The Greeley tribune., 1908-01-16

The most successful farmers in
stitute ever held here: in point OF
attendance and general interest In
the discussions, was held in Unity
church last Friday and Saturday.
The subjects covered wide range of
matters of vital interest to the far
mers, that of stock feeding and
breeding of various kinds, being one
of the leading ones. The institute
was conducted under the direction OF
Prof. Fl. M. Cottrell, of the State
Agricultural college.
The sessions opened Friday fore
noon, with an unusually large gath.
ering for the first session The topic
for the morning was potatoes. Dur
ing the past summer Prof. Bennett,
potato expert at the agricultural col
leRe, has been conducting a series Of
experiments on the farms Of E, =,
Bliss. and others In Pleasant Valley
with a view to developing new
strain of potatoes. So far the exper-
iments have not gone far enough to
be sure of the results, but there are
a few varieties that so far show indi-
cations of developing into good rota'
toes. In all eighty varieties have
been tested.
Prof. Bennett also reported that
the potato disease which was so pre-
valent one year ago had hardly been
noticeable the past season. He also
stated that treatment of seed pota-
toes for the disease would probably
be waste of time, as the germ is in
the soil and if conditions are favor
able for It's development, it will
grow anyway About the only rem
edy Is to find the best potatoes for
resisting the disease.
In this connection Prof. Cottrell
mentioned the troubles Of the melon
growers at Rocky Ford. This indus
try has practically peen destroyed
there by a sort of blight OF the plants
that killed the vines. The growers
and agricultural experiment station
have been working on solution OF
the trouble, aud in going over the
wasted fields found one plant only
that stood up green and strong In a
100 acre patch of brown, blighted
vines. From this small beginning
new strain of melon is being devel'
oped that it is believed will mean a
greater melon industry than ever In
the Arkansas Valley. He mentioned
that likely the farmers OF this sec
tion would have to resort to SINH
lar means in finding disease resisting
alfalfa, which in the past few years
has suffered some from blight.
In the potato discussion Charles
Francisco, of Lucerne; James Nc
Cullough and G. L. Fitch also took
part. Mr.. Francisco was given the
subject, us change Of seed potatoes
necessary?'' From his experience 1t
would seem not. He has been grow
ing his own seed potatoes for the
mast eight years. and Is still one OF
the most successful growers In the
district, He uses the Rural New
Yorker, and is obtaining good re-
sults. He selects the seed from the
stock In his potato cellar and uses
his own Judgment as to what consti'
tutes Il good seed potato, picking out
not the largest nor the smallest
He rotates his crop as much as possi
BILE, with alfalfa, potatoes, wheat,
potatoes, wheat and then again al
falfa, making the complete rotation
His soil is a rich loan with clay
subsoil.
James Mccullough, who farms or
a lighter soil northwest Of Greeley
is obtaining the best results from
the use Of small seed potatoes In th'
selection and cutting OF which HI
uses great care. He also has obtained