The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1892-01-29
THE FARMERS ENSTsTUT
A series OF Profitable and Inter-
csldn- ID sCUss5Ols OF
Farm Topics.

The farmers institute was opened Tues
day afternoon by Col. Smedley, who has
had charge OF the affair and to whom is due
the credit OF securing the institute for the
farmers ol Grant county. After short
Introductory address by Col. SIN ealey.
outlining the matters FOR discussion, Prof
Foster, The uperntendent OF the agricul-
tural department CT the college, address
cd the institute upon the work Of his
department in the college, and gave u
concise review of the establishment OF
agricultural colleges IN the state, each Of
which is aided by federal appropriations
rs we'll as state. The line Of experiment
IS carried on by practical tests on a scien-
tltic basls and the percentage oi good and
poor results recorded \ more extended
synopsis OF " hat IS being accomplished
at the Dakota experiment station Will
be given next Week
Prof. Foster was followed by Prof
Wheaton, on dairying subjects, Civ
ing a brief outline of the work at the
college ia this department. the improved
apparatus for testing milk, cream and
butter. and proper feeding. bteeGs, dc.
During the sessions Of the institute
L IOi W iitdtoii hdS htpb btSf Ildh
tests of butter and OF milk, the latter
showing the amount Of butter fat in each
sample; many took advantage of the tests
to learn the value OF their cows as butter
producers.
Ia the evening Prot. Shepard gave an
interesting lecture on the water and
water supply of the state, making an
interesting analysis of our well water, and
stated that Notwithstanding a general
opinion TO the contrary, he had tailed To
find any alnaIi IN the we'll water OF the
state This lecture was of very inter
esting character az d was productive OF a
large amount OF information on the
water question.
At the Wednesday session Prot. Foster
gave an interesting talk on how best TO
iced TO profit tor milk and meat, in his re-
marks calling to his and a large printed
table which was hung on the wall ter re-
ference, showing the proportion Of differ
ent elements of food contained in the
grains. vegetables and fodder commonly
used for animal food Hon. A. T. Pat
ridge also read 4 paper on sheep husband.
ry. and gave his experience IN this line
OF farm work, followed by interesting
discussion and interchange OF views on
scaD and other sheep diseases.
One ot the most profitable and inter
esiing features of the institute was the
question box, which was opened after
each lecture or paper, and the consequent
discussion and interchange OF experience
was Of Il most valuable character and in
dicated that our Grant county farmers
are thoroughly alive to mixing brain
work with their calling. and are olserv-
ing and taking advantage OF their observa-
ton in the different branches OF farm
work. A few of the questions We're:
What causes scab on sheep" "When is
the best tine 10 SOW and cut millet::' lis
flint or dent corn the best for this soil
and climate?' "What is good ration for
sheep in wool-growing?" will hog OF
100 pounds gain in weight when fed alone
on clover - How would it do to seed
mlllet and oats for hog pastures? Cook
ed or uncooked food for hoge?' expert
mems III Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario
and Kansas going to show that by cook
ing there was a loss instead OF q gam by
cooking, and dozens Of other important
questions were brought up and discussed,
all going TO show by the admirable way
in which they were handled that there
are numbers Of intelligent and wide
awake farmers in Grant county who are
making a study Of practical work on the
farm and terrifying themselves with their
own experiments and that OF others III
their chosen calling.
In the evening Capt. Leary, who has
charge of the military training OF the
students at the college delivered very
graphic and interesting lecture on the
.Modoc War; and gave most interest
ing description of this Indian uprising,
the difficulties which beset the troops
in their battles with the redskins, owing
to the character of the country, picturlng
the lava beds in which the Indians made
their stronghold in most graphic and
realistic manner.
On Thursday morning Prof. Foster
talked on .Successtul Farming and the
necessity for stock raising and diversified
crops A very imperfect synopsis OF this
talk is given as follows:
In grain farming the crops gradually
decrease from the ficst one because OF
less and less available plant food year
after year. 1t may be made to yield bet
ter for longer time by gradually deep
ening the plowing, better preparation OF
the seed beo and more care in seeding
1t is, however, only matter OF time
when exclusive grain farming will cease
TO be profitable without fertilizers ana
when the land will become SO foul that
hoed crop or summer fallow is necessary
to tree 1t OF weeds.
The question naturally arises whether
we can grow crops sufficiently large to en-
able us TO purchase commercial fertll-
izers. (Phospahates, potash and nitro
gen.
How may the fertility Of the farm be
kept up without regularly paying out
large sums for their improvement
We must turn attention partly, at least,
to stock raising. so that a. portion OF the
crop may go back to the soil for It's re-