Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-03-15
TlLLERS OF THE SOIL.
Interesting Meeting of the Farmers
Institute
A Great Gathering ana successful
Sessions at Taylor Ridge Topic" OF
DiscusstOn.

The second regular meeting of tn
Rock Island County Farmers insttut
was held in the town hall in Taylor
building at Taylor Ridge, yesterday
Three sessions were held-one in tn
morning, one in the afternoon and tn
closing one at night. President Saddori
presided and Secretary Cogrove was II
his place There was great attendance
larger by fur than the society hat
any idea of expecting. The morn
ing session was opened at l0:3'
by the president, Henry Saddoris
who, in well chosen words anc
in brief form stated the object of the
society and of the meeting--to promote
the interests of the farming community
Rev. T. II. Johnson, of Edgington,
evoked the Divine blessing when MIR.
d. T. Seymour delivered fitting adj
dress of welcome.
The first paper on the programme was
prepared and read by Mr. E. b. David.
vice president of the State Agricultural
society, whose subject was, docs the
Farmer need Education" # was most
interesting production, Mr.. David hold
ing that one years agricultural schooling
at the very least was essential to the
success of every farmer. At the close of
the reading of the paper, Mr.. $. W.
Heath asked if a boy could be sent to
school without creating in him a dislike
for the more arduOus duties of farm work,
and to this query Mr.. David said that
the proper early training of the farmers
youth as in every thing else should be to
create within him spirit of industry
which could only be improved rather
than lessened by mental excrtion, and
Mr.. David offered the suggestion in this
connection that there was danger of
farmers working their boys too hard
that ten hours should be considered a
days work on the farm and that amuse-
ments should be provided to entertain the
boys in their leisure hours in order to
keep their thoughts from wondering else-
where. Rev. T. Il. johnson, G. McCul>
loch, Rev. Jones, Thomas Campbell,
President Saddoris and Hon. W. f. Craw-
for spoke on the same subject. A care
fully prepared paper, the Public High |
ways" by non. w. f. Crawford, closed |
the mornings exercises, the papers and |
discussions being nterspersed with en-
tertaining music.
The afternoon session opened with L
b. David as temporary presiding officer.
An excellent paper by S. W. Heath, on
Improved Stock" was followed by a
lively discussion, and then came one of
the most thoroughly instructive papers of
tie, and was entitled oslo Enslage."
Mr.. Little outlined the proper cOnstruc>
ton for the presentation of ensiage,
holding that such structure should be
built similar to an ice house-air tight
The inside of joint flooring and the outs
side of rough boards and batting
with tar paper between, the main
secret being to have the building
absolutely air tight. Another theory Mr.,
Little advanced was that farmers when
lusking corn, invariably leave five times
leld than-they carry away. The
,nsilage is the corn stalk cut up and
preserved in the silo. and Mr.. Little ex
libited several specimens of the ensilage
n its various stages. The paper started
Ill the farmers present to thinking and
he new ideas advanced were seized with
much eagerness.
County Superintendent of Public In~
tructon j. H. Southwell followed with
preparation on plant Parasites
1usts, SHUTS, etc" a thoughtful and in
tructlve paper, which was greatly APP
,rcciated Mr.. Southwell illustrated his !
ubject with microscopic drawings. .
'rof. E. 7. Harper, of the Port Byron
cademy, whose stopic was, Birds and
Bugs Injurious and Beneficial to the
Farmer" Following the reading of this
,aper came the appointment of com
nittee to select membership for the in /
titute, the president, upon motion, !
aming as such committee Messrs. $. :
v. Heath, w. F. Crawford. Robt.
and Thomas Campbell.
The secretary read the consttu- r
ion of the institute, and the com =
nittee performed its duties at once,
occurring eight names. This closed the
fternoon session, !
In the evening there was further dis t
ussion of the splendid paper n"Silo En- !
alige" by Mr.. Heath and others, fol- d
owed by discussion of the matter of !
Public Roads" Mr.. c. McCulloch,
'pening and advancing the belief that a
he money system" was the more advan- f
ageous in order to secure the best roads.
Ir. L. D. Edwards read a lengthy paper
N How to Promote Social and Finan-
ial Interests" and the meeting closed {
With music of the same excellent order L
hat had been given at intervals during {
he course of the afternoon and evening ?