Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1892-12-29
NEW SUBSCRIBERS!
SUBSCRIBE
For the Weekly Ledger
S1.5O Per Year.
SAMPLE Cory FREE.
The Farmers Institute.
A FULL REPORT OF THE THREE DAYS
SESSION HELD IN MEXICO
Men Well Versed in Agricultural Science Talk to
Farmers-Despite the Popular Notion the
Institute was Conducted by Men
Who are Practical Farmers.

The Farmers Institute, where
farmers meet and exchange ideas met
here last week. The meeting was
called to order Wednesday by j.
A. Potts and concluded its work
hsre Friday night. Tins is the last
institute to be held in the State this
winter. The work is a good one
and the benefits are manifold. The
paramount idea is to get disseminat-
ed throughout the State a knowledge
and broadness of ideas regarding
farming that will assist in making
this the foremost State in agricultur-
al matters in the union. The words
Of the great Swift are still true:
"Whoever can make two ears of
corn or two blades of grass grow up
on spot of ground where only one
grew before would deserve better of
mankind and do more essential
service to his country than the
whole rece of politicians put togeths
er."
Three different series of institutes
have been held in the State-one in
the northern, one in the central and
one in the southern tier of counties.
The work of the three is done and
they have all united to make the
final roundup at Mexico. The
three days institute here will be fol-
lowed by a meeting of the State
Board of Agriculture.
Only few farmers and instruc-
tors were present in the afternoon of
the opening and an informal session
was held, complete organization to
be arrived at later.
A. J. Blake, of Colman's Rural
World, opened the meeting with a
short talk On undertaking. He
spoke of the efforts made in Barton,
Green, Lafayette, Johnson and other
counties to tile all lands where water
gathered and stood in the wet sea-
son. His plan was to lay the tiiingI
under all fiat lands and low lands.
Great difficulties are experienced in
hard pan land, where the impervi-
GUS layer of hard pan is close to the
soil. 1t begins to break down and
become pliable when opened UP by
tiling, letting the air in and water
out. There is much plant strength
in this hard pan if it is handled
properly. The process is slow in
the hard pan soil, but nevertheless
sure. The drains must be laid along
depressions such as are found in all
fields. Mr. Blake's first experience
was in draining little cat tail pools
in Ohio. He put in drains and then
plowed right over the pools and
found them more fertile than any
other part of the field. In putting
in tile it should be carefully laid
with regard to fall. Make outlet as
deep as possible. The deeper the
tile is put the more land that can
be drained. A very little fall will
take the water out. Dig deep and
throw dirt all one way. Don't use
the plow. Use long bladed ditch
ing spades. Don't buy poor thing
for you'll have to dig it up again to
remove broken pieces. Construct
ditch narrow as it saves labor. For
laying tile take long stick ard fit a
ten-inch pin near the end of it SO as
to form a right angle. You can use
this to reach the tiling down into the
ditch, one at time. 1t is better to
put bits of tin or tarred paper over the
joints before filling in the dirt.
Don't put your farm hand at work
on it. Do it yourself. 1t will
be better done. In building branches
use smaller tiling-two, three and
four inch tiling and six for the main
stem. Don't let the lines interseet
at right angle, but at a sharp
angle. Water viii run from the
outlet all the year. There put in a
trough and you have fine stock
water.
Immediately after heavy rains
you can work land thus tiled.
Clover will grow better on this land.
And it has been proved that tile
drained soil holds in suspension
more moisture during the summer
than the untitled. Get rid of sur
plus water and you get rid OF ma
laria.
In this hard soil tiling will only
draw a few feet on each side at first
Question: Isn't it easier to keeI
up soil over hard pan than else
where?
Answer: Perhaps SO; there II
much fertility in our clay soils it WI
manage to get it out.
Question: Is it advisable to pu
in but one drain?
Answer: A man told me tn
other day of a so acre field draines
with one IL inch tile in depression
Question: Is it true that sol
burned tiles are better for SOM
soils?
Answer: I don't believe it.
Question: How deep should on