Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-12-04
THE FARMERS INSTITUTE.
Held at Che Court House in Mil
ford. Nov. 28th.

ford, Nov, 20th.
An Instructive Meeting, with Good At
tendance - sundry Questions Pro-
pounded, Topics Discussed,
And Methods stated
General Interest
Manifested
The skies were dark and dripping
last Saturday and the weather un-
propitious for those who came
from any distance, but notwith-
standing that a goodly number of
farmers met at the Court House in
the forenoon. 1t was, however,
deemed advisable that instead of
any set speeches being made the in
stitute should for that session as
sumo a desultory character and any
one wishing could discuss such to-
pic as might be of interest.
There were present: j. A. Wood
ward of the State College, and j. f.
Mccormick of the same place, re-
presenting the State Board E. G..
Fowler, of Port Jervis, Editor of the
Farmer and a veteran agriculturist
and pomologist was also present and
took part in the general discussion,
which was opened by Christian
Lehde who offered some remarks on
the question, I" AS to how the
farmer could come in closer con-
tact with the consumer in the sale
of his Products Incidentally this
brought ont the subject of dealing
with the middlemen and commits
sion merchants, and d. ID. New
man gave some rather improbable
experiences he had with that class
of benefactors. 1t was agreed that
in the present state of matters, when
farmers are so lacking in organiza-
tion, that no remedy exists but in a
more compact arrangement by them
to so control the market that prices
may be maintained, and to deal only
with commission men of character
and financial standing.
In the afternoon, Hon. John A.
Woodward took up the question of
fertilizers and as connected with this
the feeding value of different stuffs
and the best rations for stock. The
three elements which are most
needed in the raising of crops are
nitrogen, ,phosphoric acid and potash,
and for years the farmers have
been selling these fertilizers out OF
their lands. The depletion has been
gradual but sure and the worn-out
farm and poor land is the result.
The farmers have allowed the ma
nure to remain under the caves OF
the buildings and the water to leach
out all the strength, or to lie ovel
the barn yard and have the same
process completed by the rains. He
did not believe in large applications
of lime at one time but about twenty
bushels to an acre every four years
BY the use of charts he illustrated
the different effect of crops on the
land and the kind of fertilizer needed
for them, and in the same manner
he pointed out the feeding value o.
various products. Clover is mos
nearly the perfect feed, combining
in itself all the requisites. The sam'
feeding value can be obtained by
mixing corn and wheat or other sub
stances in proper proportions. Oat'
and peas mixed also furnish nearly
complete feed. He related tina
while at New Milford he observed
four trains of milk passing to New
York and estimated that they carrieC
of manurial value $640 dollars takeI
from the farms of that region. Thi
AcLllllty LlQoo III cOAAAC way 10 oAl
piled and the question is, A" How to
do it in the cheapest and most eff
fectual manner. The answer is by
proper system of feeding, so that
the best results in that direction
may be obtained in the most eco
pomical manner. This would aid t
preserve the fertility of the soil be
cause it would overcome the OK
travagant methods now in practic
and by understanding the needs o
the soil those elements would be ap
piled which are necessary to restor
the fertility taken away by tn
crops. The two would operate i
oounterpoise and so benefit tn
farmer by adding to the capacity 0
his land to produce better results
He also strongly urged that all fod