Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-01-13
THE FARMERS INSTITUTE
The Meeting at Reynolds Last
some lnteresting and Instructive IA.
pers ana Discussioss on Various
Topics.

REYNOLDS. Jan. 10.-The Rock Island
County Farmers Institute held an inter-
esiing session at the skating rink at Rey-
nolds Thursday, though the attendance
owing TO unpleasant weather vas not
large. The exercises opened in tie
morning with prayer by Rev. J. A. Ria.
son. after which DIR. James CCzld de-
livered an address Of welcome and to
which Mr.. Cyrus Darling. president of
the institute. responded.
The first paper was read by d. T. Bot.
Ter. V. s.. whose subject was, The
Horse. Disease and Remedies" He
treated Of The v,rious ills and ailments
that horssfiesh is heir to and claimed that
lameness of horse in the hind legs was,
in Observation-Disclosures OF the cases in the
hough joint instead of being in the hip,
aud that il was a difficult matter TO make
this fact clear TO the average farmer. He
thought long rest should be given the
animal, and instead of blistering the Joint
| just above the hoof IL would be better TO
pierce few holes 10 the joint with q
burning iron. new remedy Just dis ,ov-
cred. BIZ dness was caused BY a cata-
how blindness came on in majority of
the cases and stated that you could leave
your horse in the evening all right and in
the morning find one ofits eyes all swollen
up, u watery substance running out OF il.
and II might stay that way for three or
four days and then disappear as sudden.
ly as II appears. This will return sever
al times and every time il would leave the
sna
horse would become moou.eyed, which
soon would turn TO total blindness. He
also explained other diseases.
r. At the opening OF the afternoon ses>
sion Supervisor r. S. Montgomery spoke
| informally on the subject How Best to
Maintain the Fertility of the Soil." and
WAS folio we'd by w. ii. Wheaton on the
same subject. Mr.. Wheaton claimed that
natural feitilizing agents of the soil are
primarily heat from the sun. then air. wa
ter and frost. The sun acts on the solid
matter of the soil. by n slow combustion
or fermentation and liberstes the gases,
which are thrown of into the air. and on
the water by evaporation. A sudden
| GOODNESS Of the air. condeuses this vspor.
and 1t falls upon the earth 10 the form of
rain or dew, but not pure water as il
was when II left the surface OF the earth
by evaporation, hut charged with am
monia. and csrbonic and nitric acids.
which il hiss washed from the air through
which IL passes. II il falls in q gentle
shower or dew il is absorbed by the soil
with the feriilizing properties which il
has washed from the air. II il comes in
heavy showers il runs of the surface 10
the lower lands. carrying with il the en-
riching particles which il takes from the
air and also portion OF surface soil.
which Is the most fertile part. Water Ia
the great solvent, while filtering through
the earth. and after reaching the water
line IL dissolves and holds In solution the
mineral constituents of the soil When
raised To the surface again, by evapora
ton. IL leaves this material at the point
where the air and frost can act upon IL. In
turn and prepare 1t for plant food. The
sir in permesiing the soil acts upon the
mineral portion by oxidization, making
these elements soluble 10 water and so
fitted for plant food. IL also assists in
the fermentation of the vegetable matter.
libersling the gases aud causing the de-
cay and breaking down OF the solid parts
so that II is easily convertible into plant
food. Frost acts upon the water in the
soil by expanding it and causing u pull
verizstion of the solid parts so that the
suns heat, water and air can more easily
penetrate. IF the foregoing promise be
true il follows that the better condition
we can get the soil into facilitates the Der.
meation of heat, water, air and FRI st, the
more help We will get from these natural
fertiliziug agents.
Growing of such crops at FREQUENT
intervals. as clover. which by its strong
and abundant roots psnetrstes into the
subsoil and after decayIng leaving chan
nels for water and air. Removal OF sur
plus water from the soil by tile draining,
so as 10 lower the water line on our fat
and wstersosked lands. letting the air
penetr ate deeper and thus make the soil
moist in very dry time. For our sec,
ton of country would urge the necessity
OF the growing and feeding on the farm
of such crops as are especially adapted
10 our soil and climate. and carefully saw
| ing tue manure that is made therefrom
and applying it to the soil" Mr.. d T.
Seymour was asked to give his views on
the subject, and said il took experience TO
be successful farmer, and he wouldn't
give one rusty old farmer with common
horse sense. for all the hooks that was
eyer written on agriculture. and how to
make farming pay. That he had read
them by the hundred yards, and failed
yet to receive any benefit from them.
Then came an address by Mr. Lee on
The Best Methods of Corn Culture, in
which attention was paid the care and
selection of seed. deep and shallow plow-
ing. time and depth OF planting. quantity
of seed and method and depth of cultiys-
ton. Shallow blowing was generally
better suited to the Illinois soil, especially
sod ground. Deep and sub-soil blowing
has In most instances proved either use.
less or detrimental. Plewing bsfore
April is almost a certain preventative Of
clt worm depredations.
| How Can We Make Rural Homes At
tIsc,ive, was responded To by Mr.. s. W.
Heath. In very pleasing manner The
subject seemed to al the speaker exactly,
for anyone who has had the pleasure TO
visit MIR. Heath at his rural home Will
agree with the writer that Mr.. Heath has.
indeed, made his home attractive, aud the
advice he gave those present would make
more homes attractive II they would only
put it.into practice. We now come 10
the last subject on the programme. which
! Was hssigneu 10 our county treasurer,
Thomas Campbell. The thought oc
CURED to many present. now could MIR.
Campbell be so well posted on county
finances" when he had only had posses,
sion OF his office such short time, but il
lie easy explained. when we consider how
long Mr.. Campbell had the Office
of supervisor, and being on the finance
committee. gave him every opportunity
OF knowing the exact condition financial
ly OF our county. The subject received
marked attention as IL is matter OF dol
lars and cents to every taxpayer in Rock
Island county. The president thanked
all present for their good behavior and
kind attention. snd . vote of Shanks vas
rendered the people Of Reynolds s1d vi.
meeting Wss snccs.s,- lt1yrV,%rN-
tendance wss light. All prsseut gave m
J stricest attention and went away well
pleased. Mr.. d. W. Little being absent
from home. the subject assigned him.
Artificial Ponds. How Made and Their
Use,' was not responded TO. The next
Il 49, a11 int ho nm