Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1894-02-08
Official Paper OF County.
Thursday, February 8, 1894.
FARM SCIENCE.
Brookings College Professors Give
interesting Lectures Upon Their
Own Experiments.

The second days session of the
farmers institute opened with a
larger attendance than the previous
day and with apparently increasing
interest.
DR.. D. A.. Cormack, veterinary
surgeon OF the agricultural college,
vas introduced and occupied the
first hour in presenting the subject
Of the care and management Of the
horse. He pointed out a number
Of very serious mistakes which are
frequent IN the care Of horses, and
said the II most coinmon.in South
Dakota was keeping horses through
the winter in dark aud poorly ven
tilated stables. He stated that sun
light and pure air are as indispen-
sable to the healtl, Of the horse as
to that Of man, and that anyone
who expected his horses to be strong
and healthy in the spring after be-
ing wlntercd in a close, dark stable
will be sadly mistaken. In the man
age,nent Of young horses he held
that kindness and tirmness were the
tirst requisites, and thai the horse
would always obey iG4s underssood
shat ,,,.s -
MIR. Alison B0see vas theIsS called
upon md described tho disease
known as the bottom disease" He
stated That the cause Of the disease
was as yet unknown, some believing
that ii was caused by the rattlebox
weed ard Others by the water used.
He said that no cure for tue disease
had yet been found, but that COM
mon baking soda, fed with equal
parts Of salt, seemed to be a preven-
tative. lie cited one instance where
horses that appeared to be affected
with the disease recovered after be-
ing treated with that remedy.
Bee keeping wac, according to the
programme, the subject next in or
der for discussion, and II. II. Blair
occupied the time in presenting the
advantages enjoyed by that industry
in South Dakota. He stated that
while it was possible in California
aud SOME Of the southern states to
produce more honey than here, the
quality and flavor Of our honey was
30 much superior to theirs that
there would always lie q good de-
mand for our honey, and as our
climate was quite favorable for win.
tering bees, it would indicate that
in the future South Dakota was
likely to rank high us . honey pro,
ducing state.
Prof. Phillips then gave a very in.
teresting and instructive discourse
on farming in general. He stated
that farmers in the west had gener-
ally made the raising Of wheat q
specially with the result that mosl
had grown poorer by the operation,
but that wherever they had raised a
variety Of crops they Ind succeeded
moro especially when they have
combined stockraising with farming,
He also emphasized the fact that il
was not the amount of land .pp!
into crops, but the skill and thor.
oughness Of the cultivation that de.
teruined the profits In farming.
When the institute was called Il
order in the evening President Nc
Louth was introduced and delivered
4 very able and eloquent address
which was listened to with marked
attention by the large audience
present. The address covered q
great variety Of subjects connected
with agriculture, bat, as space ID
limited, only one or two points car
be noted. After describing the sew.
eral departments in the college
course at Bookings and outlining
the courses Of study in each, lle
stated that in the past half century
there had been a radical change III
the belief Of the people as to the
amount Of hook learning" desirable
for q farmer. Forty years ago, if q
farmer boy or girl had a little
knowledge Of the three Rs (reading
riting and rithmetic) they werf
thought to be well fitted for theil
avocation in life, but at the present
time it was admitted by nearly
everyone that thorough knowledge
Of all Of the natural sciences wal
required 10 insure success in farm.
inf. The speaker recalled the fact
that when q boy he had read in
Livy the story OF Cincinnatius
how lie had been called when
plowing on his little farm beyond
the Tiber 10 be Tile dictator ol
Rome, aud that when he read that
story lie looked upon il 90 4 fable,
since lie could not conceive that i
farmer could hsve been qualified
for such = high position, How.
ever, he had lived Ia go senators,
representative n congress-, cabinet