Smyrna times., 1901-02-06
CHESWOLO FARMERS HEAR
TALK ON CATTLE RAISING
MEETING OF KENT COUNTY FARMERS IN.
STITUTE THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
Lecture OF W. K. Dickson of WOodside on
"ueneral Farming" In Which He Gave
Some Practical Suggestions.

CHEswOLD, Feb. A Farmers In
stltute under the auspices of the Kent
Kent County Farmers Institute was
held at Cheswold last Thursday after
noon, which was addressed by ". r.
Dickson of WOodside, this county. It
was the largest attended Institute ever
held at Cheswold and was also honored
by the presence of ladies'. r. NJ.
Cooper, president of the Kent County
Institute, presided.
General Farming" was Mr.. Dick
sons subject and he disclaimed anv
intent more than plain talk ON farm
ing. He reviewed the evolutions of
farming industry since the vast timber
tracts of 80 years ago gave place to the
vast acreage of virgin soils that are
now productive of varied plant foods.
we have witnessed the coming and
gong OF the peach, that great industry
the cause of which failure is vet un-
solved. Our pockets, as farmers. have
.elt the coming of the expensive phos-
phate which remains dead in our soils.
The small fruit and the vine are now
also attended with little profit. while
the labor and expense of propagation
seem considerable Then the active
energetic, wideawake farmer mustlook
about for crops that are to be profit
able, while at the same time he can i'm.
part to his land plant food. The
speaker though by introducing legumes
and manure more generally in our svs-
tenn OF farming the question is solved
and a paying bases may be reached.
lie advised more cattle in the stalls
ana more COW peas sown over the fields
Meats are better price and likely tn
remain so. Farmers than need no
longer fear the west where the scourge
OF black leg is telling with terrible eff
feet on their blue grass ranches with
their SIX months winter standstill also
as to fattening. =
As to the breed of cattle the speaker
seemed to emphasize the need of beef
producing rather than the butter
qualities for the general farmer. since
only the "gilt edged" butter these
days is saleable in the market at a
profitable figure which to attain, might
be expensive and hazardous. OF five
breeds of cattle named he RECON-
NEEDED the dairy short horn as the dual
or general purpose COW. From this
breed aside from the butter Qualities
he produced also some surprising rec.
ords OF weight. The Angus. he also
recommended for general purpose of
which breed he now has one WEIGHING
o2O pounds at II months old. For the
general farmer, however, the speaker
advised the obtaining of the best re-
suits desired in the most advantageous
way. By care and painstaking he
thought most any farmer could grada
his stock up in either butter or beef
quality by special selections out of his
herd. Much however depends upon
the grade of the bull which also must
be looked after as the great essential
in improving stock.
At the close of Mr.. Dickson's ad-
dress, r. NJ. Cooper introduced the
subject of good roads practically de-
nonstrating by saw dust on table the
evils of our present road making and
how they occur by inefficient overseers
The present system of rounding our
'oads up in the middle which Mr.
Cooper classed as "water mellon ridges
S such that it is the common experience
If those who ride on them to drive on
either side with the carriage on slant
which is unpleasant to occupants.
wearing to the carriage and an in
creased draft to the horse while the
,rass is growing on the mound. Bv
unanimous vote Mr.. Cooper was in
tructed to lay his plans before the
Kent County Levy Court.