Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-11-21
Farmers Institutes In Somerset
County.

Farmers Institutes In Somerset
County.
If illness prevented Commissioner
Gilman from attending the institutes in
Somerset, it did not check the interest
on the part of those who gathered to
hear the speakers. Under the direction
of Hon. X. W. Ellis, the work was car
ried forward in prompt and satisfac-
tory manner and many were the ques-
tions answered by each speaker. Who
ever listens to Forest Henry of Mime
sofa is convinced of the intensity of the
mans life and his full grasp of the sub
jects presented. He puts facts in a
manner to convince, whether it be clover,
corn or hogs, the three lines of produc-
ton he clings to and which have brought
him results. Here are few of his
crisp sentences:
"CLOvER AS A SOIL RENOvAToR.
The fields are our workshops. No
farmer succeeds by raising average
crops. The man who does as we'll as
his neighbor is failure, for on this
level we meet sharpest competition.
Get up higher and find profit. There's
a cheaper way to enrich your farm than
by commercial fertilizers. HumuS is as
necessary as plant food. Save and use
the barn dressing and grew clover to
supply humus and nitrogen. God AL
mighty never hung this vast quantity OF
in the air about us and intend
ed for us to purchase of the fertilizer
agent. Make conditions right for bac-
terra to develop in the soil. There's
too much acid soil. Sweeten the land
with lime, 1000 lbs. to the acre.
Grow clover, and when started plow
under and grow corn. The clover adds
nitrogen and brings up potash and phos-
phoric acid. When vegetable matter
decays in the soil it liberates plant food.
Shade brings fertility, here is where
clover helps. There's big difference
between easy farming and prosperous
Cultivate your fields. Pre-
pare for clover. Take of one crop, then
plow under the second crop when well
started and grow potatoes. Cover less
land and make more money. Practice
Swear rotation, clover, potatoes and
corn. Cultivate thoroughly. Make
conditions right for growth. When the
land is all ready for seed, GO over it
again. This is the work which pays.
Cut the clover when in full bloom.
Rake as soon as wilted and put in tum-
bles. Leave it there two days then
shake out and put in the NOW. You
cannot maintain profitable husbandry
without clover, but be content with one
crop and turn under a good aftermath
in October to pay you double interest
next year in growing potatoes or corn.
CORN FOR PROFIT.
Thirty bushels average shelled corn
per acre Just pays expenses. Grow
maximum not minimum crops. Kill the
cut-worms by late fall plowing. Frost
breaks the sod. Let nature help, for
she works without salary. Do your
WORK well and you grow crop whether
it rains or not. Follow thorough prepa-
ration and seeding with early cultiva-
ton. hold the moisture in the soil by
the use of the cultivator. Follow the
cultivator with weeder, and weeder with
cultiyator. Remember to give only
shallow cultivation after the corn is six
inches high, but keep it up just as long
as possible, and if very dry, until har-
vest time. Grow corn to convert into
pork or through the silo into milk or
butter, but grow corn and give lt the
best chance possible. Then it will pay
a profit, and you can't afford to work
for nothing aud board yourself. If We
do our part well, nature never fails.
Do more business on these naturally
good soils and don't let them run year
after year in grass. Frequent plowing
is the only possible way to make farm
ing pay.
HOGS FOR MAINE FARMS.
In twenty minutes at Bingham Mr.,
Henry put more good hog logic before
his audience than the writer ever listen
ed 10 in the same time, answering the
proposition how to make 5-cent pork
with corn at sixty and oats at forty
cents per bushel.
Get good, healthy, well-built stock.
See that the sows are fed for vigor,
nerve and strength, not fat. Give them
plenty of pasturage.
Sow early in the spring barley, clover
and rape and when fairly started turn
in the hogs and they will want only
plenty of pure water and light ration
of oats or middlings to thrive all sum
mer. If properly fed the hog will not
root. IL she does it shows she is hunt
ing for something she wants and can't
find. Take a load of wood ashes, one
bushel of salt, one of sulphur, and one
of air-slaked lime and mix together and
then keep this where the hogs can find
it freely and they will not root, provided
the pasturage is ample and the barley,
clover and rape had good start. Keep
the hogs on this all summer, for 1t is the
best ration you can furnish and it don't
cost much. Have two good runs side
by side and in one grow this combina-
tion and in the other grow corn TO be
broken and fed on the ear, with the
husks on, as soon as ready. Sow clover
in the corn at the last cultivation and
the next year you have your clover
ready for early feeding, then sow on the
rape and barley broadcast and as the
clover is eaten these come forward.
Getting these two runs started, alternate
wear after year and you will find the
economy of growth. There's no other
way to make pork profitable where corn
is high. Keep the hogs outdoors as
long as possible and finish off rapidly.
The barley, clover and rape with fresh
water will keep them healthy and make
bone, muscle and nerve so that the fat
tening process will be short and easy.
Grow a good field of pumpkins to feed
raw, seeds and all, as soon as ready and
in connection with the corn. Use ma
ture sows and boars and have the pigs
farrow about the first of May so as to be
ready for the pasture by the time the
natural milk supply fails. Maine
Farmer.
Killing hardhack.