Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-03-21
The Farmers Institute.

he Farmers institute.
The farmers institute held at Turner
Hall Thursday and Friday of last week,
under state auspices and in charge of II.
c.. Adams, of Madison, was we'll attended
by farmers from the surrounding country.
All in attendance pro6ted more or less
from the various questions presented and
the discussions which followed
Thursday mornings session opened
with the address of welcome, by J. T.
Flavin, which was responded to by A. A.
Arnold, of Trempeleau. D. E. Kiser, of
Dane county, read a paper on the care of
stock containing many good suggestions.
A discussion followed from A. A. Arnold
aud Supt. Adams on feeding calves, Ad-
ans maintained that skim milk, from his
experience, was the best to feed them,
Arnold taking opposite ground. At
the afternoon session II. G. Thorn, of
Beloit, spoke on stock feeding, presenting
facts showing that beef meat is made
more cheaply ia summer upon grass and
some grain than in winter on hay and
grain. J. W Canes read paper on
"Horses for the farm and winter care of
Cattle" which is published in full else
where in this issue Mr. Arnold spoke
on the demand there is now in the large
city markets for quickly fattened cattle,
but the best results are attained by start
ing with the calf He preferred common
grade stock to full blood. Money is made
on beef raising, even on high priced land.
j. M. True, of Baraboo, spoke on GLOW
shall the farmer improve his livestock"
His chief point was to follow in a certain
line of breeding, and considered fall colts
more desirable and profitable than spring
colts. D. F. Sayre, Of Fulton, presented
'What is the silo?" and proceeded to an
swer his question by giving minute des-
cription of silo frsm its beginning to
end. His clio was 20x2S feet and l6 feet
high. having capacity O. 100 tons Of
ensilage. By far the most interesting
discourse of the institute followed Mr..
Sayre's remarks, being upon ensilage and
the benefit to be derived from it. Thomas
Fleming, of Emmett, opened up new
idea by asserting to have obtained better
results in cheese making from the use of
ensilage for feed than from any other
kind of feed. This gave the silo boost
not expected, and all its advocates rested
their case with considerable satisfaction.
1t was evident something had been
learned of the silo and ensilage that will
result in great benefit to some of the
farmers who heard the matter SO thor
oughly and clearly presented.
At the evening session the following
papers were read: The farmer as bust
ness man, by Ell. G. Thorn; CTS farming
the best of all occupations?' by A. A. Ar
mold; "What kind of grit pays on the
farm" by D. F. Sayre,
The humorous wants Of the institute
were supplied by John w. Canes, who
with reverential tread and an awe-strcken
countenance approached the subject Of
Glow to feed calves" and incidentally
told the audience of how the "Tnjun
calf" was made to drink the milk. Not
to allow Canes monopoly of this line:of
thought Adams, with the dignity becom-
ing presiding officer, related his expe-
rience with two setting hens, one dying
the death of a non-producer and the
other fleeing from the nest at very critical
period, if she was possessed of any ma
ternal feelings whatever.
At the Friday mornings session Theo
Louis, of Dunn county, talked about de-
horning, giving his experience and that
of his neirghbors. He was we'll satisfied
with the result Charles. H. Hamilton,
of Ripon, introduced the lackberry, and
told how to grow it. The greatest diff
Guilty is experienced in the severity Of
our winters, which can be overcome by
laying down the vines and covering dur
ing the winter. The silo question was
again brought forward by Fl. S. Weeks,
of Oconomowoc, giving his experience as
dairyman of the value of the silo. On
strawberry culture, Supt. Adams related