The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-01-24
In His Address to the Farmers
Institute He Said the State
Legislature Should Provide
Such Institutions.
OTHER SPEAKERS TOLD
OF GOOD FARMING.
R. L. Thompson of Lagrange,
Urged People Not to Spec
iaIize Unless Farms Were
Adapted to Specialization.

Cambridge City, Ind, Jan. 24.-The
second day of the farmers institute OPP
ened Thursday morning with a large
crowd of farmers in attendance. de-
spite the bad weather. The session
was first addressed by Mr.. r. L..
Thompson, Of Lagrange county, on the
subject Shall ] be a Mixed Farmer
or a Specialist In the course of his
remarks Mr.. Thompson said that both
of these branches Of farming could be
carried on profitably. but that the mix
ed farmer would attain success in an
easier way than the specialist, for the
simple reason that he has more re
sources. Specializing on any one of
the products of the farm can best be
conducted on a farm that is especially
adapted to the raising of the chosen
product and not on a farm suited only
for general purposes.
Soil building" was then discussed
by A. o. Lockridge of Greencastle.
The work of the building up OF the
soil plays a principal part in the farm
arrangement and it is a subject to be
deeply studied by every farmer who
desires the best results and most pro
fits on his land. Good soil is desired
by every farm owner and this result
can only be obtained by an unceasing
effort in the art OF soil building. In
fertile soil there must be four process
SEES at work all the while namely, fer
mentation, decay, mold and bacteria
and every farmer should be untiring
in his efforts to restore these process
ses, in the soil that they now deem
worthless as far as producing good
crops is concerned. This can be &C
complished in a short time. by break
ing the ground a little deeper each
year and then giving it the proper
drainage for in so doing the excessive
moisture is taken away from the sur
face of the ground leaving it in a soft
fertile condition that the roots Of the
different plants may be able to pene-
trate 1t seeking the nourishment they
require.
Chas. w. Jordan. county superinten-
dent Of schools addressed the audience
very intelligently, his topic being
''Why Study Agriculture" saying that
agriculture ranks among the foremost
VI thN otAtANSo anu ohouiu w uocpt
ed for close and careful study in al
schools. Mr.. Jordan suggested tina,
the state legislature enact a bill
whereby the trustees of the different
counties in the state be given the pow
er to select and buy a tract of lane
upon which to erect a commodious
school building barn and sheds fol
stock, all these to be placed in charge
of a teacher who is an expert in the
art of agriculture and thus corduc
county experimental station, where
in the young farmers of the count,
would be able to take up and follow
the study OF agriculture in a scientific
manner.
A larger crowd gathered for the al
ternoon and closing session of the in
stitute the hall being filled to its cap
acity. y musical program ARRANGED
by Prof. Reese, consisting of choru
songs by a number of school children
Il piano solo by Miss Gayncll Hage
man and vocal solo by Miss Susi
Freeman, added pleasure to the after
noon proceedings. a whistling sol
BY Mrs. Wagner was also a very er
ioyable feature.
Business methods in farming, wa
discussed by A. Q. Lockridge, pointin