The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1900-11-30
FARMERS INSTITUTES
Talks We're Good and Sensible
To Empty Benches.
Mistake In Dates Made a tumble
On Attendance-A Free
Trip For Farmers.

The farmers institute given at COlfax
Tuesday, under the direction and at the
expense of the O. r. & n. Company, was
a success in all things except the attend
ance. This was practically nil. At no
time were there more than a score OF
farmers in the audience, though enter
tanning and instructive addresses were
made by Prof. W. j. SpilIman of the
Agricultural college and Hon. e. l..
Smith Of Minnesota, both morning and
afternoon.
The fact that there was an error in the
date of announcement Of holding the
meetings, as given by the official posters,
was responsible TO large degree for the
slight attendance Tuesday. The dates
announced were for Monday and Tues
day, while the speakers understood it to
he Tuesday and Wednesday. Conse-
quently they failed to put in their ap-
pearauce on the day the first crowd did,
and the crowd failed to appear when the
speakers did.
The object of these Institutes is to
draw the attention OF progressive farm
ers toward diversification of products
on their farms, thus charging produc-
ton and enrichiDg the country and the
people.
MIR. Smith, "a pioneer of Minnesota
and an active worker in farmers insti-
tutes Tor many years, spoke on the ad-
VancemenJ of the farmers of his state
after turning their attention to diversi-
fed products a dozen years ago. de
told how, when he first went among
them preaching diversifcatiOn, they
were IN poverty ana yearly growing
poorer through exclusive wheat growing
according to their own arguments and
statements. Their land was worn out
through constant wheat cropping. Yet
one and all declared that cows, hogs
and diversity in general would not pay.
For years they would not take hold, but
kept on growing wheat until the chinch
bugs came as blessings in disguise and
literally ate up the crops for two years
They were thus forced into other lines,
until now Minnesota is the great dairy
state OF the union, covered with co ODer-
ative creameries, Switch are paying hand
some dividends, pastured by hogs and
cattle which largely add to the incomes.
and swarming with poultry which pay
the grocery bills-while now more wheat
is raised on the farms so titled than was
ever grown when devoted exclusively to
wheat. Year by year, since the adoption
OF the new plans, the farmers have pros
pered. The board shacks have disap-
peared, or are disappearing, and in their
places are reared substantial modern
farm houses and barns The farmers
generally have money in the banks; they
are free from debt, and prosperity is
theirs. This great change has been
brought about in a few years by aban-
dOnment of the one-crOp system; it is
largely due to dairying alone.
Mr.. Smith asserts that when the Min
nesOta farmers were first approached on
the subject OF diversity they were filled
with doubt and distrust. They thought
the institute workers theorists; but. he
said, there was a hundred times more
theorists among the farmers than among
those who were asking them to change
their systems-and the greatest trouble
OF all was that all their theories were
wrong. The institute workers did not
deal In theories; they stood Oh facts and
actual results only. The speaker said
the greatest obstacle to progress, ad-
vancement and prosperity is dOnbt and
dIstrust; that, of course, success could
only come through new lines by knowl-
edge gained. He had known some la
inevitable failures where new lines had
been taken up, because practical good
sense had not been employed. He ad-
vlsed more thinking, more dependence
upon the brain and less upon the horny
hand undirected by the head.
The address of Mr.. Smith was sensible,
practical and entertaining. 1t was we'll
worth the attention of every Palouse
farmer, each OF whom could have learned
something to his advantage, and it il to
be regretted that they took so little in
terest IN the meeting as to fail to furn-
lsh respectfully sized audience
Professor Spillman spoke on the sub
Jects OF dairy COWS and their proper
ratlons. He also illustrated a model
l6O-acre farm, divided into as nearly as
possible 3O-acTe fields, with 10 acres for
buildings, orchard and garden, rotating
crops on each, so that neither field raised
the same crop twice in succession, thus
preserving fertility. He advocated live
stock growing and returning to the land
the fertility taken away.
Free TO Farmers
In the name Of the 0. r. & n. Co Mr.
Smith extended to his audience an invi
tatiOn for ten farmers to signify their
Willingness to attend the school of daIrv-
ing opening at the Agricultural college
January II, promising free transpOrta
ton to them in order that they might
study the progressive methods taught.
The required number arose and will be
passed to and from by the company.
The dairy school will De in session eight
weeks. Students viii be under instruc
ton of Prof. Harris of Michigan. one of
the most skilled men in the United States
on bntter making, and Prof. Ludwig
Engelmen OF Indiana, a noted expert in
cheese making.