Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-03-26
Report Of Farmers Institute,
Third annual Session, held al
Grand Rapids, WIS.,, March
5hz and 9TH, 1897.

,5ht and 9TH, 1897.
! w. II. COLE, ON NOXIOUS WEEDs.-SeV-
eral dried specimens were exhibited, OF
which Canada Thistle was one. Though
! it is very rare in this region at present,
little carelessness may bring it here
and spread it among us to our sorrow.
! The speaker said that although it has
| been thought to be indestructible, it is
not, for by little care and the cutting
of it below the surface of the ground
with a sharp spade every time it shows
itself, will soon kill it out. But if 1t gets
chance to breathe a while, it gains
strength that will prolong its life. Snap
Dragon, another rare plant in this
country in general, was exhibited. |
understand it is to be found in some
parts of the county and may in time be
found all over it. 1t may be destroyed
the same way as the thistle above.
Stamp Weed or Velvet Leaf is not TO
my knowledge found in this county, but
is in some parts of the state. The speak
er recommends pulling up as the rem
edv Cookie Bur was also shown. The
"Ui io0ohloieo tli''O VI 'ii0 n''i Ho'A' anu
may pe hllleu ny Plo"lilS' Inc Dur
oock "eh known 70 us an Is easily
killed by cutting below the surface of
the ground.
Inc speaker Sal'' IlldI Clle peSl ulile W
!
XII any ol tiiese "eeuS Is "neh you see
Clelh'
| MASURES AND j fERTIll2ER5 BY THOMAS
CONVEY Manure loses us Yalue IN TWO
ways, VIZ: ferMentatlon ana leachlng.
1t IS best to haul directly to the held
and spread, unless the lay of the land
or any other condition OF same would
cause it to wash away. Do not put 1t In
small heaps and leave 1t there to have
the substance washed into the ground
beneath, and then scatter the worthless
remainder around Manure should be
applied to the surface Tor most crops,
and IS OF but little value TIL 1t is rOtted
and reduced to condition the roots OF
plants can make use Of.
Ashes are claimed to be the best OF
fertilizers. Leached ashes are about
! one-halt the value OF unleached.
CLOVER HAY, BY e. I'll. EVERETT
Yer should not be left down longer than
two years. Sow from five to SIX quarts
to the acre. 1t is best to SOW two or
three quarts to the acre with all small
grain, thereby furnishing good pasture
IN the fall. The speaker had a sample
of the best clover hay that many Of us
ever saw, cut and cured as follows: Be
gin 10 cut when the grass is IN 1ull bloom
but never when brown II 1t can be
avoided. After the dew is off, cut as
much as you can putup III the afternoon,
leaving the hay spread Just long enough
to wilt. Put 1t up III medium sized
cocks, and put caps on that have sack
at each corner with stone for weight
in it. Cut as much more on the second
day and also on the third. On the
fourth day open out what you cut on
the first dav, not spreading it out, but
putting it in flakes, two rows of cocks
together. GIVE three or four hours sun
and haul into the barn. Cut each day
as much as you haul III. In this way no
dew or rain falls on the hay and the
sweating is all done in the cock, there
by preventing it i'll the stack. Buy
common cloth IN the bolt, then tear it
up, making the caps one yard square.
Hem the two rough edges and tie on the
sacks.
Plaster should be soWn on all clover,
using from Is to 100 pounds to the acre.
CORN CROP, By THos. CoNvEY.-~Recent
experiments show no particular differ
ence in results from feeding ensllage
and well cured corn stalks, but as a mat
ter of convenience IN feeding IN barns
Eld economy, there is a preference in
feeding ensllage. Wylie prefers plant
ing corn III drills, having the plants s
10 or l. inches apart III the drills, anC
using surface cultivator made by J. d
lower x Co., Mendoza, LII.
EVENING SESSION.
EX-Supt. Geo. I. Rowland read wei
written paper on "Our Common
Schools" Following this, j. A. Gaynol
gave very interesting talk on Chow
Plants Crow which contained thoughts
that every farmer ought to know. One
in particular was why the blowing OF
corn, &C., in dry time is beneficial