Connecticut western news., 1879-09-10
Farmers, institute at Sheffield.

The EarnlerS institute was helQ last w ed- pesday in Sheffield at the Congregational Church; Seer taay Robbins at the table. The meeting was opened at l0:30. About three hundred persons were in attendance, large delegations being present from the surround ing towns and a number of gentlemen from towns more remote. The audience, made up mostly of farmers and their families, present ed; an unusual appearance, but what it lacked in diversity uf character it more than made up iu solidity, intelligence and quiet interest in the subjects handled by the speakers. Sec retary Cold from Cornwall was introduced to the audience. He spoke in plain praoti- cal, discussive manner, without cnbellish- ment or any attempt at oratory. His topic was Fruit" it's proper growth, sustenance and care, the time for planting and pruning trees He sad, 'I will begin with the apple,
 il being the most important and reliable fruit grown over large extent of country, fruit cf extensive use and commerce. In planting an orchard I should place the trees not less than two rods apart, to give them space to grow without intcrlacing branches and, also,
 to let the sunlight in. The ground around the roots should be Eept loose by careful
 ploughing. The apple is a hardy fruit and easily grown. Land seemingly barren can be
 utilized into bearing trees. have 175 gratted trees and fine apples can be had from trees in
 their natural state ungrafted. l think that trees could be made to bear every year if suf- fciently fertilized The Baldwin is the best market apple, the Greening is an excellent kind, The Astrican and the Whi;e Sweet are the finest for summer and the Russet the best for preservation. The Northern Spy is a splendid eating apple. Apples should be care fully gathered and put into barrels in the or chard all specked and imperfect apples should be rejected and the barrels in the cellars sho uld be placed in tiers, the earliest at the top Next to the apple comes the pear. They are easily raised and are very useful and deli cious. I prefer for eating the Seckle and Bart lett. They are, also, good market pears The Loring is good kind. Winter pears when gathered should be placed in cool place. but when wanted to ripen more and acquire the yellow tinge, the warmth should be increased
 Piums I have given up to the curcelio, though
 I have raised them 25 years. No absolute remedy for this blight has been discovered.
 Peaches are grown best upon sandy or stony soil. The best beuring tree ever knew grew by pig-pen against rock. It bore several bushels more than I would like to say There are many new kinds of grapes. Mores Early is an excellent kind aud the Concord is as good as any for common use. All kinds of berries can be cultivated and if a farmer is half alive he can raise strawberries Of all thesworld's fruit, the strawberry is superior, and it is easily cultivated, increasing rapidly and yielding large returns.-I give the prefer ence to the Crescent Seeding. The currant grows best by stone walls, aud to kill the worms sprinkle with hellehore. The cherry is a nice fuit but the birds take the cherries mostly. In setting out trees, l prefer the Fall, time enough before Winter to give the roots a chance to heal at the ends. Some far mers prefer to prune trees in June; prune them any time from January to June, if the weather is mild. Animals prey upon young trees. l set out three hundred trees upon a side-hil and they were all cleared by wood- chucks and young rabbits" When the speak CT closed his remarks, the delegations from abroad were invited to adjourn to the Town
 Hall for refreshments. Four tables were set the length of the Hall, seating thirty at each table, and they were loaded with almost everything eatable, in the greatest variety and abundance, meats, vegetables, cakes, pies and fruits, got up ln a manner that only farmers wives are capable of performing. After those at the first tables had left, they were cleared and reset in ten minutes. When those at the second tables, who consisted mostly of our Sheffield people, had finished their repast, all who wanted dinner, of every grade were invited in. One man, lit tie the worse for ''hop bitters," perhaps, was very jubliant and demonsl rative over his din- ner, exclaiming to small colored boy oppo- site "Thls is nice bub eat all you wanter, bub, make yourself to home, now do."
 Returning to the church, Rev. MT. Ben edict from Southteld was introduced to the audience. He proved to be spirited, inter- esting speaker throwing off hits, ideas and anecdotes, like sparks from an engine. He said farming is noble calling, it requires skill, industry and intelligence to carry it on successfully. It is honorable, and every hon. est man must win his bread by the sweat of his brow in any business, why not in farm
 ng2 It is the man that dignifies the occupa- ton, not the occupation the man. If man succeeds, what matter is it in what field of labor? What better is it to measure cloth | behind counter than to be out at work in the green fields? Young ladies prefer the i stove pipe hat, and foppish dress, and this is one reason why boys leave the farm and be- come disgusted with labor. Farming should be made interesting to boys,-the gains were slow from agriculture, but surer than in many ]