Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-06-15
TALK OF THE FARMS
Discussions Held by the Farm
ers' Club.
MACHINERY is A BENEFIT
Rather Than an Injury TO the Psfmsrs.
How 70 Guard Agsins Floods
and Drought

Presidents. VI. PearssIl occupied the
chair At the regular meeting OF the
West Michigan Farmers CLUB yester-
dzy afternoon at the eity hall
The question for the day was, "ke-
solved, that farming machinery Il
rulnlpg farming also, How can We
AVOID the evil effects of drought and
deiugeg''
Dsscasslon on the first topic was
opened bs +. T. Bos~oftn, who
tIsoaght that machinery had mater
i4iiy changed farming, and tntt there
MAS no more actual "oone" labor.
VI. W. johnson thought the state
meat true 10 some respects. Men who
hsre out are getting 80 outrageously
lazy that they ~ant 10 do All sorts OF
fArnI work BY machinery. No hired
man now wants TO work the walking
plow. They had rather ride than nd
ole. Consequently Il "a detriment to
the farmers because they are often ied
70 purchase machinery b. mortgaging
their farms. which IN some cases they
Iose. People would laugh at the man
now who would hire men TO NOV ms
meadows oy the old-fashloned custom
Of scythes.
Daniel Neal said he could not see
how farm implements injured the farm
or farmers For MS part ne would not
go back 10 tho old days of moving,
Grading ana sowing wheat by hand.
lie finds that machinery does better
work. Land plowsd by the sulky pillow
n IN better condition; Il IS more evenly
turned over and the furrow Is deepsr.
The suIky pillow will hold Its depth
more evenly than the walking pillow.
Mr. Johnson thought ne could see
some disadvantage IN the sulky plow.
He did not believe there was sulky
pillow which would run evenly over hard
baked clay lands. Such lands could be
turned over only by the walking pillow.
Machinery Lessons the Cost.
George Llndsrmsn thought 1t posi-
BILE that farmer could bay too much
machinery, but the sensible man would
not do that. Improved machinery
would put hay into the barn at about
half the cost over the old hand meth
odA BY the new methods . man can
load, drive into the barn and unload
three loads of hay per hour. There has
never been any sort of an Improvement
but what mas met with opposition.
Even the telegraph was opposed and
disbelieved. So with farm machinery.
The only way TO do IT 10 TO test 1t. One
farm OF 40 scrs is being run by man
and ms daughter. and the daughter
does ~ much work 80 any hired man.
She does the work because she can run
the machinery. Mr.. Pearsall thought
that 50 far ~ the securing OF the crop
vas concerned machinery WAS very
useful. but by its and IN putting IN
crops too large crops were raised for
the ordinary farmer 10 care for. IL
Vas effective for large farms. The
presidents put the question 10 vote aud
the friends of the machinery were in
the majority. Proceeding to the sec
oud topic of drought and deiuge Mr..
Linderman thought that much might
be done to avoid the evil effects of
drought. The soil should be filed
with vegetable matter. when II will
hold about twice ~ much water and
sandy soil and does not dry hard ~
does the latter. It's prosperity prevents
the quick driving out. the vegetable
matter holding and retaining the moIs-
ture. BY deep blowing and adding
plenty of vegetable substance, particu-
larry green vegetable matter. land will
stand drought. yielding twice as
much ~ land not 30 prepared. Green
crops plowed under are very valuable.
Getting vegetable mold into the soil Is
the most important matter.
Cant Care . Dsiuge.
Mr.. Linderman knew Of nothing
which would overcome the results of q
dsIuge. sand IN which green rye had
been plowed in would be filled with
vegetable matter, and would be In good
condition to Withstand quite heavy
rain But dsluge is worse thar that;
q deiuge washes out everything.
Mr.. Johnson did not agree with Mr..
finderman in his theory OF pIowing
under fertilizers. He thought such
stuff was better 10 be mixed up on the
surface IL retained moisture wonder.
fully that way.
Mr.. Bosworth prsctced blowing in
rye and found 10 effectusl.
Mr.. Neal advocated blowing fret,
then putting on the manure afterwsrd
aud working u in the surface. Clover
seed or the seeds OF weeds could be
plowed under aud lie there for FIVE
years. IL pgowed up they were ready
10 start and grow. Sandy land did not
need 10 be plowed deep.
Mr.. Llndemsn added that oil he had
sald applied Tor heavy land, for sandy
land ras not troubled with floods.
The concurrent sentiment seemed 10
BE- that the floods were with US and
that nothing could psiliate their evil
features. Fruit prospects were dis
cu.ssd informally, and though apples,
pears and peaches planted on clay
lands were reported TO be droppins
fruits somewhat enough would be left
On the tree TO insure a good crop.
Fruit on sandy lands Was too heavy
with the prospective crop and would
have a. be thiBned.
II Was decided to have q meeting Of
unusual interest ARE second Tuesday IN
July. chen the CLUB would dedicsts
the room assigned them IN the new
court house. The Grand River Valley
Horticultural society VIII be invited 20
participate. Secretary slsyton was
ramed as committee 70 confer with
the sHcrs cultural society in regard to
the meeting The president and sec
retsrv we're instructed 90 confer with
the supervisors for the purpose OF
arranging the new room with convent
enee Suitable for the ests bllshment of
. farmers Museum.
Ccuidnt Be Disturbed.
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