The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-10-16
Burton Farmers Club.

1t was arranged at the September meeting
o: the club that the next meeting of the club
should be held at the residence of Mr.. and
Mrs. Randall, but on account of the Illness
of Mrs. Randall cards were sent out chang
ing the place to l.. s. BOwles'. But mo
matter where the club untes its forces there
is always friendly welcome from the host
and hostess, and substantial and tooth
some dinner In readiness.
The club was opened with the usual cere-
monies, Mrs. Devendorph, in the absence
of the chaplain, conducting the devotional
exercises. On the question of seeding to
timothy and clover In the fall, instead of
sowing wheat In the fall and seeding to clo-
yer in the spring, there was a diversity of
opinion. Mr.. Bowles had experimental in
that line with some success. G. r. Woodin
said that on sandy soil there would not be
sufficient vegetation to protect the root; oats
or rye might be sown with the timothy and
clover for that purpose; II might be all right
for wet season like the present, but he
preferred sowing wheat in the fall and clo-
yer in the spring. Mr.. Bowles believes
that oats are poison to wheat and certain
other plants; he would not use for garden
purposes ground that had been used the
previous year for oats. j. w. Hibbard and
others would SOW wheat in the fall aud
clover in the spring and drag the clover in.
''Is not stock growing too much neglect
ed" was extensively discussed by most Of the
gentlemen present. G. r. Woodin recon-
mended keeping all that could be kept with
out overstocking the farm. Mr.. Bewles
sayssstock raising is too much neglected;
that farmers should study the wants of the
people and grow the stock that will meet
those wants. He had found it the most
profitable not to raise stock to maturity; the
sooner 1t can be gotten off the farm the
better; it should not be kept at loss. Mr..
Hibbard does not believe In stealing the
land from future generations; he would
keep the hay, coarse grain and fodder and
feed it out upon the farm; would not impov-
erish the farm for the sake of the dollar,
and he had never sold any amount of stock
without realizing fair profit.
Papers were read upon the "Good Roads
Movement" by K. G. Shepard ami j. T.
MOxley, the latter claiming that this move
ment was instituted by the League of
American Wheelmen In behalf of bicyclists,
and that the Michigan League for good
roads was run by gentlemen who are at the
head of the national association for the i'm
provement of roads and their chief work In
the interest of the cyclist. The Michigan
League was not formed largely by farmers,
as was claimed, but by government clerks,
who claimed that the present methods of
building roads are primitive and had out
lived their usefulness; they would have the
tax paid In money and given over to officials
whom they may appoint to be paid at their
own discretion. He claims that our roads
are constantly improving, that stone roads
or any other up-to-date roads can be built
under our present road laws; that the money
raised for building and repairing roads is
not squandered and that farmers don't work
upon the road for holiday purposes. They
assess their own taxes and pay them In
work as money, and he is opposed to any
change in our road laws that will compel
farmers to pay their road tax in money. He
is also opposed to any change that will take
from the farmer any of his present rights in
the management of his road district. Mr..
Shepard thinks our roads are good enough
for all practical purposes and accredlts the
good roads movement to the bicycle craze.
Mr.. Bowles is not in love with our present
methods Of repairing roads, and others had
plans that required time to evolve; 1t was