The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-02-04
VALUE OF TARMERs' CLUEs.

the Farmers C1uD rs laCtuT iu dSIl-
hnliural success. II is worthy fact
tn mention that the most successful
and most flourishlng agricultural dis
triels are those in which the work of
the Farmers' Club Is most prominent.
Among the many excellent papers
read before the meetings OF the Con-
neet;cut State Board of Agriculture,
recently held ut New Britain, Ct,
one prepared by Il. $. Gold, Secretary
ofthe State Board, was an important
contribution to the value of Farmers
Clubs. The speaker remarked, In ell
feet, that the Farmers Club Is the
simplest, and for cheapness gives the
best returns Of any agricultural asSo-
citation.
1t matters not whether the club Is
OF village, town, county or state orr
gin. 1t discusses all questions cont
cerning crops, how TO pillow, what fer
tilizers to apply, how to cultivate and
how to protect from the ravages OF
insects it discusses questions con-
cerning animals, how To feed ana
train them, gives advice concerning
diseases 10 which they arc liable 1t
imparts information with reference
to manares and special fertilizers and
also concerning improved imple-
mentS.
knowledge of this character IS of
great importance to the farmer (; 1t
saves him from committing many
mistakes, and enables him, through
the experience of others, to make Sc
lections with a certainty of their
adaptability to his wants. 1t gives
much valuable advice with reference
to the building of new barns anu OF
planning and arranging those already
built. 1t interests the farmers wife,
for the club discusses household mat
tiers as we'll as how TO build, arrange
and furnish houses. Ii also imparts
much useful information with refer
ence To plants and flowers. Again,
some clubs have n working Orsaniza-
ton, like that of the agricultural so
cieties, and hold faiIsand exhibitions
which give them additional value
ana importance
The club utilizes every kind Of tall
ent There are farmers who can talk
much better than they can work /;
these are of Importance 10 the club,
while there are others who can wcrk
4nuch better than they can talk, also
extremely valuable members. As a
rule farmers are an isolated class and
do not have an opportunity to culti-
vate their social qualities, and for this
defect the club is an excellent RENE
dy. By reason of this isolation trOu-
bles i'm the neighbOrhood often arise
which, if their social relations were
better understood, would disappear
as quickly as they originated ; while
through the same agency, much Of
an unpleasant character would be
wholly avoided. Frequently on ac-
count OF isolation, these petty diff
culties produce very bitter feeling,
and become 20 chronic that they are
handed down from father t0 san and
from mother to daughter. The club
is we'll adapted to prevent all such
bitterness, and when troubles arise 10
allay all unpleasantness.
The Farmers Club is mutual ben
eft society, receiving as much good
from its members as it imparts. l.
teaches the young man that 10 be "a
good farmer he must be cUnlented
and recoDciIed TO his lot, and not Oc-
cupy his time in endeavoring TO get
away from his present situation. \
discOntented man will never improve
his farm or his buildings. With such
a farmer we may look for a rundown
farm.
Dir. Gold remarked that the Farm
ers' Club to which he belongs had
been in existence since 1912. it
holds its meetings regularly at the
houses of the members, some agricul-
tural subject always being discussed
until nine o'clock in the evening,
when the members join the ladies in
mutual discussion 0f fruits till ten
O'clock, the hour OF adjournment. 1t
is no uncommon Occurrezce to have II
hundred members present at Il meet
ing. Nothing i'm his opinion weuid
kill club so soon rs expensive en-
tertainments.
Field meetings have been institut-
ed by some clubs, with great profit TO
its members =; other clubs have
achieved marked success with their
Autumnal shows. Cooperation III
tile purchase of fertilizers, seeds and
implements has characterized the ac-
tion Of certain Farmers Clubs, prov
ing an immense saving TO the MEM
beFs, both in diminished cost and in
the superior excellence of the goods.
Hr. Gold regretted the fact that there
are some farmers. vino, overwhelmed
with self-conceit or disposition to
rest content plowing along in the old
rat, cannot be galvanized into new
life even by the best club organiZa-
tions. Still it is a satisfaction to
know that the most prominent and
progressive farmers are the strongest
and most earnest supporters of tho
true, legitimate Farmers Clubs.
These organic atoms have wide and
ever increasing field OF usefulness.
They are really the farmers schools,
and should bear the same relation to
the agricuIturist as the common
schools bear to the State.
DIR. Hugh Glenn, the owner of
farnI of $4,000 acres, has this year
$4,000 acres in wheat He thinks
that the crop will be at least 350, 900
bushels.
Texas alone could furnish all The
Gotten, sugar, beef and wool which
the whole of the United States now