The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-03-05
LAKE CRYSTAL INSTITUTE.
Full Report of the Splendid Meetings
Held There.
Much information of Value to Farmers
and Others.


tendance. -Four hundred and seventy
five copies of the Farmers Institute
Annual No. 9, were distributed to the
farmers who attended the opening
session.
The first speaker was E. J. Cults, of
Howard Lake. He gave an address
on growing strawberries, going over
the work from beginning to end. He
dwelt upon the necessity Of choosing
plants from young vines, planting
them on nicely prepared ground,
tolerably free from 'weeds. He told
how to plant them, how to cultivate,
how to protect them during the
winter, and also how to renew the
vines so that the same plot would
bear for several years in succession.
Theodore Louis followed with an
address on corn. He dwelt upon the
great necessity of a careful selection
of seed. He preferred planting on a
clover sod where the same is available.
Corn should not be planted until the
ground is fairly warm in the spring.
He laid stress upon frequent harrow
ing from the time of planting until it
is necessary to make use of the culti-
vator. He strongly advocated shallow
cultivation. He pointed out very
clearly how deep cultivation, the last
time that the cultivator is used for
the season. would bring up weed seeds
from the lower section Of the soil.
These seeds would terminate and
leave the cornfield in very dirty con-
dition before the corn is harvested.
Prof. Hoverstad spoke on the sub
ject of soil moisture. He attached
great Importance to the handling of
the soil with view to the retention
of moisture. He gave his experience
in sowing plot Of rye On Supt Gregg's
farm at Lynd, in the autumn of '95.
The soil was very dry when the wheat
stubble was plowed under. The re-
mark was made by an onlooker
that nothing would terminate
there. He then rolled the land and
drilled in the seed, and two or three
days afterwards drove the harrow
over it. In short time there were
evidences of moisture, and soon the
rye came up and made aOgood growth.
The dust blanket which was thus put
upon the dry soil gave 1T power to re-
tain moisture which came from be-
low. even in that extremely dry sea-
son, sufficient to produce termination
and good growth in the rye, in the en-
tire absence of rainfall. Prof. Hover
stad also discussed the question of
soil temperatures, and various other
features relating to soil-handling. 1t
may be mentioned here that Prof.
Hoverstad is a graduate of the school
of agriculture, and we shall hope that
he is one of long line of successors
from that institution, who will in the
near future give information from the
public platforms to the farmers of the
state.
In the afternoon, Mr.. Carlyle gave
his mastery address on the subject of
feeding cattle. The address drew
from the audience great many ques-
tions bearing upon the various phases
of practical feeding. He particularly
emphasized the Importance of not
feeding cows more than ten pounds of
meal per day, when other adjuncts
are suitable in character. He also
stated that it would not be well to
feed as much as that to some cows,
and the meal should, if possible, be
mixed with cut feed. He illustrated
why this course should be followed, by
digestion in the COW. In
doing so, he used illustrations pur-
posely prepared.
Prof. Shaw gave an address on sheep
husbandry. He dwelt upon the COM
paratively small amount of labor con-
nected with this work. He dwelt up
on the value of sheep as an aid in de-
stroying weeds and enriching the
land. He described an experiment at
the state farm last summer, where
eighty-six head of sheep and lambs
had been pastured all summer on ten
acres. The same piece of land had
furnished nine tons of cured food and
six tons of green food. He also dwelt
upon the question of fattening sheep,
and said that If properly done it could
not but result in advantage to the
farmers.
M Cults then followed with an eX
.celent address on growing grapes. 1t
was comprehensive in its nature, and
every important feature of the work
was clearly defined.
The evening meeting was attended
by an immense crowd, which filled
the building to its utmost capacity.
An excellent entertainment had been
prepared by the people Of Lake Crys-
tai. Mr. Howard presided over the
meeting.
The institute was represented by
Miss Thomson, who gave an address
IN the neglected education of girls