The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1902-01-28

Won by MI ftdENlck anu ttF flUEinF
Of america" by all the members gave
the meeting an air OF informally which
u IL the intention 10 cultivate at all the
Institutes to be held IN the future.
MIR Scigwick opened the meeting
proper. by brief outline 81 the work
IL Is intended TO do In these Institutes.
lie did not think they should be too
formal or have too many officers, but
Il was better 60 have less machinery
and more practical exchange OF Views.
All that Il needed Is n place whore all
could come together and relate their
experiences. and give every farmer the
benefit of both failures and successes.
He wanted all the farmers 10 take part
and to help organize the head OF the
farmers institutes, and hoped that the
first branch would be formed at Wa
hiawa.
The Farmers Institute which will be
at the head of all branches in the Ter
ritory was then organized by the cleo
ton OF the following officers:
President-Jared G.. Smith.
Vice-President--T. +. Sedgwick.
Secretary and Trelsurer-D l.. Van
Dine.
Mr. Smith was unable to be present
agricultural meeting ana his regrets
were presented by Mr.. Sedgwlck. He
has, however, consented to serve as
President. BY vote, the President was
empowered to appoint all committees
required in the organization of further
Institutes. 1t IL intended to form
branches in oil parts of the Territory,
and this work viii be taken up jmmedi-
ately by Mr. Smith.
LETTER FROM GOVERNOR DOLE.
The letter written by Governor Dole
was read 1T he meeting by Mrs. 7. +.
Sedgwick, and his expression of conf
dence in the small farmer was heartily
received. vote of thanks was tender
ed and the Governor was elected an
honorary member.
FORAGE CROPS.
The paper prepared by Jared q.
Smith on Forage Crops and read by
Mr.. Van Dine was a very welcome adj
ditipn To the interest Of the program.
Mr.. Smith dwelt upon the importance
of forage plants to agriculture and the
extension of their cultivation. He said
that the clover plant was the best for
this purpose. He sketched very enter
tainingly the history Of various forage
plants. saying that the alfalfa was Gull
tivated by the Romans at least two
hundred years before the commence
ment of the Christian era. He referred
also to their feeding value, the compar-
ison of rations, the use of folders in
rations and its fertllzing values.
The point of decadence in the agri
culture of country is marked by the
decreasing acreage devoted to the
growth of forage plants. THE produce
ton of forage crops" said the speaker, |
land their use upon the lands where
they are grown, becomes, then, one of
the best agricultural practices. But in
growing and feeding the forage crops, !
as in all other branches of farm indus |
try, 1t is necessary to use those plants, :
which will give the greatest returns for
the least given outlay in the shape of
fertlizing elements removed from the
soil"
The most valuable and important
plant food is nitrogen according to Mr..
Smith, and leguminous crops are there
fore the best for cultivation. Alfalfa,
beans, etc, are the most valuable of
this sort. Closing the paper, Mr.. Van
Dine read: There Is opportunity for
great saving by American farmers,
and hence a greater profit, II legumin-
Gus forage crops can be extensively
substituted for those Of less feeding
and fertili2ing value. There are le-
guminous crops which yield as heav-
lily as the better hay grasses and which
require no greater care and attention.
There is as wide a range of varieties
adapted to all the varying conditions
If temperatures, soil and climate. If
by the use OF Clovers, soy, beans,
vetches. alfalfa, COW peas and velvet
beans, the cost Of producing pork, beef,
mutton, wool, milk, butter and cheese
could be lessened by ever so little. the
aggregate gain to the whole farming
population and the country at large
would be enormous"
FUTURE PLANS.
1t was decided at the meeting to hold
an institute every three months. the
place of meeting to be chosen by the
President At the next meeting defin-
lite papers will be read along lines to
be announced later The financial side
of the institute is not to be considered
for the present, but this will also be
taken up soon, and an effort will be
made to extend the work as much and
as rapidly as possible. The Wahiawa
farmers will doubtless prepare to par
tiClpate in the agricultural fair to be
held in the drill shed on July and an
institute will be held in Honolulu at
that time.