The record-union., 1899-03-29
The SCHOOL OF THE FARMER
CONVENTION OF SOIL TILLERs
AT COURTLAND.
university Professors Give Practi-
cal Talks at the Farmers
Institute.

In spite of the threatening weather,
the high Winds and occasional showers,
there was a good attendance at the
Farmers Institute at Courtland yester-
day, and the set. program was carried
out to the letter. Much of the success
of the institute was due to the untiring
efforts and zeal of E. "A Cannon,
Chairman of the Institute Committee,
though the institute itself was under the
general direction of the Professors of
Agriculture and allied subjects of the
University of California.
After the musical exercises of the
opening there was prayer by Rev. j.
w. Hinds and a brief, stirring address
OF welcome by Walter Cannon. He
congratulated the people of Courtland
and vicinity that the institute was held
in their midst, and assured the visitors
that they were welcome in every way
to the hospitality of the town.
Professor Douglass T. Fowler of the
State University, spoke at some length
on institute matters, his subject being
EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL
FEATURES OF THE FARMERS
INSTITUTE"
He said there was much fear at the
beginning of the institutes that they
would prove a complete failure because
OF theoretical, scientific and hifaluten
notions; but experience had shown that
farmers are practical men, SO ifsti-
tues have grown in favor because
farmers got together after the insti-
tues and compare notes and expert
erices. They thresh over the ideas of
theorists, and throw away what is use
less. Thus, it is easy to go further
and get much real value out Of their
work. The result is great advantage
to the farmers and much valuable data
for the theorists.
Professor Fowler also dwelt on the
social benefits OF Institutes, showing
that farmers associate in a useful way,
tighten their burdens, and return to
their farms in bright spirits and with
new ideas.
DAIRY COWS"
Professor NJ. E. Jaffa followed, ad-
dressing the institute on Rational
Feeding of Dairy Cows He said it
was easy to go wrong in the matter Of
feeding, or to feed for beef and bone, or
for milk; but rational feeding would
keep up the general condition Of cattle
and would not run into any excesses.
Rational feeding would always bring
the best general results for the animal
giving plenty of muscle and bone and
at the same time producing large guam
titles of good milk. OF the three foods;
Wet, dry and prepared, he said many
farmers fed too much wet food, or green
fodder.
Alfalfa he considered the best basic
food, yet it would be easy to overdo it.
All foods contain to a greater or less
a 49,
to making bone, muscle and milk. but
wet foods usually contain almost 80 per
cent. of water, hence they should not
be overdone.
At noon the session adjourned and all
present partook of an old-time farm
ers' dinner at the large hall The bill
of fare was extensive. and none COM
planned of a lack of nutritious food.
mingled III proportions fully up to prac-
tical and theoretical needs
A TALK ON FOODS.
The afternoon session began with a
continuation of Professor Jaffa's talk
on foods. He said, in part: I'VE use
concentrated foods to get the proper.
amount of proteids, a large amount of
nutriments in a small quantity of sub
stances of high value
The Professors talk was fully illus
trated by large diagrams which showed
the composition of wheat, grain, bran,
screenings, middings, barley, oats, rice
bran, mixed feeds, etc. He also showed
that cottonseed, cocoanut and hnseed
cake meals are very rich, the trouble
being that some of these meals are
likely to become rancid. About two
pounds per day would be, said the
speaker. a good supply of these cake
foods for one animal in a day. The
price. of these foods would partly indi-
cate which should be used.
1T has been found said the speaker,
that animals must have a certain bulb
in their food We cannot extract the
substance of a food and give it to
either animals or men in the form of
pills with good results"
1t was shown that a COW should be
fed about twenty-four pounds Of or
ganic substance in a day, a horse at
light work about twenty pounds, but
horse at heavy work must have three
or four pounds more. A cow during