Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 February 1891 — The Farmers' Institute. [ARTICLE]

The Farmers' Institute.

Many Valuable Pointers for The HusbandmanGRAIN RAISING, STOCK RAISING, STOCK FEEDING, ROAD AND DITCH MAKING, AND OTHER . SUBJECTS. The Fanners’ Institute, on Friday and Saturday of last week, while not attended nearly soJargely as it should have been by the fanning classes, was, all things considered, a success, and can not fail we are persuaded, to result in great and permanent good to the agricultural, and through that, to all other material interests of this county. Good seeds of knowledge and successful experience were sown, which must, in the very nature of things, bear many good results. In only one respect do we consider that the net results of the Institute will fail to be on the side of benefit. The much to be deplored prejudices and jealousies which exist between the people of the various towns of this county and the agricultural population, which of late years, at least upon the side of the farmers, has been sedulously fanned and increased by the ranting of demagogues and fanatics, has been increased rather than diminished by this Institute. This unfortunate result is owing to the ill-advised remarks of two or three well meaning but badly balanced individuals, who have listened to the artful harangues of demagogues until they have come to believe that such things as honor, virtue, hospitality and honesty can not be found inside the limits of any town or village. In the following condensed notes on the proceedings of the Institute, we shall aim merely to select out such points from the different papersand discussions as will, in our judgment, convey valuable hints to those to whomthey are likely to prove of benefit: -—— The first session of the Institute opened Friday at 10:30 A. M. with a song. In the absence of R. W. Mar- ■ shall, the welcoming address was made by S. P. Thompson. He compared the past condition of the farming classes, when all their operations were guided by faith and superstition, and when the tillers of the soil were really a part of it and were bought and sold by the lords of the manor, to the present time when farming Is conducted by knowledge and intelligence, and the farmer owns the soil he tills, is a free man and the noblest type of manhood. President Smart, of Purdue University responded. Said it was thought by many, and with considerable truth, that farmers are not happy enough nor prosperous enough. Thought that these evils were largely to be remedied by teaching better methods of' farming. Farmers are already making faster progress than any other class in learning improved methods in their vocation, but there is still much to be learned. Much of the talk in the line of fanners being the lords of creation was true, and again much of it was humbug. Was sorry to see the constant exodus of farmers to the cities, where they become either the best or the worst citizens, and attributed much of the evil to the eternal croak that ‘‘farming don’t pay.” Farmers all over the state are making farming pay, aud young men can be kept on the farms if right methods are adopted. Farmers must learn to raise more, also to save more. American farmers are the most wasteful ou earth. The preventable loss from insects each year, in this country, is 300 million dollars; as much more from plant diseases. The loss in various ways, from bad roads, is enormous. Also from bad care of livestock. Can prove that the American farmers lose more that a billion a year, in these ways. Owing to inability of Mr. Schwegler to be present on Friday, the program was altered somewhat, and Prof. Latta, of Purdue, gave his essay on Wheat Culture and Crop Rotation. He enumerated some mistakes farmers make in wheat growing: Many of them raise too much wheat, and ought to diversify more, by raising more grass, cattle <fce. Wheat is hard upon land when raised continuously. Land must be well drained for wheat. Most wheat land is not well enough fertilized; hard to get land too rich for wheat. Most farmers are too Slack in preparing land for wheat. Don’t raise wheat on weedy land, insect, or plant disease infected land. Too much carelessness and mistaken economy in seed. Seed should be sound, plump, large, well acclimated and have a good “pedegTee.” Don’t sow wheat with smut or other diseases in it. In some localities wheat is sown so early that the hessian fly gets after it. Thinks early in September about right for this latitude. Don’t rush all your wheat into the market soon as thrashed. So much is this done that prices are always forced down during part of the year. If wheat is much damaged, in any way, don’t sell it but feed it out. Knows a man who got 11 a bushel out of wheat by feeding to

hogs, that wouldn’t have sold for 60 cent'*. Rotation in crops is nature s: own method for maintaining the productiveness of the soil. Also of wonclorful advantage in checking the ravages of insects, and of plant diseases,. Thinks ~525 would cover all damages by insects on the Purdue ~ farm. in & years, all owing to crop • rotation. With clean seed and crop i rotation, insects and plant diseases > are kitocked clear out. Rotation is ■ a good thing too, because if one-crop j fails another may succeed, and if: prices aie poor for one crop, they may be good for another. Com, i oats, wheat, hay, each one year, then | pasture 2 years, then heavily manur- j ing before breaking ,“Ts” the I order of rotation at Purdue. Farmer* should raise more clover. It puts | lime, [Xitash and nitrogen into the soil, and the roots go down after richness that other crops can’t reach. F. W. Bedford, of Marion tp., followed in the discussion. He is a very thorough and successful farmer living just east of Rensselaer. He started in 30 years ago farming 600 acres, found that too much and does lietter now with 100 acres. He breaks his pasture land in the fall, top dresses heavily in the winter, raises 3 -cfops of com, then one’of oafs; after this crop is gathered, rakes off all the stubble, plows 6 to 7 inches deep, rolls and harrows several times, then sows, wheat and timothy seed together, with a drill, making the rows north and south, for the better protection against winter. Rolls in spring if frost has heaved plants; also then sows 6 or 7 quarts clover seed to the’acre. If wheat stand proves very light, from winter killing, he lets it stand until the timothy gets ripe," then thrashes wheat and timothy seed out together, and afterwards separates them with a fanning mill. Gets good returns m wheat and seed, and the straw is worth as much to the acre as wild hay. Raises lots of clover and thinks well of it. Keeps the whip row of weeds and inseets by keeping land clean of weeds and rubbish, even to the sides of ditches and fence comers. Bums com stalks and such rubbish. Thinks farmers should cut for feed all corn they raise. His wheat averages 20 bushels to the acre, and only two failures in 15 years. W. E. Moore, of Hanging Grove tp., another progressive and successful farmer, followed. He, too, manures well, plows deep, drills north aud south, gets sheltered places for his wheat when he can, turns stock into fields when sleet threatens to smother the young plants in winter, or even harrows them, with sharp harrow to break up the ice. Top dresses exposed land, in fall. It protects from frost and also fertilizes the ground. The arrival of noon cut the speaker’s valuable remarks short, and also prevented any discussion of the relative merits of deep and shallow plowing for wheat—there being those present who would have advocated 3 inches rather than 6 or 7.

FRIDAY AFTERNOON. The attendance was much better than in the forenoon. A notable feature of this session was the attendance of the Rensselaer High School, in a body, headed by Supt. Wilson and Principal Sparling. They wisely wanted the young folks to hear Prof. Smart’s lecture. President Smart, of Purdue University, talked entertainingly and instructively of Industrial Education, opening with some very gratifying but not the less truthful remarks on the greatness of Indiana riot only in natural attributes, but in material and spiritual development. The needs and advantages of the “New Education ’ ’ were ably set forth. The boy of to-day is a different chap from the boy of 50 years ago. Railroads, telegraplis, printing presses, electricity, have made a new world, and it needs a new kind of boy to fit into it, and the Professor showed that in no way could a boy be better fitted for these new conditions, than by an education in some such institution as Purdue University, where in addition to acquiring a good book knowledge, at the same time, by devoting 2 hours each day for two college years, in the workshops of the college, a boy can be made a good carpenter, a good pattern maker, a good blacksmith, a good founder and a good machinist. All five trades being acquired in less time and in much better perfection, than any one of them is, in the old apprenticeshipway. Ordinarily speaking 85 per cent, of the boys who start in to learn trades, fail entirely. In Purdue failures were only 5 per cent. No truth in the saying that the educated boy will not work. Everywhere educated men, op farms and elsewhere are achieved the greatest successes. The expense of an education at Purdue was discussed and President Smart said that any boy who was trained in the right practice of economy could get along on S2OO a year, clothes and all. D. B. Nowels followed President Smart, in a brief address on the same subject, in which the latter’s position and arguments were ably seconded. The subject of Public Highways was treated by S. T. Virden, of White Co. The perfect French system of under government control, was described, and the road laws of

this state severely criticised. Gravel I roads are the best, but the great ex- ; pense is the bugaboo. Thinks a great part of this could be saved if | the farmers would work together and ' make the roads without going■ through the process of law, the legal I expense being often 25 to 50 per cent, of the cost of the roads. Two roads, of the same length, leading into Mon ticello, were described! One built by the law process, the other by voluntary combination. The latter only cost about two thirds as much as the former. In building gravel roads the system now adopted every place in Ohio is recommended. The road bed is prepared wide enough so ThatTa gravel pike and a dirt pike run side and side. During at least 5 months of the year the dirt road is the best, and is used the most, thus saving the wear of the gravel, and also of horses and vehicles. Crushed stone is far the best road material and in the limestone bed of the Iroquois river the people of Rensselaer and vicinity have a mine of wealth which it is a shame for them not to utilize. A stone crushing outfit is the thing, and can be had for S6OO or S7OO. Good crushed stone pike can be built for $1,500 per mile,where the hauling is not too O. M. Vickery, Ex-trustee of Carpenter tp., followed. He explained the methods by which the dirt roads of Carpenter, naturally bad from the character of the soil, were kept in excellent condition for a large portion of each year. He wants a good broad pike, well rounded up from deep ditches and each side kept rounded up and smooth by the frequent use of grading machines with which the township is well supplied; advocates the carrying of the water alongside the road for considerable distances, rather than the use of too many bridges; and when bridges are made make them well. Use cedar posts for abutments, 7 to 10 stringers, of oak 3 inch thick and spike the planks firmly to every stringer. Bridges made like this will last 15 or 20 years and not even creak with a traction engine. For culverts has found vitrified sewer pipe the best. On motion the president, Mr D. H. Yeoman, appointed Messis D. B. Nowels, Lucius Strong and Lee E. Glazebrook, a committee on i esolutions, and W. E. Moore, O. M. Vickery and Issac Alter a committee on premanent organization, both to report at the opening of Saturday afternoon’s session. On Friday evening’s sessions the subjects treated were “Mutual Interests of Town and Country” by Hon. S. P. Thompson, and “Women’s Place and influence in the Farmer’s Home” by Mrs. M. T. Didlake, of Monticello. The subjects were well handled, but from their nature, did not present features that could be profitably repeated in a condensed account like this.

SATURDAY MORNING. Mr. Lee E. Glazebrook read a brief paper on the evil propensities and proclivity to increase in geometrical progression of the English Sparrows, and strongly portraying the necessity of adopting some means for their extirpation = - «- J. E. Bowles, of Montgomery Co. then presented a very instructive paper on the subject of Raising and Selling of Horses, giving in outline the plan by which himself has achieved a notable success, and opening with the advice that if any farmer has a special predeliction for any one line, then that is the one he is most likely to succeed in. Commence with the mares you have. It is folly to lose the use of your mares during the period of gestation. Work them right along, but ease up on their work as the foaling period approaches, and give them complete rest for 2 weeks thereafter. At that period feed well, with oats and mashes, but no corn.. Teach colt to lead when a week old. Never let colt follow the mare at work or on the road, but leave it in the barn with plenty of oats, bran and hay to eat. Wean at 5 months, but let colt and mare stand in same stall together. At weaning let colt suck 3 times a day for 3 days, 2 times a day for 3 more days, then once a day for 3 more, then quit entirely, but still keep in same stall with mare, and neither will worry about the matter. Feed colt plenty of oats the first year, and keep in a warm, well ventilated stable. The second year let it run, but the third year break and work enough to earn his keeping. Prefers Percherons for draft horses, thoroughbreds for driving horses, Cleveland Bays for general purpose. Breeds Indian ponies for riding horses, and by handling them early, makes them gentle and trustworthy. Whatever kind of a horse a buyer wants, he is always ready to accommodate him with a good one. Keep your horses always in good condition; don’t try to deceive a man in selling him a defective horse, and when you do have a good one to sell, slap on a good price and take nothing less. Above all things feed growing colts welt Nothing easier than to knock 33| per cent from the value of a colt by letting him run a season in a bare back lot, with plenty of flies to bite him and no grass or grain for him to bite. O. M. Vickery, of Carpenter tp., is

breeding trotting horses tp a considerable extent, and describes his method of handling the colts, which should be done without scaring or injury. He breaks them as yearlings. Gets them user! to the harness in the stable. Finally leads them around a Tittle with the harness on , and later, drives them about hitched by the side of an old and quiet horse. When he finally him to a wagon the whippietrees are tied back so that the old mate has Ur pull the whole load, the neckyoke is tied on so that the tongue can not fall down, and the colt is tied by his halter strap to the hameof the elderly steed, so that if to cavorting it can not injure its mouth. The very important subject of Drainage, was opened by a paper by S. T. Virden. He thinks the time has come when the low lying lands of this part of the State are too valuable to be under water, and that draining should be prosecuted with accelerated vigor. Thinks outlets to open ditches are not often made large enough, and that all lands using such outlet ditches should help pay for them. To keep weeds and willows from taking the banks of open ditches, he Advocates pasturing said banks, and if cattle knock in the dirt, let them be cleared out and thus be made wider. Tile draining, however, is the salvation of onr lands and it doubles, trebles and quadruples its productiveness. John E. Alter, of Union township, who has had much practical knowledge of draining and surveying, followed. Thinks more lateral ditches should be made, when main drains are constructed. That the county surveyor should have tile ditches made, instead of open, when they would be better. Also that ditching should be made in dry weather, being more easily and .cheaply done, and less liable to fill up, then, and that the county surveyor or some other competent engineer should locate the levels, instead of trusting to the primitive mettrochof water-leveling. Under-ground drainage is_far the best. ..Makesthe.soil more porous. warriier, and leaves no wide tracts of good land to rim to ! Waste and weeds, nor washes away I the richness of the soil, as is the case with open ditches. Beginners usually use too small tile, and have to take them up after a few years and replace with larger. G. W. Burk, of Marion tp., has done a great deal of tiling. Thinks a man can make big returns by bor- ■ rowing money at 10 per cent, and • investing it in tile draining. I W. R. Nowels has done 10,000 ft. 'of tiling. Has now got to take up much of his and replace with larger. Will never use less than I'lnch tile again. He has had good satisfaction laying by water level, but superintended the laying himself. O. M. Vickery, of Carpenter tp., has laid 6 miles of tiling, and had the best tile layer in the country to do it. He thinks 3 inch tile all right at the beginning of laterals, for first 10 rods or so, then gradually increases to larger sizes. Where he has a large fall he finds that the smaller sizes will do. Prof. Latta gave figures proving that a good fanner could make lots of money by putting in $lO or even sls worth of tiling per acre, and paying 6 per cent, interest on the money. S. P. Thompson spoke in favor of the proposed drainage law on the county bond and 8 year assessment plan, like that under which all the big draining enterprises in Ohio and Illinois have been carried out. Impossible to properly drain the Iroquois and Kankakee river valleys by any other method. The Institute, by unanimous vote, endorsed Mr. Thompson’s views. SATURDAY AFTERNOON. The last session of the Institute opened with a good attendance, including a large proportion of ladies. The reports of the committees on resolutions and permanent organization must be deferred until our next issue. Mrs. Addie A. Stearns, of Remington read a very able and well written paper on “The Farm Home” but which, together with the discussion following, from the nature of the subject, contained few points that can be profitably condensed into the limits of such an article as this. The necessity of giving the boys and girls of the farm better educations, and more and better reading matter, was especially insisted upon. Not only to better fit them for successful farmers or farmers’ wives, but also as precautions against the always impending possibility that circumstances would compel them to gain a livlihood in some other manner than upon the farm. The last subject handled was “Breeding, Feeding and Care of Dairy Stock,” by W. G. Schwegler, of Tippecanoe county, a gentleman who has made great success of dairying business. He raises the Holstein breed, but does not hold that that breed monopolizes all the good qualities of dairy stock. Cows which only produce 3,000 lbs. of milk a year only pay for what they eat He makes his

produce 10,000 lbs., and no true dairyman should be contented with less. Don’t buy a cheep sire; * be sure he is a thoroughbred, and look well to his pedigree. To get good cows, better raise your own heifer calves, selecting those with best appearances and from the best cows. Wean at once, or after 3 days at most, and feed from the bucket. They will be more gentle, and raised with more economy. Have calves dropped in fall They will then ■ just be of good ago to shift for themselves next spring, and besides, there is more time in the winter to monkey with them. Good dairy cows must have good digestion and the aim of the good dairyman is to see how much he can get his cows to eat rather than how« little he caii keep them alive on. Cows heed some corn, some oats, some bran, but the perfect food is cornstalk ensilage,—(that is to say corn cut, and packed green, after the simulitude of sourkrout). The dairyman who feeds plenty of ensilage will have sleek, fat, healthy cows, and can make more and better butter in the dead of winter than the ordinary farmer can make in June, when the bovines browse on a 1000 hills. He plants corn in hills as for’ordinary crop, and tends the same way, then cuts when the ears are “in the dent.” Silos are best built wholly above ground and, say, 20 by 20 feet square, and 14 to 20 feet high. A good stone or brick foundation, scantling, 2 by 10 plank. Sheet inside with common boards, outside with tarred paper and shiplap. Cut stalks, ears and all, to one-half inch in feed chopper, then spread well and tread well, in the silo, and when all is done cover with boards, and 10 or 12 inches of saw dust. In feeding, take from top, and contrive to feed a. whole layer, every 2 days. Well to let the cows have a little hay, along with the ensilage, and some oil cake occasionally. Prof. Latta endorsed everything said in favor of the silo system. and invited the farmers of Jasper county to send a delegation to Lafayette to make a personal inspection of the silos at the College farm, and others near by. Knows a man who keeps 30 cows and makes SSO a head, clear profit, from them, by feeding ensilage, every year. It is the perfect way to feed dairy cows. Mr. J. H. Willey and other successful dairyman, were prepared to make valuable additions to the dairy matter discussion, but the lateness of the day seemed to leave no choice but to adjourn, which was done, until some time in September, to be fixed by the committee on permanent organization.