Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1904-01-01

Well Attended and Highly interest
ed Sessions Practical DAcus-
sions Of Profitable roniea

WoiA ultdNutQ anu mHlhbu fuboItsL
was manifested by the farmers. The
speakers were men who thoroughly
understood the details OF the
br8nches on which they talked and
we're all greatly pleased with the
attendance and attention of their
audience They paid a very high
compliment to the farmers here, IN
saying that the Milford Institute
was the BEST in respect TO the Interest
manifested, intelligence developed
in discussion aud desire for practica
information Of any they had 40 fa
attended this year, and they hav,
been in several large and wealthy
counties. They left with a high
appreciation Of the spirit and desire
to progress evinced by Pike count,
farmers and were warm in theii
commentators Of the manner in
which their remarks were received
Pike will receive a fiattering repor
at headquarters at their hands.
A brief resume, such as we cal
give, would do the speakers in
jnstice. They were not only in
structive but they presented their
facts in a highly entertaining
manner. Imparting practical knowl-
edge they made the details clear and
attractiveand left no pointsin doubt.
They advocated no expensive meth
DDS, but gave facts within their
experience and means especially
adapted to the circumstances Of
moderate farmers to accomplish
desirable results.
IL is safe to assume that those
farmers who availed themselves of
the opportunity TO hear these men
went away with ideas which, if
practically followed, will increase
their prosperity many fold
DR.. Tbayer spoke on worn out
soils and said that in the western
states the secret Of the large and
abundant crops was the top soil full
Of humus but that it was now fading
away and the plow there now begins
to touch the clay. Our forefathers
had the rich soil here, but they
gradually depleted it and now we
must restore what they took out,
NO state is richer in mineral wealth
than ours. There is not solitary
acre of arabic land in this county
which has not within 16 inches Of
the top of the ground 50, 600 worth
of phosphorIc acid and potash but
they are insoluable and must be
made available for plant food. This
is fortunately a slow process or it
would soon be all gone. Mineral
elements must be exposed to the air
and vegetable matter must be turn.
cd under the soil so the minerals
can get at it, He illustrated by a
hedgerow cleared off between two
old fields, showing difference IN
productiveness of the soil where the
row was and the worn out soils
Glover opens up the soil. It has the
power to take nitrogen from the
air, and nitrogen is a most. valuable
element and one plants must have
The atmosphere is 81 miles deep and
q nitrogen, vast storehouse Of
wealth. Leguminous plants feed on
it and experiments at Cornell station
showed that an acre Of common
clover took 155 pounds from the air.
Mammoth clover 145 pounds. CON-
mon red 103 pounds in 3 or 4 months
growth. This substance is worth
commercially Is cents a pound,
hence the common clover got $S3 25
out Of the air or the value of several
tons of manure in less than four
months. Clover roots go down and
pump up potash and make it availa.
bic for plant food. To raise clover
first get rid of stagnant water, if
any, 2. plow under humus, some
green crops rye or vetohes, 3, lime
the soil TO sweeten it. The soil is
filed with bacteria which will not
work when acid is present. Lime Is
an indirect fertilizer and should be
used little at a time and often. 4,
give clover a fair chance, the same
as any other crop raised for profit.
Plant in July on well prepared soil
and not with any other crop. The
speaker was often witty and inter
spersed his remarks with apt illus
trations and stories to accentuate his
points.
W H. Stout, an experienced
orchardist, talked on fruit growing
particularly apples. He advised
/ planting trees 90 feet eaol way TO
plant carefully, trim thoroughly and
fertilize literally Corn. potatoes
cabbage may be raised in orchards.
Varieties for this seohon, Baidwins.
Northern Spy, Bon Davis and
treenings. Spray with bordeaux
mixture, six pounds lime slaked in
! hot water. lbs. eulnhate cnnner