The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1895-08-23
Highest of all in Leavening Power-Lae U.S. Govt Report
R3H!A!!! R RsklRs
ABSOLUTELY PURE
Experiment station Needed.


| The following highly practical aud
timely article from the pen of Mr.
Jason Woodman was published in the
reprinted in the NORTHERNER because
we believe il will be of special interest
To Van Buren, county farmers:
I'm south western Michigan there
are many thousands of acres of sandy
land. The greater portion OF this land
is smooth plains, beautiful to the eye,
most desirable to live upon, and until
within the last few years as valua BILE
farming land as there was in the state.
About ten years ago began series of
disastrous drouths; soon after came the
various insect pests that prey upon clo-
yer. Glover on these plains furnished
hay and pasture, and was the principal
reliance for maintaining the fertility of
the SOIL. vi late years, owing to the
drOuth and insect enemies, the clover
crop has become very uncertain. As
result, except on those farms where
stock feeding or dairying is practided,
there has been rapid deterioration OF
soil. With from six to twelve weeks of
rainless weather during the hottest
! part OF the season, the corn crop is a
| partial or total failure. On much of
the land referred to, timothy, especially
in dry year, does not make growth
sufficiently strong to be protta BILE.
The result of all of this is that the
sandy farmer finds himself, two sea
sons out of three, with short crop of
feeding grain, with little hay and less
pasture, and with his land growing
poorer every year. Naturally the ques-
ton arises with him, What shall | do
! to be saved?"
There are three questions which are
just now of great interest To the sandy
farmer. lis there a way by which a
satisfactory catch of clover can be se'
cured: Els there grass which will
furnish hay and pasture on this land OF
which the seed will not be unduly ex-
pensive, that can be protitably used in
rotation OF crops; and especially is
! there such grass OF which the seed
can be grown at home? SIS there a
variety of corn and time OF planting
that will produce a good crop in spite
of the drouth? 1t is the belief of the
writer that all three of these questions
can be answered in the affirmative
But to answer them best requires care
fully planned and systematic expert
ments, carried on in this corner of the
~
work under the direction of practical
farmers. In no other way can these
problems of vital Importance to those
who live on these plains be solved, ex-
cept through the slow process of hap
hazard individual experiments
This work will not be undertaken
Systematically by farmers who depend
on each years crop for each years in
come. Experiments cost money, and
such IS outlined in this article in some
cases will involve a radical departure
from established custom. Work Of this
kind should be done by the State Board
OF Agriculture, and its expenses de-
frayed from the experiment station
fund. 1t can be carried on with com
paratively little cost.
The experimental work done az the
Agricultural College is worth little to
the gralu farmers of southwestern
Michigan. 1t is not the kind OF work
most needed, and is done at the wrong
place. What is rule there, often is
poor rule here. 1t is not safe for us to
follow advice based on results obtained
from experiments at Lansing. The bull
letin on potato culture, recently issued,
contains proof of this assertion.
IAN experiment station should be To-
Gated on a sandy farm in this portion of
the state, belonging to practical, pro-
gressive farmer, who should carry on
the work Its direction should be in
the hands of a local committee of
farmers, who should suggest the line of
work to be undertaken and lay the
plans for its performance. A field can
be rented each year for experiments,
and the work performed paid for. The
local committee should hold meetings
at the station as often as necessary,
and serve without pay; the whole mat
ter should be under the general super
vision Of the director of the station at
Lansing.
"Such a station would not only be
valuable TO the farmers on light soil,
but rules laid down could be followed
by farmers on heavy soils in the same
locality. This is not an impractical
nor visionary plan. The right kind of
places and the right sort of men can
easily be found. The objection has
been raised that farmers in other sec.
tons of the state, seeing the value of
this work would ask for it, and several
thousand dollars would be needed TO
carry on similar stations in other To-
calities. In reply | say that such work
would be valuable and would not be ex
pensive.
The farmers of Michigan, aside from
gardeners and fruit growers, have no
special interest in "small fruit notes."
Russian cherries" or vegetable
novelties and notions" We are very
much interested in growing profitable
crops of corn, clover and hay. We
should not object to seeing commercial
fertilizers tried on upland as well as on
muck
The circumstances surrounding ag
riculture have been revolutionized in
the last ten years. We shall be very
thankful for any assistance that will Gu
able us to make farming pay under
the new conditions"
!