The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-02-11
PROFITABLE INSTITUTE

Representative Shiawassee County Farm
ers Present-Many Practical Papers and
Addresses-The Visitors Delighted with
Owosso's Hospitality.
The County Farmers Institute held at
the Congregational Church in this city
on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week
was an unusuall successful affair-how-
ever, it was not better than similar
gatherings are when held in Owosso.
The attendance throughout was large,
representative farmers and their wives
from nearly every township being pres
ent.
The first session was opened with
prayer by Rev. G. V. Northrop. j. N.
Mcbride, president of the Institute, well
coined those present, and Hon. VIM.
Ball, of Hamburg, conductor, outlined
the work of the gathering.
Mr.. Mcbride then introduced Il. b.
Terry, OF Hudson, Ohio, who proceeded
to deliver very interesting talk on
''Increasing Fertility OF Glover Grow
ing" Mr. Terry has a good voice, and
was verv clear and simple i'll his Ian
guage. He incidentally made strong
argument for a university education.
He said his subject must be one OF grow
ing Importance. 1t was more so in the
East, but is coming to the front as far
west as Michigan. The question was
how to increase the fertility OF the soil
and raise big crops. To do this they
must have three elements, nitrogen,
phosphoric acid aud potash. Ii any
vegetable matter was burned, these
three things were present. The nitrogen
was released and went into the air, and
the ashes contained the phosphoric
acid and potash. The air was the great
storehouse OF free nitrogen. 1T con-
tanned 80 per cent. This most costly OF
all elements cost in the east when bought
in phosphates twenty cents pound.
There was over million dollars worth
OF nitrogen over many farm. God had
provided cheap way OF securing it for
the farm. The clover plant would do
this. They could accumulate 200 to
300 pounds of nitrogen per acre by leav-
ing the clover on the land for the use OF
future crops. They could not eat grass,
but steer could and then they could
eat the steer and so they would get it.
Many years the question, what clover
would do for the land, was disputed,
but today it was proven. BY system
atic'rotation OF crops clover once in three
or five years would get all the nitrogen
necessary out OF the air. They could
get all the nitrogen for less than nothing
Ii they plowed heavy grass sod they
would find the soil all hung together. Il
they ever plowed over red clover SOD
they would find the soil crumbled, be
cause the clover had no fibrous side eroots
but tap root right down with fibrous
roots still runnin down. Ii plant
Awas dug up they would find that the
roots went down not 1fteer
inches, but and feet and even 8 feet
under favorable conditions. The loosel
the sub soil, the deeper the roots go
On hard pan roots went down 3 to 4
feet. The roots went down to raise III
mineral matter.
After growing clover the mineral mat
ter from below was brought up to th'
surface. Another way in which clover il
helping the fertility of the soil is b,
mulching and shading the land. III
prove this lay board down in a gardel
and after time take it up and SOW seet
on the spot and see theincreased fertility
They might say this was all right il
theory, but not in practice. He ha'
heard farmers make such remarks.
Mr.. Terry then went on and gave {
very interesting account OF how he AM
his wife commencing on a run down farm
OF 135 acres, for which they ran $3, ,7O'
in debt, and eventually had 55 acres al
clear, from which in 'S3 they sold 81, ,30'
worth OF wheat and potatoes beside
their living. He told of his struggles an
how clover brought up the land. Hi
Z father had given him university educa
ton which was worth more than it cos
because he had learned to think. Heha
been getting 81 900 year salary fror
butter king, and the first years sale h
made from the products of his land wa
$500. This tempted him to go back t
his situation, but he and his wife deter
mined to stick it out. 1t was not Glove
that alone helped him to bring up hi
farm, but he saved all the manure on tl
farm and did much needed under drair
age. He had no money so he did
with his own hand, working often whe
other farmers said the weather was $
bad they could not be out. Now he wa
cutting four tons OF clover an acre. Tw
and hall tons the first cutting and or
and hall the second cutting. He save
money by feeding early cut clover ha
to his horses. People said it was bette
IN food timothv but this was NOT tru