Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-11-21
|NSTRUCT|NG FARMERS
How to Raise Big Crops

the Third Annual Farmers Institute was
held at Clayton last Saturday. The attend
ance at the morning session was not large,
but when she feeding hour rolled round,
there were two sittings at the tables and
one hundred could be accommodated at
each sitting.
The exhibit Of farm products was not large,
but it's quality was first-class. The exhibit
included everything grown in Gloucester
county except stock. The exhibitors were:
Hiram Newkirk, who contributed ten
ears Of corn that weighed Is pounds, and
eight stalks bearing two big ears each.
John Repp estate exhibited fiye varities
Of apples and three of pears.
Nathan Wilson, Of Pleasant Dale Farm,
a mammoth pumpkin, beets, turnips, corn
and eggs.
Mr.. |. B. Pancoast had the most varied
display Of products, which included spinisoh,
onion sets, seed sweet potatoes, peppers,
turnips, popcorn, celery, etc.
| The display by j. F. Blakeborough, the
Clayton Florist, lent light and brilliant
color to the exhibit. 1t comprised beauti-
full chrysanthemums and carnations.
| VIM. Lock showed sweet potatoes grown
from cuttings of vines set out July Is. The
potatoes were Of fair size.
The McWilliams farm, Clayton, pop
corn.
N. J. Skinner, quinces corn, apples and
sweet potatoes.
Mrs. A. Cleyinger, of Clayton, pump
kin that weighed IS pounds
The first lecturer was J. G.. Curtis, a
York State farmer, whose specially is
ounce raising. After telling this and dis
cribing how to put up tempting basket of
ounces, he asserted that farmers are en-
titled to take advantage of art in making
their product look tempting. Coming 50
his theme Practical Methods Of Increas-
| ing Soil Humus, be said the humus prob.
| lem IS Che key 20 the whole soil fertility
problem.
Soils, he said, are crying for humus, and
it is readily obtained by cover crops. Al
most every farmer present., replying to his
question, said they were using cover crops.
Soil is decomposed rock, plus humus, and
humus is organic matter. He cited the
Red River valley, that 80 years ago pro-
duced 80 bushels Of wheat per acre, and
fell to Is; an analysis showed that in that
period the humus in the soil had fell to D
! per cent.
He asserted cover crop of crimson
clover, plowed under in the spring, will
save half the expenditure for manure
He said the only way soils were injured
was by using up the humus and putting
none back keep up humus and soil fer
tility will stay indefinitely.
He urged the farmers TO be sure Of their
seed, because if you use weak seed you
queer the crop.
Prof. R. L. Watts, Western Penna.
cabbage grower, was the next speaker. His
theme was 'sPlant feeding for resultsn He
talked till dinner time, and the result of
his talk was that everybody seemed anx-
ious to get below, where il was known the
tables were spread, hence results Of his talk
were good.
| He said the soil is rack, and you can t
raise fat crops unless you keep the rack
full. 1t is also store house, and must
contain the substance the crop requires, if
good results are to follow. Farmers must
study their soil, find out what it needs, then
supply it.
| Market gardners cannot get along with
out manure. Green cover crops are good,
but are too slow in action for the trucker.
| He told his experience with wornout
field. For two seasons he turned under all
the green crops-rye, oats and peas. The
third year be put in cabbage, and bis crop
paid $282 per acre. The cost OF farming
and turning under the green crops for two
years was $37 per acre.
| He advocated farmers mixing their own
fertilizer, then they could put in just what
| thescrop needed. He asked how many in
the audience mixed their own fertilizes, and
not one responded. He said the farmer
ought to be able to mix the fertilizer better
than the fertilizer man. He said farmers
cannot afford to allow the fertilizer man to
mix up the dose for his crop. DR.. voor-
hees advises against il, and New Jersey
farmers can afford to follow his adyise.
| The afternoon session was opened by
singing The Farmer Feeds Them Alp by
she Aura Grange choir, then Mrs. Allen, Of
oswego County, New York, talked on the
Feeding and Care Of Poultry"
Mrs. Allen advised having the hen house
as near the home as is sanitary; in d
sheltered spot but not low the house
must be tight; drauQhts must not be AL