The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-02-26
Burton Farmers Club.


Farmers Club was held at the residence of
G. Il. WoOdin.
J. w. Hibbard made a very graceful
speech on accepting the honor the club con-
ferred upon him in electlng him president,
and In his committee and other appoint.
ments, he exhibited great frmness by ac-
cepting no excuses or shrking of those ap-
pointed, from the duties assigned them.
'Better Methods of Farm Management
was discussed by the gentlemen. ID.
Thorp recommended more thorough cult-
walton. Elmer Warren, OF the Meridian
Farmers Club who was guest of the day,
said the variation of the seasons has much
to do with poor crops. The very hot and
dry seasons. followed by extreme rainy sea-
sons, as in the past summer, he regarded
detrimental to the farming interests. He
would feed the coarse grains and hay upon
the farm. He does not think 1t necessary
for the soil to rest; would cultivate often;
and for mulching, would have something
green to plough under. Timothy, he re-
CARDS poisonous to the soil aud the bean
crop exhaustive. G. X. WoOdn said we
have had better crops for the past ten years
than we did fifty years ago; that we raise
more now than we raised ten aud fifteen
years ago. We have good hay. good corn.
good wheat, good oats, good everything.
de would raise more stock and would not
buy fertilizers; with Mr.. Warren, he be-
lieves that timothy and the bean crop is bad
for the soil. Mr.. Rose would raise and
keep more cows. l.. 8. Bowles believes i'm
the old fashioned summer fallow, thorough
cultivation and feeding the coarse fodder,
hay and grain upon the farm.
Mrs. Devendorf read paper upon "How
have Inventions Aided our Home Life.n
She compared the present. with its numer-
GUS inventions with the past, when simpllci-
ty in all things, was the rule. She spoke
of the iron horse invention, which makes
long distances short with its speedy and
easy mode of travel and transportation; Of
the farmers labor saving machinery, by
which the work can be moro quickly done
with fewer hands, thereby aiding home en-
joyments-tho' not by relieving the mind
from the anxiety of debt, nor by turning
men out OF employment into the road to
tramp. The work of the factories has di s.
missed the spinning wheel and home spun
clothes; the sewing machine helps In the
family sewing; the cook stove has supple
mented the brick oven for baking, and the
fireplace for cooking, but she misses the
chimney ventilator, which was ever ready
to take the Odor of cooking and the steam
from the kitchen. These and other inyen-
tions have aided home enjoyment by max
Ing Its labors lighter, and though there are
added superfuities, constant toll through
the day and late In the evening, need not be
the rule, and the time gained by the use of
these inventions should be improved in &C.
quiring knowledge Of both past aud present
events. She closed her paper by calling at
tention to the inventiOns-thO' not of recent
origin-of converting grain and fruit, by a
process of decay, into destructive drink, and
dwelt at length upon its causing pain and
want, and scattering death and destruction
by the way, instead of its being blessing
and means of homo enjoyment.
Miss Guilford, after mentioning few OF
the numerous inventions and their uses that
aid in our home enjoyments, said that they
raise US above the savage, the mound build
er, the cliff builder; they make us a civil
lized people: they facilitate the Household
duties, and give us more leisure for men tai,
moral, physical and religious culture; they
give US means by which we can make our
homes pleasanter, brighter. and happier;
they make better men and women of us and
better christians.
Representative r. NJ. Shepard, with lit
tie care wrinkle in his forehead, came from
Lansing for the purpose Of attending this
meeting. He wished the opinion of his con-
stituents. regarding the several bills, in
which they were interested, which should
be presented to the legislature. He referred
to the beet sugar bounty bill; the capital
punishment, by electrocution. bill; the bill
to abolish the gathering of statistics of farm
products, and the county salary bill. a The
last mentioned bill he read in full, as he
had assisted In its framing. The gathering
statistics Of farm products created quite q
discussion. AS each supervisor is allowed
ten dollars for that branch of his work, and
as some of our members do not see any
benefit resulting from 1t, petition was
drawn up and circulated, asking that the
law be abolished. A remonstrance was
suggested, but failed to materilize.
The club reporter believing that farmers
should know the amount raised and all
about the products of his state, his country
and the world, In order to understand wha,
and how much 1t will pay him to raise, and
many other reasons, favored the remon.
STRANGE, but not being voter, her opinion
, failed 10 count. Rep. Shepard was asked
hsopinion, not as representative bat as q
, supervisor, as he had served the township
| In that capacity for many years. lie re-
, plipd that I'm MANY inatancaa tho farn,ar did