Crawford avalanche., 1896-02-27
WAS A BIG SUCCESS.
THE ROUNDUP INSTITUTE At
n GRAND RAPIDS.
three Days. Session Well Attended
Farmers Greatly Interested Prac-
tical Methods Discussed-A FORESTRY
Com m mission-The Woman's Section.


roundup institute recently closed here
but who feels like throwing up his hat
and cheering in delight mt the signal sue
cess achieved The institutes all over
the State were decided benefit to all
who attended, and the roundup in this
city capped the climax of success. There
Is no doubt that the whole farming fra
ternity of the State will heartily demand
of the next Legislature a continuance OF
the Institutes. aT - sp4..s. p
In spite of the bitter cold weather at
the opening, Putnam Hall was crowded.
many Of whom came many miles to at
tend the opening of the roundup farm
ers' institute, which opened fora three
days session under the auspices OF the
State Board of Agriculture. The board
has given sixty-seven of these institutes
about the State, and this roundup
brought out not only the cream OF them
all, but was a most tiattering success
An elaborate program had been pre-
pared including woman's department
and an Industrial branch for young men.
The members of the State Board OF Agri-
culture occupied seats upon the plat
form, with Gov. Rich and several men,
bers of the faculty, when the meeting was
called by X. l.. Butterheld, superintend-
ent of institutes. He explained the ac-
ton of the last Legislature in appropri-
ating 5000 for institutes and the
work which has been done during the
last few months. President Franklin
Wells, of the State Board, was introduced
as Chairman of the evening. Lester j.
! Rindge, acting in behalf of the business
men of Grand Rapids, extended cordial
welcome to the farmers and others in
attendance. tfr
Gov. Rich was greeted with applause
as he was introduced. He said he had
not been assigned subject, and he had
therefore decided to talk upon the State
government. The Governor proceeded
to give in detail the expenses of State gov
ernment. He said: MANY of you would
| never know that we had Il State govern
ment if the coming around of the tax
| collector did not remind you of the fact
| One-tenth of the aggregate taxes are for
| the support of the State government,
and they will amount to two and two
thirds of one mill on the assessed valua-
| ton of the State, or about $2,O0O,OOO per
year. This last year it was about $4,000
600, and you need not expect 10 find 1t
less than S2,0OO,OOQ at any time. The
appropriations are no larger than they
have repeatedly been before. Now the
question is: is the State government
worth the cost? think it is. There are
| 100000 people in this State, and tho
per capita tax is about 50 cents upon
every man, woman and child. You get
| ~ cents out of this so cents returned for
| your primary school fund, so, after all,
| is this a very dear governments" The
Governor also took occasion to urge the
! farmers not to grumble at the laws and
not to imagine that legislation is always
directed against them.
During the various sessions of the insti.
| tute many subjects of interest to the
| farmers were discussed. Apropos of dairy
| herd breeding, j. III. Brown, of Climax,
said that one-half of the stock on farms
| did not pay for its board, because farm
| ers did not do their work intelligently.
| 1t cost $50 year to keep Il COW, and IL
she does not produce $50 worth of butter
| and milk she had better be killed. 4. III.
| True, of the Agricultural College, said,
| strange as it might seem, half the farm
ers' wives didn't know how to make good
| butter. Prof. G. ID. Smith, of the Agri-
| cultural College, spoke on THE Expert
mental Station" and Prof. Il. Il. Wood
worth on "The Boiling Point telling
what the college was doing for young
| men. Prof. w. ]. Beal spoke on forest
preservation. Wardens should be ap-
pointed to look after the forests and
guard against fires. On Prof. Bcars mo-
| ton resolution was adopted favoring
| the re-enactment of the forestry commits
sion act of 1887 Mrs. III. III. Hines, OF
Stanton, made hit with n paper ON
farmers girls, who, she said, were the
future wives mothers and home-makers
of the country. She thought women had
as much right to vote as negroes and ig-
norant foreigners. In the woman's Sec
ton the "Rural Home" was the topic
under discussion, with addresses by Mrs.
Mary A. Mayo, Mrs. III. Gaylord Holt,
of Cascade; Mrs. William Il. Adams, of
Paris: Prof. w. s. Holsworth. of the col
lege: and Mrs. Mary Simth, of this city.
At the closing session ex-Gov. Luce
called the meeting to order and
presided as Chairman. A. paper was
read by A. G.. Glidden, Paw Paw, On
"Water in the Soil" He did not agree
with the old theory that water moves in
the soil by capillary action. His expert
ments had convinced him that water ac-
cumuated In the soil by condensation of
ascending vapors. us the Use of Com
mercial Fertilizers Profitable to General
Farmer?" was the title Of an address by
Prof. Frank Kedzie of the Agricultural
College. He convinced the audience of
their value, if used in the proper soil at
the right time The discussion was led
by Il. G.. Bearce, of Grand Rapids. "Tho
Present Standing of Ensilage rs Food
for Stock" was discussed by |. Ii. But
terfield, of the Agricultural College. He
insisted that animals thrived on ensilagc,
if used In right proportions.
The Committee on Resolutions present
ed the following:
Whereas, The State Board of Agricul-
ture, through their very able and ener-
getic agent, X. l.. Butterfeld, has held
and organized sixty-eight institutes in
this State, all of which were well attend
ed and permanently organized for future
good work. Through the wise action Of
the Legislature they have made it possi-
bic to organize institutes in every county
in Michigan, extending useful informa-
ton and knowledge to all the people of
whatsoever calling, reaching localities
that have heretofore been compelled to
draw on their own resources for general
agricultural information. Therefore,
Resolved, That we, the farmers, fruit
growers and citizens of the State, cx-
tend hearty thanks to the Legislature,
Board of Agriculture, professors of the
college and all who have assisted in any
way to make these institutes such a sIs!
nal success and the roundup. here in
this grand city one of the largcst gather
ings of the farmers ever held in'thc State;
and be 1t further no y
Resolved, That we extend to the Kent
Innfifi1fa UthosA