The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-12-13

ed few minutes everybody knew 1t
was ':he." Mr.. Earle Is not bashful
| in any way, and believes in the old
story of 'tootin' your own horn" He
told everything good about the new
state road tax law, laying it down
| in a beautiful way for the farmer to
look at, and showing where they have
| the long odds on the city people in
this law.
And, while "tootin," Mr.. Earle did
not forget to let a toot out of the
automobile whistle. He does not own
one, and is so busy making roads
that he never will, but he did have
an awful experience with a hired
horse that was frightened by an
auto. The driver of that auto was
such hog of the road and made such
monkey of himself that Mr.. Earle
admitted he would have used a re-
volver if he had possessed one. How
ever, ne begged the farmers not to
condemn all Automobiles because
there are few fools among them.
He also intimated the auto is a fad
and will go tho way of the bicycle
But, more than that, he wants to tax
autos for the use of the roads.
With all of his oratorical powers
Mr. Earle begged the farmers to
stand by the state highway and TOWN.
ship commissioners at least for a year
and give the new law a test. He is
sure it is a God send, and will prove a
blessing, and he asks the support Of
all from the fact that he has labored
almost day and night for twelve years
to have it passed. More than this,
he wants to see mile of gravel road
built in every township in this coun-
ty next year, and he says when the
state land rollers are seen here and
the roads completed, the people will
admit how very significant their grav-
ell roads Of the past are.
In spite of his footing" the audi
ence was in sympathy with Mr.. Earle,
and it is believed the new law re-
ferred to is all right and will prove
just as he says, winner.
The Friday afternoon session of
the Shiawassee Farmers Institute was
of Prof. Smith. One of the first ques-
lions was rap atNthe constitutional
convention members for drawing the
pay they do and not holding longer or
more frequent sessions.
The matter o. weight of sugar
beets as handed out by the factories,
called for a little discussion, but in
all no light was thrown on the sub
ject. Prof. Smith argued strongly
in favor of the flat rate. 1t was
agreed that beet growing is hard on
the soil, and Prof. Smith told the
farmers to put back on their land a
fertilizer made by the feeding of beet
pulp, or something similar that
would solve the problem.
In response 10 the subject, Com
mercial and Other Fertilizers and
How to Use Them" Prof. Jeffery
made few points, principal of which
was in saying commercial fertilizer
must be recognized as having a vir-
tue However, he gave great credit
to barn yard manure as a fertilizer,
placing it first for all round use, and
then he insisted clover is invaluable.
He told of scientific experiments
where chopped clover in the soil
gave better results than anything else
with manure second. In getting a
good catch of clover, top dressing
of manure gives the best results.
Prof. Smith came back on this sub
ject to lead the discussion in main
tanning great qualities for CONNER
cial fetilizer. He says it must be
recognized. To all potatoe and beet
growers he insists it is a necessity
In this he did not have much sup
port in the audience, and as a matter
of fact, excepting Prof. Jeffrey, who
did not make himself very positive
on the subject, Mr.. Smith seemed to
be the commercial fertilizer cham
pion, alone in his glory.
Washington Bingham caused APP
plause when he said he did not be-
lieve there is farm in Michigan that
needs commercial fertilizer G. T.
Cook, told of prominent farmers in
the Maple River district who got as
good results from beets where they
failed to use the commercial stuff as
IN places where they did.
Balanced Rations and Their Val
ne? This is the question that Prof. |
Smith spent about an hour on, and
then stopped without getting to the
real point at issue. He gave good
talk so far as it went, on the dairy |
business, from the standpoint of it's
being profitable and very desirable.
He insisted on farmers having COWS
lots of them, If possible, and making
a business on the dairy end. He also
told them to keep good cows, to test |
them regularly end If they failed to
be money makers to get rid Of them |
and build up herd in which all are
profitable. But, to get to the balanc- |
ed ration part OF his subject, he dwelt
on the fact that oats at |
55c- per bushel are too costly as a |
feed; for the formers to sell them and |
but cotton seed meal He told them |
to go in together and buy by the car
load.
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