Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-02-03
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
TUESDAY EVENING

TUESDAY EVENING.
Great disappointment was felt by Con.
ductor Woodman on account Of the
small attendance on the Tuesday even.
ing session. Secretary L. c. Storrs of
the State Board Of Charities was present
but was forced 10 read his masterly ad-
dress 10 rather less than 100 people.
The address which was preceded by
two well received selections from the
college mandolin club. was on the sub
Ject, "Our Prison System
The board of which Mr. Storrs is sec.
retary has control over all the charitable
institutions of the state, including pris.
ons and refOrmatorieS. Jackson prison
now contains 1900 prisoners and the
workings of this institution and the re-
formatory at IOnia were thoroughly ex.
plained as well as the parole system
recently inaugurated Three grades
are now recognized ar Jackson, the first
containing convicts who have broken no
rule for year or more; the second
grade composed of newcomers and those
who have committed minor infracti0ns,
and the third of those who have at
tempted 10 escape All the convicts
work on the contract system and the
labor nearly rays the running expenses
of the prison. Promiscuous visitation
was condemned. In conclusion the
speaker congratulated the people of the
state on their interest in their state in.
situations.
The extreme cold in the hall neceSsi.
tafed an Adjournment at this point, Mr..
Woodnan's paper being postponed till
later on in the institute.
WEDNESDAY FORENOON.
After the usual opening of the ques.
tion box George W. Abbott Of Alma
read paper on Potatoes" Mr.. Alb
bort believed that if the potato crop
could be planted and dug by horse
power, and handled from the first dig.
ging in crates, reasonable care would
insure profitable results. Fight the
beetle as soon as it appears Mr.. Abbott
had conducted careful experiments with
10 varities Of potatoes, new and old, and
had demonstrated to his complete salts
faction that the late Beauty of Hebron"
and the Rural New Yorker" were the
most suitable for Gratiot county.
Charts were exhibited showing this 70
be true and also demonstrating that Sl6
per acre, the speaker carefully esti.
mated profit. was more than double the
profit from any other crop off from a
similar acreage. The paper was fnlly
discussed, several upholding the claims
Of wheat and corn although all united
in giving preference 70 the sugar beet
over any other crop.
G. p Goodrich of Wisconsin next
spoke OH "The Beat Method Of Caring
for and Using Corn Fodder" The key.
note Of the entire address was its first
sentence. "The Best Method for Pre-.
peration Of Corn Fodder is % put il
Green into SilO." There is IA much
nutrition in the stalk and leaves of the
corn as there is in the ears. The com.
mon method Of throwing weatherbeaten
corn stalks into the barnyard 10 he
trampled and but partly eaten, is fast
going the way Of any other obsolete
process. Cut il up in feed cutter and
use the hard stalks that the cattle refuse
to eat, for bedding. Many farmers now
use n shredder and thus dispense with
a silo, bat the product of shredder is
far inferior TO ensilage. A silo will pay
for itself in two years and ensilage is
the best cattle food yet discovered as il
stimulates the flow Of milk and is
placed in silo at less expense than the
corn could be- placed on the market.
The discussion revealed the fact that
silos did not reveal quite such rosy con.
ditions in Gratiot county although all
recognized the great value Of ensilage.
There were about loo farmers and
wives in attendance on this session.
"WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
When President Allen called the in.
stitute to order for the afternoon session
fully 200 persons were present which
number was increased within an
hour tn 300 and over. Silas Moody Of
Forest Hill gave q most interesting and
instructive talk on "Stock Feeding"
Methods of raising stock have been
greatly improved since the days Of
Jacob, who was the best known ancient
stock feeder. For beef sttle il is best
10 allow the calves TO run with the cows
till they are six months old. Too much
importance can not be given good FEED