The National tribune., 1892-11-24
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.


Judd Farmer The work done by agricultural
| newspapers, farmers institutes and other
meetings for discussion of agricultural. live
stock, dairy and horticultural topics, has been
intellectually great. Through no other means
has it been found possible to quickly,
cbcaply. and effectively disseminate informa-
tion about agriculture. or excite interest IN its
Improvement among large numbers Of farmers.
In the nature of the case the work done by
the periodical or the institute or convention Is
somewhat fragmentary in character. Aside
from the work done in agricultural colleges,
two methods of experimenting and extending
tho work done by the agricultural papers and
meetings have been suggested. 1t is proposed
to apply tie Chautauqus idea to instruction in
agriculture; TO give the stimulus OF the read
ing circle and class reviews help toward
moro general careful reading about farm topics.
Farmers Progressive Reading Circle, with
headquarters at Chicago, and the courses ar
ranged by the Pennsylvania State College, are
attempts deserving hearty support and imita-
tioD. The agricultural press and the officers of
farm organizations can do Q most useful work
by aiding such movements.
Rarely will those who would be most bene-
fitted By courses of careful reading take up the
work independently or propose the organiza-
ton Of classes or reading circles unless encour-
aged to do no. Doubtless the faculties Of agri-
cultural colleges would be glad TO give any help
influence Of colleges and universities to bear ON
many who are unable to attend these eauca-
tional institutions, by means of Instruction
given by course of lectures delivered in diff
ferent communities, have attracted much atten-
ti0n. University Extension Lectures" are
already popular in many localities and hum
dreds of such lectures viii be given this Winter.
Several agricultural colleges are offering
courses Of lectures on distinctiyely agricul-
tural subjects The University Of Illinois
offers eight or 10 snch courses, besides others
on scientific subjects closely connected with
agriculture. 1t is hoped many localities will
avail themselves of this opportunity, but it is
obvious that there are greater difficulties in
tho way Of conducting such lecture courses in
country neighborhoods than in cities or towns.
1t is believed to be entirely practicable and
in many cases desirable TO combine the lecture
course and farmers institute, or meeting Of
agricultural, live stock, dairy. or horticultural
association. The time given to such a meeting
might be extended to four or five days. and, in
addition to the papers and discussions common
to such meetings, one or two courses OF lectures
might be given at stated hours each day. Where
this does not seem Advisable, it may be desir.
able to arrange for q series Of lectures, Of which
two or three may be given in one day, thus re-
ducing the inconvenience of attending them.
It Is not necessary that the lectures proposed
should be given by men from the agricultural
colleges. There arc many persons abundantly
qualified to give most interesting and valuable
instruction in this way 1t is believed, how
ever, that agricultural colleges in many cases
will be able and glad to, in this manner, extend
their field of usefulness. tt is not important
who does the work if only tho end be secured.
That end is to secure more careful, thorough,
consecutive thought and study about agricul-
tura questions, especially by all young farmers.
WHEAT, CLOVER AND PEAS.
Prof ". F. Massey in Practical Farmer says:
a long familiarity with the farm methods In
the best sections of the Eastern shore of Mary
land and of Delaware leads me to offer soms
suggestions in regard to improvements which
might be made. The practice of putting wheat
in after rorn is now and has long been very gen.
eral there, and while good crops of wheat are
made in this way, by a liberal use of highly
ammoniated fertilizers, think that no Penin-
sular farmer will say that this plan is anywhere
near so effective for big crop of wheat al .
clover fallow. The largest crop ever grown
upon the Peninsula and most of the largo
crops, were upon n clover sod. Itsecms to me,
therefore, that in a section where wheat is the
money crop, it should have the best possible
chance. In fact / think that this is the key
note to successful farming anywhere to make
the general system of farming center toward
the perfection and increase in yield per acre
of the money crop, whether it be wheat, to-
bacco cotton or what not. Wheat IS the money
crop. To grow it by means of the purchase OF
the most costly fertilizers at the present prics
of grain looks to me moro like fertilizer gam
bling than good farming.
off were farming in that agricultural para
disc, the upper part of the Peninsula, think
that / should always grow two fields OF my ro-
tation in wheat and would avoid the difficulty
that Mr. J. mentions, as follows: Wheat on
clover lay, broken early, and use with the crop
only the cheaper mineral fertilizers, acid phos-
phate and some form OF potash. Sow no clover
with this crop, but after harvest NOW Off the
weeds and SOW crimson clover on the stubble.
Cut the crimson clover for hay or seed, plo1
and SOW in COW peas, Ii to bushels per acre.
Now the COW peas for hay when in pod and
prepare the stubble for wheat, with which seed
down to clover and grass. | should put my
corn sod land and SOW cow peas on it at
last working, let them ripen and hog them
after the corn is cut ana then break for Data,
seeding clover in Spring with the oats. / BE-
lieve that clover will seldom fail with freshly
sown land in oats and / am also satisfied that
there ara few sections of the Peninsula where
Fall sowing of clover seed with wheat will not
do as we'll or better than by sowing on the hard
surface of tho wheat field in Spring. The far
mers on the Peninsula ought to use moro of our
Southern COW peas. When once they get to
doing so they will never give them up. The
Delaware Station got from here last Spring
considerable quantity of seed of the different
varieties and hope soon to hear good reports
from them. If tho Peninsula farmers will only
try the plan of leaving their corn-stubble land
covered with peas as preparation for oats,
feel sure they will never want TO put wheat
after corn any more. Not to mention the
amount of hog feed of the cheapest and beat
kinds which can be had in this way at . NOM
inal expense. As to the crimson clover doing
we'll sown on a wheat stubble, there need be
no fear for it does 80 here every year"
WHEAT AND BUTTER.
The dairy industry is of such nature that
few people can realize its magnitude until their
attention is especially called to it, says the
Breeders Gazette. Let US compare wheat
growing with butter making. In enumeratinE
the provisions of family, q barrel of -four per
annum for each individual is fair allowance
About five bushels of wheat are required for .
barrel of four worth little over $4 at present
prices, or say S. for barrel of flour. The
butter allowance for family il about one
pound per individual per week, or say SO
pounds per year. At 90 cents per pound this
is 80 or at 25 cents about the average price
for good butter, it is $3.50. Taking the smaller
of these two sums, We have the cost of the
butter consumed by our people IS fully twice
the cost of tho wheat But in addition to but
ter, there is cheese, and especially the milk,
the value of the latter amounting to an en0r-
NOUS sum in the aggregate. Without tbs fg-
ures it is doubtful if it would be conceded
that the dairy products cost the people of our
81 ,pnh khA