The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-02-19
Farmers Institute.
Representative Tiilars OF the Soil
In County Convention.

| The first question taken up at Tuesday At
iernoons session. was ronltry for Profit,
which was opened by Sir. D. W. win, ol
| New Cenirevilie He read number Of ex
tracts from agricultural papers, giving the
output of different heneries. some Of which
claim TO have averaged as high as 204 eggs per
pullet, per year. Mr.. VIII entertains doubts
as to the ;ruthfulness Of these claims, and
thinks they are made for the purpose Of ad-
vertising certain breeds Of fowls. He gave
directions how to build and take care OF
poulty houses, and how TO feed and separate
fiocks. AID thinks the poultry business can
be made very profitable.
Mr.. II. II. Flick said poultry raising can
be made more profitable than raising any
other live stock
Mr.. P. X. Moore. Of Middlecreek read a
paper on Why Farmers Should Organize -
First Of all, they should do so for their own
protection, AS by concerted action great saw
ings can be made in many ways. By organ
ization they can make their power felt, and
demand their rights Equalization OF taxa
ton can be effected. and farming made prof
table Farmers must organize, or give up
farming"
Mr.. seibert, Of Milford, has very little hope
for the future of the farmer, and expressed
himself as being very doubtful whether or
ganization would accomplish any good He
reciled how the once honored yeomanry OF
England were compelled to relinquish their
estates with the advent Of the nobility. and
thinks the great corporations are rapidly
pushing the American farmer to the wall
The question was further discussed by the
institute and all who spoke expressed them
selves in favor of organization.
Mr.. Gundy. of Lewisburg. followed, with
talk on Four Years Experiments with
FertilizersH He exhibited number Of
chart. 10 illustrate the tests ne had made
during the past half dozen years, but it ap-
peared to the writer that he failed to con-
vince his audience that his experiments had
proved very beneficial. He recommended
that farmers purchase the ingredients and
mix their own fertilizers, as it will prove to
be much cheaper
Our reporter didn't have the pleasure of
listening TO Mrs. Maggie Dickey's essay on
" Woman's Work ON the Farm" but from
the compliments paid her by the members of
the State Board of Agriculture in their clos
ing remarks. he presumes that il was one Of
the most entertaining and instructive papers
read before the institute.
TUESDAY EVENING SESSION
The Euierpean Band was present at this
session and before the program was taken up
furnished several selections.
Mrs Rose A. Cramer, OF New Lexington.
read a carefully prepared essay on "Our
Homes The essay abounded with sug-
gesiions for the care and improS emeni of
rural homes, and ELECTED the closest atten-
ton o. ,Ae large audience.
A very clever recitation followed by Mas
ter Clarence Shaver. the year-old son of
Cbas Shaver. of Somerset township, entitled
Mothers Fool He was heartily applaud
ed at the conclusion of bis little speech.
Dr. r. H. Warren. State Ornithologist and
author of the famous Bird Book of PennSyl
yanis the second edition of which is now in
press took the floor al this point aud deliv-
cred his lecture on Birds of Pennsylvania,
Useful and Injurious TO Farmers" The
doctor is qui,e handsome young fellow and
spoke in an easy. quiet way that can not
help bat please. Before he had finished his
lecture the audience was satisfied that they
knew more about the feathery tribe that in
habited these mountains than they had ever
hoped TO know. The doctor displayed sew
eral hundred specimens of birds, native of
Pennsylvania, that had been prepared by tax
idermists. He said il is ofincalcuable advan-
tage to the farmer TO acquaint himself with
the birds that visit his farm so that he may
be able to know which are beneficial In
there are more than 300 species
Of birds, but only about 90 of these raise their
young in Somerset county. The term birds
Of prey" applies to a very much abused group
Of hawks. buzzards and owls. There are
about 80 classes Of this species Of birds in
and as rule they are benefi-
cial, as they subsist almost entirely on bugs,
worms and mice. The English sparrow is
the worst enemy the farmer has
to contend with in the bird kingdom.