The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-02-23
Farmers Institute.

The Farmers Institute held in
the Town Hall under the manage
ment of State Director VIM. L.
Amoss, on Thursday, February 10,
was a splendid success in every |
respect. The hall was filled to its
full capacity in the afternoon, and
in the evening there was large
audience. The attendance of ladies
was large at all of the sessions.
Mr.. James E. Rice lectured
on fertilizers in the afternoon,
and in the evening on foods
used by the human animal,
and illustratrated both of his lee
lures by diagrams, which aided
materially to impress them on his
audience.
The lecture of DR.. j. G. Curryer
on horses, was very instructive and
interesting to horse owners and
farmers who are in horse breeding
and colt training to some exrent.
Mr.. Humson's discussion of the
road question was timely and one
on which light and instruction is
much need. The proper way to
make stone road, the only kind
of road required in this county,
was explained and is very simple
and easily constructed. There are
three essentials. First-grade road
bed, which islclay or soil-dirt, of
course, shaping it in an oval form,
and roll with heavy iron -'oller
till it is so hard and firm that a
horses shoe will scarcely dent the
surface. This will require roller
of several tons weight. Second
eight feet is wide enough for coun-
try roads. Near to or in towns the
roadway should be wider, accord
ing to population and amount of
traffic, but in the country districts
of this county eight feet is wide
enough for the stones. Third
putting on. the stone is very i'm
portant part. A breaker must be
used and the broken stone put
through screen, which separates
the material into three sizes. The
4 l.rgest size should be about %
inches; the second grade much
smaller and the third size will be
the fine stuff, which is put on as a
top dressing.
The bottom layer of crushed stone
is the most important part of the
work and must be got down exactly
right to insure first class road.
This first layer of the coarsest stone
should not be more than two and a
half or three inches in thickness,
laid down carefully and evenly and
rolled till the bed is hard as rock,
packed firmly together. If the
material is not all of a size the par.
ticles will not unite to make firm
road, pieces of different sizes in the
same layer refusing to unite in a
solid mass.
| The foundation layer having been
rolled by a strong team or traction
engine, which is best, and heavy
iron roller, the bed is ready to re-
ceiye the second sized material,
which should be added and rolled
till as smooth and hard as rock,
the fine stuff being put on top to
j finish off. Six inches is thick
enough for country road built in
the manner described. Water can.
not penetrate such road and con.
sequently the soil remains dry and
hard under such a roof in the
wettest weather.
| If any springs are in the road the
water must be conducted away in
trunk bitches. No road can be
made permanent with a living
spring under or near the road bed
unless the water is conducted away
by under draining. Such road
will cost IS, 900 to $500 mile.
John l.. Balderston mad prepared
and read paper on the past sup
ply and future outlook for beef
cattle. He argued that the dimin-
ishing grazing grounds of the great
Western plains were steadily de.
creasing their supply of beef cattle,
while the growth of population was
yearly calling for an increased
supply of beef. The pith of the
argument was that the time had
come when. raising cattle ON our
Atlantic State farms would pay
better than grain. Our rainy
climate insured abundant pastures
when properly managed, and the
grain fields should be converted
into pasture and hay fields and
live crop substituted for the wheat
crop to a large extent.