Union. A committe was once sent to Europe to teach the people how to cook and eat corn bread, pone, cakes and mush.

And now all Europe eats corn and our people eat corn and our population is increasing at the rate of 1,000,000 a year. Corn will increase in price per bushel and land that will produce corn will advance in price till it will sell for $250 per acre. So If you have corn land, hold it. If you have none, buy some before March 1. Raise corn, for it will always be worth cash, and rajde pork for in ten years from now meat will be so high that w-e will not eat it at every meal. The evening session was very good. Mrs. Eib read a very interesting paper on “Social Duties.” Mrs. Eib is quite a leader in her neighborhood in Sunday School work, as well as social affairs, and an article from her pen on tnis subject could not fail to be of interest to the audience. The author of “Hoosier Hunting Grounds” was on deck with his comic papers and as his company or companions in arms deserted him on the eve of battle, Johnnie was forced to sing two or three quartettes ail alone. But he was equal to the occasion and Ailed the house with mirth and merriment. Long live “Bill Bat.” Mr. Thompson gave one of the best talks ever delivered at a Farmers’ Institute, the subject of which was, “The Position of the Farmer Among Men.” Space will not admit of going into detail on this very valuable talk. Committee on Resolutions gave out the following: AH children excused from school should be required to attend the Farmers Institute and teachers report names of attendance. We recommend that the County Council be authorized to appropriate money for the boys and girle clubs in connection with the Farmer*’ Institute.

We recommend that the treasurer make a report of all money oaid out and received. WM. AUGSPURGER, JOHN W. NORMAN, ABNER C. PANCOAST. i Committee. Committee on nominations were* D. H. Yeoman, A. J. Bellows, A. G. W. Farmer. Officers elected: Pres., Samuel Sparling; Sec., Marion I. Adams; Treaß,, John W. Lesh. Indies Auxiliary: Pres., Mrs. A. P. Burton; Sec., Mrs. B. D. Comer; Trees., Mrs. M. I. Adams