The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1908-01-31
FARMERS INSTITUTE.
FIRST DAY.

AT the morning session held Friday
January Gath, A. +. Stevenson, presi-
dent of county institute society, made
few Introductory remarks after
which j. u. Davis, of Sheridan, Ind,
gave talk on "RestOring and Main
tanning Soil Fertility" He said pro-
ductive soil must contain elements of
plant food sufficient to support plant
life. Commercial fertilizer is good but
manure well trampled by cattle and
scattered on land by use of spreader is
far more available.
At the afternoon session Rev. II. ..
Lawrason gave the Invocation. Mayor
j. +. Beavis in neat speech welcomed
the farmers and citizens generally to
our city and also described our school,
industries, etc. After music by the Nj.
+. church choir "The Selection and
Care of Seed Corn" was ably handled
by j. Il. Davis who claims to be a seed
corn specialist having spent % years
study on this subject. He advises the
farmers to not buy shelled corn and TO
always buy corn in ear as the quality is
good. Thirty-four per cent of shelled
corn will not germinate as the vitality
is not there. In seed corn the cylin-
drical ear gives best results as it pro-
duces good yield.
After recitation by Jessie McColl
which was heartily applauded, l.. W.
Oviatt, of w. Bay City, spoke on "My
Experience with Sugar Beets." He
said any kind of land will grow sugar
beets, corn land preferred. Put beets
in with common IL hoe grain drill
using fertilizer with seed. Put rows
2S15 inches apart. Weed beets early
anA laa,, rOuro thin laauinn nna haat
every IL to Is inches. Muck land will
grow beets but will not give a good
yield in sugar.
"Civic Improvement" was a talk
given by Mrs. +. j. Creyts. of Lansing,
who spoke of progressive cities having
civic improvement socities. They
strive to keep streets and alleys clean,
grow flower beds in parks, and in
general TO take care of the public
health in every way possible. Cleanli-
ness is taught in the schools and at
home. Some Michigan cities are also
in this list and farmers too are grasp
ing the idea and improving their pro-
perty by taking care of their buildings,
fences, setting out trees, etc. Civic
Improvements should be taken up by
the grange and farmers clubs, discuss
ed, and wonderful results may be ac-
complished.
AT the evening session music was
furnished by the NJ f. church choir
after which Mrs. f. j. Creyts gave
talk on practical Pointers in Poultry
Raising" She said anyone wishing to
start in keeping poultry as an expert
ment should purchase a small flock,
this necessitating but little capital. In
regard to the breed of poultry to get,
and especially if you want good layers,
purchase the Mediterranean breeds in
cluding the Brown and White Leg
horns and the Hamburgs. If given
the proper care and attention these
fowls will average $50 to 200 eggs
year.
After recitation by Hazel Wharton
and song 1llinOis," by Elan Sloat,
each of which met with hearty APP
plause, l.. w. 0viatt gave an address
on "The Education of Our Boys and
Girls" The speaker talked at some
length on this subject weaving in here
and there descriptive pictures of our
boys and girls both in country and city
schools, leading his hearers step by
step up to the time when they become
young men and women and start out
to begin the battle of life in his or her
chosen profession.
After music 10y the Presbyterian
church choir flash light picture of
the audience was taken by photograph
er VIM. +. Poehler and the meeting
dismissed. Miss Donna Mclaughlin
also gave a recitation in her usual
clever manner during the evening ses-
sion and received hearty applause.
SECOND DAY.
The final roundup of the county in
stitutes was held i'm Central Hall Satur-
day, January 25th when about 500 peo-
pie were present. The morning session
opened with talk on profitable Hog
Raising" by j. II. Davis. He said four
things are necessary to raise good hogs.
first, good land; second, good breed of
hog; third, proper care; and, last, feed.
l.. w. Oviatt next gave a talk on
THE Silo and Silage." He says silage
is very valuable as it is good feed for
all domestic animals. Silage should
never be warm and water does not
hurt it, therefore your silo does not
necessarily need roof.
The local quartette consisting of
Miss Rapley, Mrs. Wallace, Messrs.
Schumm and Newell were the first
number on the afternoon program and
gave two well received selections
Next l.. W. Oviatt talked on "The
Feeding and Care of the Dairy Herd"
and by means of chart which he car
ries with him brought to light many
good things. lie says one ton of bran
Is worth more than the same amount
of wheat for feed to dairy COW. Oats
are good feed, but too expensive.
Hon. III. ;. Earle, state highway com
missioner, gave brief talk on Better
Roads for Michigan" He explained