Gloucester County Democrat., 1898-03-17
STATE BOARD OF AeRIcuLruRE
Waiter Herltass's Report.
OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE STATE
BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AS READ
AT THE LAST MEETING OF THE
COUNTY BOARD OF AGRI-

AT THE LAST MEETING OF THE
COUNTY BOARD OF AGRI-
CULTURE.
The twenty fifth annual meeting of tn
New Jersey State Board of Agricultur
began it's session on January 18th, in tn
Supreme Court room in the State House
with good representation from the State
Pomona Grange and all County Boards
Secretary Dye, of the Executive Com
mittee, acknowledged the receipt Of por
traits of all the former Presidents and
Vice Presidents of the organization; alsC
the diplomas from the Columbian Exposi
tion. The report commenced upon tht
prevalence of disease among swine and said
many of them might be traced to the uss
of garbage from summer hotels.
The report of the Legislative Committee
showing the work accomplished during the
year. was submitted by Abram G. Hol-
drum and William B. Lippincott. Il
showed that the committee had met with
some success in securing legislation de-
sired by the farmers. although number
of the measures proposed had not met with
the sanction OF the Legislature.
The annual report of the State Board
showed that the total farm valuation Of
lands, fences and buildings in New Jersey,
is $159. .262 $40; of implements and ma
chinery, S7,S7s.644, and of live stock
$15, ,811 $50. To aid in furthering crop
production the farmers of theState expend
over one and half million dollars annu-
ally for commercial fertilizers.
The average yield of wheat for 1897 as
given by the Secretaries of the County
Boards, is larger than in any other year
| being 207 bushels. Many instances being
reported where the yield ran up to As
bushels The total increase over last year
of about 729, ,420 bushels: average price
was So CENTS giving a total value to the
crop for the State of 100000.
O-her sections of the report concerned
the dairy business of the State, the diseaes
of farm animals, farmers institute. County
Boards of Agriculture, free rural delivery
and the reports Of the delegates to the
Farmers National Congress.
The annual address of the President
Hon. D. D Denis was the opening number
of the afternoon session and was heartily
indorsed. I'VE believe" that in you and
your calling are the elements of success OF
ourselves and of us as nation. We believe
that in your action and in your counsel
you will encourage the farmer to more
thorough and a more scientific knowledge
of his honorable vocation. In travelling
over this State these many years past
have learned two important things, the
one that this is very great and a very
good State; the second that the people do
not know it. 10 other words, that New
Jersey is a much better State than the
average citizen believes it to be.
In closing he said: The honesty and
integrity of the American farmer is the
strongest safeguard of our country as a
nation"
Master John 7. Cox, of the State Grange,
reported satisfactory growth of the order
in the State; the cooperative feature was
becoming more efficient as it was better
understood. A matter now before the
Grange, and upon which the feeling is
unanimous, is the repeal of the present
game laws, to permit farmers to take game
on their own lands during the open season
in any manner, and to destroy rabbits at
any season of the year when found neces-
saIy for the protection of their trees and
crops. The belief being that the farmers
right to that which grows upon his premi-
ses is prior to that of the sportsman. The
repeal will also be asked for the law which
prevents the carry ing of freight or express
matter by trolley cars. The Grange also
favors the free rural mail delivery, pure
foods, reasonable and fair rates of trans
portation, otjecting to such as give the
Comu u CaiiiclS LAVAC lhdu INC OOLnlAo
producer realizes.
POULTRY AND EGG PRODUCTION.
j. E. Rice, of Yorktown, gave an in
structive address on Poultry and Egg
Production on the Farm for Profit His
remarks were interesting throughout and
sparkled with humor from beginning to
end Mr. Rice did not claim that there
are many enormous profits in the poultry
industry, but said that with proper care it
will yield generous returns. He urged the
farmer not to go into the poultry business
on a large scale at the outsett but rather
begin by improving the stock they pos
sessed He told them how to construct
and arrange the poultry house in the best
ed spot, comfortable, dry and roomy. 1t
need not be an expensive structure, but
should be well constructed, so as to keep
out the winds of winter and admit plenty
of sunlight. The hens should be made to
work for their living, it is mistake to
allow them to become lazy or indolent.
They should be given plenty of food, in
fact all they will eat, but it must be of the
right kind and contain variety. Grain
feed was recommended for the morning
meal, and then soft mixture of meal and
vegetables and the like at noon and grain
again at night This method he considers
preferable to feeding soft food the first
thing in the morning In speaking
of the best breeds OF poultry, Mr.. Rice
said the Leghorn, Hamburg and the Mi
norca could not be beaten as egg producers
alone. For an all-round fowl, competent
to raise chickens, lay eggs and to be used
for eating purposes, the old fashioned
American Barred Plymouth Rock has
never been beaten. The poultry raiser
should always see 10 it that his flock is
well provided with grinding material, es-
pecially when they are kept in confinement
TALK ON LEAF GREEN,
At the evening session the members
listened to comprehensive discourse on
Leaf Green in its role in crop growing
by DIR. Byron D. Halsted, botanist and
horticnlturist Of the State Agriculture
College. The lecture was extensively