The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-02-16
FARMERS INSTITUTE.
Interesting and Instructive Sessions Held In
Rising Sun This Week.
GOOD ATTENDANCE AT THE MEETINGS
yHHE annual Farmers Insti
tute held in the Town Hall,

Rising Sun, on Monday ant
Tuesday of this week, under tn,
auspices of the Maryland Agricul
tural College, was attended at itl
various sessions by Representative
gatherings of farmers and the
meetings proved both interesting
and profitable to all whose privi
lege it was to hear the various
topics discussed.
The speakers were given close
attention and piled with numerous
questions, proving the interest
taken in the subjects presented.
While the morning sessions
brought out good attendances, the
hall was we'll filed both afternoons
especially so on Tuesday, quite a
number of ladies being present al
these sessions.
The opening talk on Corn Breed.
ing by G. NJ. Lewelling, of Ne
bcaska, was treat to all those who
had the pleasure of hearing it.
Without attempting to give an
outline of his illustrations it is OF
practical Importance to note a few
of them, as he showed by facts and
by some sample ears of corn, how
the crop in nearly all cases can be
materially increased without any
material addition to the expense
involved in its care, or cultivation,
by simply exercising the same care
in seed selection, as is now exer
cised in the care, of domestic
animals.
The climate of Nebraska is diff.
ferent from ours, but like it, in
that they are subject to high
winds that have the same effect
there as here in prostrating the
corn before the crop is ready to
gather and this makes the process
more tedious as well as injuring
the roots and lessening the yield.
Tall corn contains no more joints
to the stem nor blades to sustain it,
than that which is shorter so that
they have found it to their very
material profit to select a type of
grain that will set it's ears not more
than three feet above the earth.
The proper way, and the only
way, to get this result is by seed
selection while the crop is growing,
and by repetition of this process
from year to year we can secure a
uniformity in the crops that is of
the greatest benefit to the farmers,
and at the same time eliminate a
great part of the sterile stalks.
Another item of more especial
Importance to Nebraskan farmers
than it may possibly be thought to
be here, is to care for the curing
and wintering of their seed when
they do have it selected.
If they miss a stand by reason of
using for seed, grain that has lost
its vitality from any cause, there is
no time to replant the crop and
have it mature before Jack Frost
will catch it. While we may have
the advantage of being able to re
plant, we lose more from this cause
in Cecil County than would buy
the best of seed for all our acres.
The shape and length of ears, of
grain and the proportion of cob to
corn were also illustrated. The
difference in the diameter of cob at
the base has all to do with the ease
of breaking it off when husking it.
and it does not pay in any direction
to grow cobs to make tobacco pipes.
An amusing illustration was
given that tended to show where
the profit comes in, where the cob
is of the right proportion and prop
erly filled out at tip and butt. Two
corn cobs were shown that were
brought from an exhibition some
where in the west, and the corn
shelled from these same, that were
a surprising object lesson to the ex,
hibitors. The cobs were of nearly
the same length and size and no one
that had not shelled and measured
the result from these types, would
have suspected the loss there is in
these heavy butted cobs.
At the afternoon session Mr..
Jared Van Wagenen, of New York
State, talked about soil fertility and
fertilizers and the Importance of the
careful saving and use of manure,
emphasizing the great need of re-
form in this respect on the farm,
it being as necessary to husband
the liquids as the solids. To this end
he urged cement water-t tight gut
ters in the stables and an arrange.