Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 December 1905 — THE FARMERS’ INSTITUTE. [ARTICLE]

THE FARMERS’ INSTITUTE.

Report of Secretary. Rensselaer, Ind., Dec. 1, 1905. Friday’s session of the Jasper Co. Farmer’s Institute opened at 10 o’clock. W. A. Hai t spoke on farm drainage. The most of his talk related to tile drainage. Tile should be put down as deep as the outlet will allow. When too near the surface the soil puddles or becomes too fine and compact to allow the water to percolate through it. Deeper down, in some localities at least, the soil is more porous and the water will run into the tile better than near the surface. The object of drainage is to drain off the water from the loose particles of soil and lea "e it porous. This porous soil holds more water for use of plants than compact soil. To drain low places or ponds it is best to tile around the pond thus keeping the water from runningoveracropto reach the tile; so the tile running into the middle of the low place only has what water that nati rally falls there to carry off. Catch basins made of small rock adjoining tile with sewer tile extending from the surface of the ground act as a ventilator and help the flow p f water into tile. The laterals should have plenty of fall within a rod or so of the junction with the main tile to aid tile water in clearing the same irom any wash of dirt etc. Many questions were ask«.d aud much interest manifested in Mr. Harts subject. After a song by the male quartette Mr. Martiudale spoke on “How to get a good stand of clover.” He said a stand of clover could not be obtained where acid condition prevailed in the soil. If acid is suspected, the soil should be tested with litmus paper. Slacked lime will correct acid condition. It can be obtained veiy cheap at lime kilns in different parts of the state, aud is easily applied. Clean seed is very necessary. Buck horn is a bad weed and seed of same is hard to separate from clover seed. In sowing with oats, use disk then sow clover seed and

harrow to a finish. Cut the clover anil weeds in the fall of the first .Year, not allowing the clover to go to seed. It is nest not to sow too early or small plant is killed by slight freeze. Sowing clover in corn before the last cultivation is not generally a success. The clover plaut is not a long lived plant and should not be ex pected to be a crop ouly the next year after it is sown. This subje*t was enjoyed very much by all present and the discus sion was general throughout the talk. Attendance at this session 40. Adjourned for dinner. Friday p. m. session of Jasper Co. Farmer’s Institute opened alt 1:15. Routine business was taken uo for a few minutes. Moved and carried ttgit the new constitution, as sent out by the state be adopted except articles 111 and V. That article 111 shall read that any resident of the county, over 10 years of age may" become a member by handing their name to the secretary on a slip of paper. Article V in regiu d to dues shall be omitted.

The following committees were named: On nominations: Win. Augs burger, John Lest. Charles Morris On resolutions: B. D. Comer, J. E. AlteJ, Peter Ilordemau. After a song by the quartette Mr. Martindale spoke on “The farmer’s horse, his care and training. He named five classes of horses, draft, express, coach, big road and race horses. The draft horse and road horse areth' most sa'able and useful for the fanner. The roal horse should stand

aboout 16 hand& high and weight not less than 1100 or 1200 pounds, and be a trotter. Good action, color and good sense are needed to make a' good road horse. Blood of the American trotter is needed in a horse to insure.the above named qualities. » The Morgan horse is all right but a little too small. A draft horse should weigh 1600 pounds or more. The Eoglish shire and Clydesdale are about the same horse. The Percheron or French draft are a different breed and find much favor with horsemen. It is poor policy to cross the road horse with the draft breed. The result is .frequently a plug. Cleanliness, ventilation and sunlight are necessary to the good health of horses. Colts should have shelter and uot be turned out to rough it. Mr. Martindale advises the use of a stable blanket in winter and a heavy blauket or blankets when a horse is driven and tied to a hitch rack. It is always best to put in hitch barn if possible after driving. If weather is bad and no barn available after the drive stay at home. Oats and corn mixed make the best feed. Corn alone is too heavy and not enough muscle producer. - It is best to water before feeding always, aud a good idea to feed hay at least 30 minutes before feeding grain. When yoqr horse is being shod stay and quiet him, and not let the blacksmith abuse him. Treat) your horse kindly and he will always regard his master as his friend. High stepping is no* going ahead. A horse had better reach forward than waste his strength in stepping high. A colt should be trained but not be broken in spirit. Good life does not mean viciousness. After the farmer’s horse stepped out of the way, The lowa Whistler gave a musical number which all enjoyed. Mr. L. A. Furness of Michigan City spoke on the employment of the prisoners at the peuitentiary. Farmers are requested to write to the warden concerning binding twine, as it is to be manufactured at the penitentiary and sold to the farmer direct at cost. Mr. Hart then spoker on Plant Growth.

The fine hair roots and not the large roots gather plant food. These roots’go as deep as possible till they come to water. Therefor it is necessary to have the water as far below the surface of the ground as possible so that the roots will have more soil to diaw from. When the water raises the hair roots die and the plaut ceases to grow till the water goes down when the large roots send out a new supply of hair roots. Plant food consists of carbon, nit rogen, potash and phosphoric acid, carbon is obtained from the air through the leaves. The use of potash in regard to raising corn was illustrated by the speaker. Plenty of potash must be present in soil to insure grain crops. Phosphoric acid pro duces soil bicteria which in turn gather nitrogen. It is possible to apply enough phosphoric acid to produce ammonia and weaken the stalk causing it to break or go down. Proper drainage causes the soil to warm up quickly, and imprope drainage keeps the ground cold de laying plant growth.

Commercial fertilizer recommend ed cousists of 200 pounds lione and .‘lO or 40 pounds muriate of potash per acre at a probable cost of -#2.75 per acre. However I think Mr. Hart’s ideas apply more to a clay soil rather than a sandy soil, as that is what he seems to be the ' most familiar with. | P. M. session closed a little late, 4 o'clock J Attendance 75. (Continued on second pajre.)