The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1906-01-12
SUCCESSFUL INSTITUTE.
Large Attendance Well Prepared
Addresses-Interesting Discus
"a .slOns.

II |
The best institute ever held in Shia-
wassee county was that held Tuesday
and Wednesday. in the congregational
church in this city by the Shiawassee
County Farmers Institute Association;
under control ofSthe State Board of
Agriculture. The officers of the asso-
citation, Ira Snyder, president, Amos
Parmenter, vice president. and Floyd
Reynolds, secretary, have closed their
years work with great credit to them
selves and with much profit to the agri-
cultural interests of the county The
secretary issued, through the aid of
QBosso merchants and manufacturers,
a sixteen page program, took charge Of
the corn exhibit and had every detail
arranged for the meeting perfectly.
The corn exhibit, which was the best
ever made IN this county and one of
the best at any institute in the state
was arranged in the basement Of the
church, where hundreds examined the
ears and took many notes from the win.
ming entries.
President Snyder called the sessions
promptly and conducted every detail of
The meetings with promptness and very
agreeable to those IN altehdance. Some
of the very best state speakers were in
attendance, buuthree were delayed in
arriving causing some changes in time
of taking up'topics. Tuesday morning
an unusually large number appeared
for theopening session.
W. A. Ellis of Marlette took up the
Culture and Marketing of Beans, and
handled the subject as only a successful
grower and good speaker could Beans
are one of the most important crops of
Michigan farms, but most susceptible to
weather conditions For tins reason
bean land should be well drained as
drowning is exceedingly easy. An ex-
ira supply of good air is also demanded
by beans which they can not get when
surrounded by water gravelly soil was
therefore best; the bean crop should be
followed by wheat A piece of land in
his county, Sanilac, had yielded 40
bushels of beans and aswheat crop of 40
bushels had been taken off the next
year; beans could follow corn WELL fall
plowing was a great benefit, because if
left until spring the land would proba-
bly, be rough and lumpy; manure the
land in winter; plow and harrow and
plant from 10th to 10Th Of June-not
deep unless the season is dry; run over
with roller. The bean will come up
quickly and should be cultivated when
two inches high, using cultivator with
rags tied around the end of the teeth;
shallow cultivation is best; do not cult
vate when wet or when in blossom; mud
or dust have bad effect Market the
crop when harvested; DO rot try TO be 4
speculator.
A B. Cook took up the discussion
stating that the bean buyers in Owosso
had always been fair with him. He
had the bean fever early and although
he had several times threatened to quit
the crop he had not yet failed to raise
some beans for twelve years; they had
sold for from - cents to 50 % per bush
el and were good cash crops; he plants
beans following clover, letting the
clover start and plowing late in May,
planting from first to seventh Of June.
Some say plant later; that was all right
according to the year He had never
raised 40 bushels per acre, 27l being the
largest; 20 was fair yield, Is light, but
% bushels very satisfactory; harvest
later part of August or first part of
September; use 2-horse cultivator;
plant in rows % inches apart; use a
regular bean puller, and pull thorough
ly, load with fork and do not put in
barn wet, they rot easily; tLresh with
regular wheat machine. H. n. Aims
worth spoke from the buyers stand
point. He knew of complaints and had
heard the statement that buyers are
robbers. But this was because farmers
did not know amount of labor neces-
sary to put the beans in shape to market
and get the best price; shipping costs 6
cents, new bags must be used, the girls
must be paid, the waste is large item |
and there is left or 6 cents for hand. |
ling and profit. Beans must be sorted |
and then only portion will be given |
the first class rating-not over Z per |
cent can be large size, only II per cent
can be discolored, ETC. In bad year it |
is hard to bring out beans to good color |
they must be secured with sawdust and |
-four in machine. He said some farm |
ers were dissatisfied before leaving |
home, but like any other business man
the bean and grain buyer liked to have |
satisfied customers and build up his |
business.
The president, on motion, appointed |
as a committee on nominations Frank |
Clark, of Vernon Charles Cook, of Shia. |
wassee and w. Bingham, of Venice.
"A committee on resolutions, consist. |
ing of Chas. Whelan, of Shiawassee, A.
j. Cook, of Bennington and Mark |