The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-03-04
Pennsylvania Institutes.


lie writer has Just Fetlrned iEcrn Eern-
syivanis. where be attended the Inst
tuies held at NJ. Peasant. Somersef, Goa
nellsViile- The attendance was lArge,
and the interest all one could desire Al
though one Of these Institutes VAS the.
frs; iheld in the place, and others !
think only the second, they would CON-
pare very fsvorably with oar average II
stitutes in Ohio where they hare been
held for some ten years Much Of their
success was owing to the excsiiens man
sgement Of Prof \. 3. Critchfeid, resi-
dent member Of the state Board Of Agri-
culture, and his son =. T. Critchiieid.
had the pleasure Of meeting also ar
Calvin Cooper, member from Lancaster
county, and Secretary Elge. both gentle
men Of ability, who took sctige part and
who have the Interests Of agricrliure up
permost IN their minds.
II Pennsylvania people VIII allow one
who has had long experience a. Institute
work suggestion, il would be that they
send Prof y. +. Critchheld and Hon.
john A. Woodward, whom met al IN
stitutes last Winter, 70 Just a. many meet
ings as possible. They each have unusual
ability in the way Of managing an audi
ence Of farmers and making them feel at
home and drawing them out | have
met very few men who were their equals
in this line. Very often an lnstitu,e is
not as good as il might be Tor iack ofjust
the right sort Of management We have
Institutes where the papers on The pro-
gram are read. one after another solemn
ly and ssiffiy Nobody breaks the ice
and the oest part ofan Institute, the long
and free discussion. where twenty want
the floor at once, Is lefi out There vas
nothing Of this sort tocomplain Of where
friend Critch6eld was DISCUSSION Of the
bsst kind was drawn out freely. IL WAS
interesting 10 note the great difference N.
opinion on almost every matter brought
Up. For example. some said, SOW clover
seed very early in the Spring Tins has
been NY way and it has never failed %
bring fair stand in p years, while later
sowing mas often failed in our neighbor-
mood Ny opinion IS, after much watch
ing. that seed soxn very early. say last
Of February or frsI OF March. on my
farm. gets well covered by the freezing
and thawing that follows, and that when
a clover plant CONES h0m seed well COW
cred, il is not injured BY late freezes. II
soxn later and the seed germinates on
the surface, hard frost VIII Sill the
roots. But 81 the above named Institutes
the mass Of testimony was II favor of
later sowing, as beng less liable to injurv
from frosts Many Of them would wait
until the ground was dry and settled. /
believe If they viii watch this matter
closely they viii find they are wrong.
although Of course, it is possible that the
conditions on their farms may make a
difference. But the difference Of opinion
lid not ali end here Several declared
they got the best results sowing clover
seed in the Fall. with the grain. They
said it put out three leaves before Via
ter, and stood the Winter all rizkt- This
practice Is not safe as far North as where
live. again the clover would make TOO
large growth before harvest. When soTu
in the Spring it sometimes l. difficult o.
eut the wheat high enough 10 rot get
clover in the butts Of the bundles. On
these subjects about which there Is 50
much difference Of opinion. farmers wil
get light By going 70 the Institutes and
comparing views with other intelligent
farmers from all over the county. Men
were found at these Pennsylvania InstI-
tufes the same as in Ohio, who were sue
eeeding well. 4 friend cane and sat
down besides me az Connellsville- No
ticinE that he looked Ike = successful and
self-made mar quietly drew out ofhin
bis life history. Il was not materially
different from many others; but once
again shows what persistent and vel DE-
rected effort can accomplish. Years ago
be bought 100 acres Of land at SO an
acre. It was poor and in q much neg
Iected condition. About three-fourths 0f
il was covered with briars. They had
S40O only to pay down. The bargain
Was that they should pay no interest for
three years and SIX per cent after that.
Well they struggled along. bis wife and
he, paying about $3.50 a year, and finally
got it al paid. The land is now al Well
improved and could be sold for $50 an
acre This Is not great wealth bat Il IS
fair prosperity, brought about by honest,
hard work. This eoHquering farmer IS
every inch a noble man was glad 10
hear hin sDeak Of what his wite had
done in this fgbt for a home and con-
fort, in strong manly terms. Ho we not
/ too often fail % scknoEie1ge their help
I in the great battle Of life We farmers
in particular, owe or success very large
! " to our devoted and helpful partners.
Let Us always consider and treat them as
such, and give them half the credit for
what may be accomplished by our joint
efforts
This reminds me or some excellent
words from friend Critchfeld, sp0kea AZ
an Institute, after talk on the wife's
share had been given. lie said bis faith
er. in his last years, decided his farm %
his wife. This would leave it IN her
hands in case Of his death, without any
/ trouble. BY the laws Of Pennsylvania. II
/ she died first be would have the life use
ef It, and that was all be wanted any
way The law would not give his wi
the Ese Of the farm, If be owned il ald
died but only one-third Of IT, Further
he had all notes made out. when he loan
ed money, to himself and wife. with the
provision that If ether one died the
money was payable to the other Afler
his fathers death Legal friends asked
Prof c. who was settling up his fathers
estate He replied, there Is nothing TO
settle. Father had ii all fixed, snd
rightly, too. Noble man. o. thus iook
out for his faithful partner.