The times., 1897-01-29
Specialists.
Continued from page i.)

treated In most interesting manner. He
advised farmers to be coptented and happy,
not to spend all their energies In securing
the almighty dollar. but make the home as
comfortable as possible and have well
kept fruit garden. A fist of fruits were
given which would make the farmer sue
cesslon of fruits throughout the season.
The institute adjourned before ten o'clock
feeling that the day had been well spent
Music for the last evening was furnished
by the Shaftsburg Ladies' Glee Club, the
"Owl" Club of Laingsburg, and Mr.. Martin
and Lewis, of Bennington.
Two very interesting recitatons were
given by little Miss Schultz and Miss Clara
Baldwin, of Shaftsburg.
The first address of the evening was given
by Mrs. Mary Mayo, Of Battle Creek, on
"Home Life on the Farm" Mrs. Mayo's
lecture was so full of beautiful things that
an extract would be almost impossible.
Any one who failed to hear this article lost
great treat. She spoke of the unrest
among the rural classes, of the urgent need
for honest men, more honest fathers and
mothers, before we can hope for more hon.
est children. Teach obedience, self-re-
straint, and above all things, keep your
children's confidence. Reputation is one
thing, character is another; children are
studying their parents character every day.
Teach love for the best reading-this Is
almost proof against vice. Make the family
table the most pleasant part of the day.
"The Markets" was presented by Howard
Edwards, who gave some good ideas about
extending and developing the market for
farm produce.
'.Lessons'for the future Drawn from Ex-
perience of the Past" was ably discussed
by Frank Whelan, of Vernon. Mr. Whelan
is SO well known as an entertaining speaker
throughout eur county, that 1t goes without
saying that he gave us splendid article.
The committee on resolutions presented
the following report which was accepted
and adopted:
RESOLUTIONS.
Your committee to whom was referred the
delicate duty of drafting suitable resolutions
to express the wishes of this institute, do here
by respectfully submit the following:
We heartily thank the citizens Of Laings-
burg for the hospitable treatment received at
their hands.
We approve and appreciate the work OF
the state board OF agriculture In conducting
the county Institutes, and recommend that suit
able measures be taken by 1t to further make
such Institutes more servicable and profitable
to the farmers of the state.
We recommend that our member in the legis
lature initiate and support bill to pay the
county officers Except the sheriff. salary In
stead of fees, as at the present time.
We recommend that more effective laws be
passed to protect butter makers and dairymen,
and all citizens against impure food.
We demand economy and retrenchment In all
ofhces, in order to bring the cost to the state
and county, to level with the ability OF peo.
pie to pay. A. L. CHANDLER.
A. PARMENTER,
P.B. REYNOLDS.
Mrs. Freeman's paper was, in full, as fol-
lows:
The Secretary OF the Farmers Institute
requested me to prepare an essay on the
raspberry culture, and as we have been
harvesting berries some 3 years, L will
try to give you our experience aOe had
with them. Our farm is situated miles
north of Owosso. The soil we are raising
our berries from is gravel flat.
We planted our canes among young
pear trees. The ground occupied by the
red raspberries is about ii acres. The
1o oh I toI 4 hx
trees we had the ground prepared for our
fruit stock in giving it clean cultivation
the year before.
we ordered our berry plants of the same
nursery where we bought our trees.
Right here / like to mention that /
know many farmers who are planting for
their own use, are taking trees, and es.
pecially berriecanes, strawberry runners,
ect., from their neighbors' old plantations
some of them 10, Is and 20 years stand
ing, and expect to raise a fine berry crop.
This is a great mistake; an exhausted
berry bed cannot furnish good. strong
new plants, and those worthless plants
cost you just as much labor as the strong,
healthy plant you ought to procure from
a reliable nursery. After receiving your
plants, and if there are many, heal them
in as quick as possible, as they cannot
stand to be exposed to sun or wind, as
such plants have many fine fibre roots,
they dry out quick, and when setting cut |
each plant back to 6-7 inch. AS we start |
ed into the business of fruit growing we
had very little practical experience,
but our nurserymen guided us through |
the first year until our own experience |
was our teacher, and we made it our
study in the long winter evenings to pre-
pare us for the coming season.
We planted our red raspberries Al by |
B feet apart, on account of the trees, 1
which were Is feet apart. 1 would not
advise such close planting, or planting
among trees, as we found it very incon-
venient in carrying out the berries and in
cultivating. If were to set out a new
berry patch would have a broad road
through the center both ways, from north |
TO south, from east to west, besides plenty |
Of driving ground around the field, and
then plant the red raspberries 7-3 feet
and the black caps S-3 feet. We have
our red raspberries in rows, but believe
that hill culture is still better. and / am |