Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-02-06


and Assistants Do Good Work High School En-.
tertains the People, Thursday Msht- Outline Of
the Wort
The farmers institute held in this city
last Thursday and Friday. was well at
tended and much enjoyed. The sessions
Were held in the court house, where the
accommodations we're ample. Mr.. Taylor
and his associates made the meeuDgs
interesting and profitable, and they will
be welcome should they be again sent
to Viroqua for a like occasion. Below
we give brief outline of the work.
THURSDAY MORNING.
H c. Taylor opened the first session
of the institute on Thursday morning
| with talk on cows The subject VAS
| handled in general way, no particular
breed of animal being given the prefer
ence though as dairymar. Mr. Taylor
talked more especially of that class. He
| divided the dairy farmers into two
| classes dairyman and the cow
owner distinction which he brought
out very clearly. The dairyman might
own but one cow, or he might own a
hundred, the difference between himself
and the mere cow-owner not resting on
the number of animals owned but on
difference of treatment and results OBJ
tanned. Mr.. Taylor gave some pointers
on the choice of a good dairy cow and a
good beef producer using charts to
illustrate his remarks. During the dis
cussion following someone asked Mr..
Taylor if he thought 30 per cent. of the
heifer calves from good dairy cows
turned ont to be first-class. He thought
not Mr.. Alexander said Vernon county
farmers had beer buying dairy stock at
fancy prices for a number of years and
yet he believed there was not i've Ia
pound cows in the county at the present
time. He thought we had been imposed
on good deal. Mr.. Taylor said that
in selling heifer no man could possibly
guarantee her TO turn out first-class for
dairy purposes. He closed the subject
with few pertinent remarks on feeding
and care of young cows.
Mr.. Thos. Convey took up the subject
| OF corn. His first proposition was that
| farmers should harrow their corn ground
as soon as it is plowed, advising the use
of two teams On the same piece This,
he said, leaves the surface soil finely
pulverized and in good condition for the
planter He preferred planting in drills
and cultivating only one way. Immedi-
ately after the planting he advised the
use of the harrow to loosen up and level
| the top soil and hasten the termination
of seed grains After this Mr. Convey
advised the use of the harrow at least
once a week and after each rain until
| the corn attained q height of six inches
He advised shallow cultivation and
secuted the idea that the ground should
} be gouged mp in hills and ridges in or
der to let in ir and sunlight, as the
popular belief used to be. One point
| Mr. Convey dwelt on was that he ha
been able to raise more corn to the acre
| by planting in drills and blowing one
way than by the other method. Webe-
lieve that all Vernon county farmers
plant in hills and cultivate two ways. 1t
| might be advantageous to them TO try
the other method We are sometimes
inclined 60 believe that the way we were
taught to do our work when beginning
is the only way, and that because our
fathers and grandfathers did so and so,
we must do likewise. Mr. Conveys talk
was sensible and interesting. All who
heard him must have gained some new
ideas on corn growing
THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
w. f. Stiles took up the subject of
silos and silage, talking for half-hour in
a very interesting manner. 1t must be
admitted, however. that Vernon county
farmers have taken very little interest
in this subject heretofore. The fact that
this is not dairying county is no doubt
responsible in great measure for this
lack of interest Mr.. Sti es advocated
| the building of stone silos in this section
as being air tight, durable and cheap,
He hoped our farmers would take hold
of this matter of building more silos,
and closed in substance as follows
With silos you have fine feed, out of
the weather, right at hand at all times
when you want it. Your cows come put
in the spring sleek and fat and looking
as they do in the fall.
1t was curious to note the movements
of interest and general attitude of at
tention that passed over the audience
when it was announced that Mr.. Haighi
would talk on the subject of tobacco.
Some ose up and took off their over
coats, which they had left on, possibly
with tie idea Of soon leaving. Others
settled themselves more comfortably and
assumed an attentive air. 1t was plain
that Vernon county farmers want to-
bacco and tobacco talk and that their
lubbItrt lusb uoW ~ SchbckEh Oh biAdt
important staple. Mr.. Haight first asked
all tobacco growers in the assembly to
raise the hand and To- apparently every
mans hand went up With such en-
couragerlent Mr. Haight took mp the
subject and in the short time allowed
him presented the following: Tobacco
was first introduced and Gu tivated by
the Pomeroys some time Ia the fifties,
brought from Connecticut. 1t was a
long time before outside buyers recog-
nized Wisconsin tobacco as aluable,
and the fact of its being finally so rec
ogniZed, is due to the efforts of these
pioneers in tobacco raising. Mr Haisht
had had 81 years experience, Got his
first seed and advice from the Pomeroys,
hence his kind remembrance of them.
He recommended the use of only strong,
healthy plants; the use Of a machine foT
setting except in rainy weather; the
last suchering about week before cut
ting: the cutting of only as much as
could be put in the sheds the same day
never to leave tobacco in pile over night
the building Of air tlght sheds in order
that too much dampuess might be shut
out if necessary. He thought that II
farmers would confne themselves 10 the
cultivation Of about 5 to 3 acres, they
wonld reach the best results He re
GREETED that he had not taken this a1
vice himself, having gone up TO 25 acres
where the extra expense of hired helI
and inability to properly care for tbs
| clop, brought more unsatisfactory re
suits When asked about the proper
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