Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-12
NEBRASKA FARMERS INSTITUTE.
AgricuiturnIists Of Several Counties
Get TOuptber.

AgricuiturnIists Of Several Counties
Get Together.
ARLINGTON, Neb.. Feb. 11.-(Special)-
The Washington County farmers institute
opened yesterday morning for two days
session in the Arlington Masonic hail The
forenoon was occupied In the arranging Of
the exhibits. The hall is beautifully dec--
rated with house plants. pictures etc. W.
A. Whitford exhibits a large white coral
from Tampa Bay, Fla The poultry exhibit
Is very fine, there being some Of the finest
birds in the state In the display. The pr n
cpal exhibitors are s. II. Spiker w. II.
Downs, f. w. Ruewe. a. T. Hammlng VIII
liam Gilfry, Burt Nunally, Sam Adams,
Charlie Fagg, Mrs Mansfield, c. a. Whilford,
Il. w. Marshall, Rev. w. d. Stanblugh VIII
liam Osterman and G. w. Maxfel1 There is
also fine display of corn wheat, oats. bar
ley and clover. Charlie Graw has a fine dis
play OF Russian wheat and oats grown from
seed that came from the Woild's far. AS
Washington county is ahead Of any county in
the state on apples, 1t is not surprising that
the display of that fruit is simply immense.
Marshall BIOS. of Arlington have on exhibi-
tion some Russian apricots.
The afternoon session was opened by Presi-
dent C. A. Wh.tford, who delivered a short
address. followed by Mr.. ]. Beck of Blair on
Mistakes CT Farmers" Prof. +. W. Card
of the State university gave an interesting
lecture on "Orchatding." o. A. Wolcott Of
Elk City read a paper on THE Farmer
as a Citizen" and the afternoon program
was closed by the reading of paper by
r. c. Marshall of Arlington. The hall was
crowded in the evening, standing room being
at a premium. j. G. Cook of Arlington opened
the evening session with an oraton, followed
by lecture on "Subsoiing," by Peter
Younger of Geneva. Rev. w. d. Stambaugh
of Arlington read paper on Parents Re-
sponsibility to Children" and G. w. Dawson
of Nacoma gave very interesting talk on
shrubs and Plants"
SYRACUSE, Neb., Feb. 11.-(Special.) y
Tho Otoe County Farmers institute will con-
vene here Friday for two days session. A
number of interesting topics to the agricul-
turlst will be discussed
BROKEN BOW, Neb., Feb. 11.-(Special)
Saturday night closed a series of farmers
Institutes in Custer county. which occupied
the week Two sessions each were held
at Wescott Lee Park and Broken Bow. The
session at this place was largely attended
as were those at each Of the other points.
The meetings were addressed by DR.. Peters
of the State Agricultural EXper. r.ment sta
tion, Il. f. Stevens of the Crete nurseries,
H. w. Campbell, editor of the Western Soil
Culture of Sioux City, Ia, and others.
Stevens gave very interesting address
Friday afternoon on the proper t.llage of the
soil in Nebraska so as to conserve the moist
ure sufficient to successfully grow trees and
produce crops in dry seasons DIR. Peters
discussed the work of the experiment sta
ton and gave interesting incidents of prac-
tical experiments made.
Prof. f. NJ. Currie, principal Of the Broken
Bow schools, on Friday night made an eX-
celent address on the subject of "'Compara-
tive Study of Precipitation" From statis-
tics he showed that in countries of Europe,
where the precipitation is less than in CEN
trla Nebraska, crops sufficient to maintan
dense population for centuries have been
produced. BY geological and other observa-
tons he showed that the territory now en-
braced in Nebraska has always been favored
with sufficient rainfall to produce vegetations
and that it has never been a desert nor
never Will be. He maintained that while
periods CT dry and wet years had marked
the history Of the state. that with but two
exceptions had the rainfall been insufficient
to produce profitable crops by the ordinary
methods of farming
Saturday afternoon was taken up prin-
cipally in an address by II. w. Campbell,
editor OF the Western Soil Culture, of Sioux
City on the "New Methods CT Conserving
and Storing the Moisture" He has given
five years in experimenting to his theory
moisture storage. By the methods of tilling
the soil he holds that crops can be success
fully produced in the so-called dry belt
with one-third of the annual rainfall usual
in this section. His method Is to compress
the plowed ground from within two inches
by means of disc roller made especially
for that purpose. The two inches en- the
surface he uses as a mulch, by keeping
it continually loose and dry by shallow cul-
tvation.
The evening session closed with addresses
by James Stockton and H. w. Sullivan The
former advocated a free range" land for
Custer county, while the latter took for his
subject "The Farmer and Lawyer"
WATERLOO, Neb., Feb. 1.--(Special.)
Telegram 1.-THE farmers institute of Doug
las county met at the opera house at l D.
M today. Chairman Noyes, being indisposed
from injuries received last week, requested
that an assistant be elected to preside. j.
r. Watts was chosen chairman and g. y A.
Bryant secretary. Senator Noyes opened
the meeting with payer; doe" George
Smith of Omaha rec!ted a pleasing story
and was followed by Senator Noyes in the
opening address. Prof. Younger, treasurer
of the State Horticultural society, read a
lengthy paper on "Subsoiling and Its Bene-
fits" and said that thirty-seven out of fifty
three reports from reliable farmers, situated
on rolling and table lands, were in favor of
it, but he did not advise it for sandy sol.
In regard to akali land the professor
thought experience had taught that where
irrigation was practiced it could be washed
out Of the soil.
". s. Nesbit of Waterloo read paper on
Poultry Breeding" which was discussed at
great length. Prof Card of the State uni
versity spoke on bush Fruits" advising
thorough cultivation and prompt attention.