Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1908-07-29
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.


tors. (Ed.)
The second annual conference OF the
District Superintendent Association
of Vermont was held in Burlington
July 1918. Though many side issues
received attention during the week,
the main topic was that of elementary
agriculture for rural schools.
! Soils and soil management were dis
cussed by Prof. J. L. Hills of the UNI
versity Of Vermont.
The deficient plant food elements OF
the soil were indicated and some en-
phasis laid upon the relationship OF the
use of lime to the correction OF faulty
soil conditions, particularly the anne
Iteration of over-retentive clays and
the naturalization of acid soils.
The bacterial life of soil was dwelt up
on and the relationship of micro-organ-
isms to the preparation for plant uses
of mineral and organic plant food, and
to the growth of clover and legumes.
The moisture relations of the soil,
the great call of plant life upon the
capillary water of the soil and the re-
lationship thereto of adequate tillage
were outlined. The present drought
offers an object lesson of the DEMENT'S
of inter-tillage. One can readily note
to-day the difference between we'll
and an ill titled piece of corn in the
character of the foliage, in one case
the broad, fiat, green thrifty leaf, IN
the other withered and dry. Tillage
saves water and increases plant
growth. Some little hint was given
of the philosophy of tillage, and the
killing of weeds relegated to its proper
subordinate place.
The only point made under soil man
agement was as to the fertilization OF
the soil. 1t was pointed out that
while Vermont farmers pay half mil
lion of dollars per year for commercial
fertilizer, they waste ten times that
amount through inadequate care OF
farm manures. The three sacks IN
which fertility is brought to the farm,
the clover sack, the feed sack and the
commercial fertilizer sack were re-
ferred to; the one enriching the surface
soil from the sub-soil and air; the
other increasing the plant food con-
tent of the manure owing to It's
inherent richness; and the third bring
the soil. The advisability Of making
wiser purchases of commercial fertlll-
zers, of buying either crude stock or
high grade goods was emphasized, and
stress laid on the folly of purchasing
low priced, low grade brands contain
ing from 500 to 1000 pounds of extran-
eous dirt. The safeguards thrown
about the trade by the Vermont law
were indicated and ready means shown
whereby one could, with very fair de-
gree of certainty, discriminate be-
tween grades. The simple one, Two
three rule works we'll. A fertilizer
guaranteed to contain one per cent OF
whereabouts of nitrogen may be safely
, considered low grade goods, those con
tanning two per cent medium grade
! and those containing three per cent are
sure to be high grade goods.
Prof. L. R. Jones discussed grasses
: and clovers. He stated that mos
t farmers, in a vague way, include thu
i forage plants of the pasture and mead
y ow under the term grass, an lncorrec
view which has led to popular confu
sion. The true grasses are more wide
= " useful than any other similar groul
of plants. They include the cereal
and the main forage and pastur
plants. They are characterized b.
slender stems with frequent sole
- joints or nodes. The stems are usual,
% hollow but sometimes solid. TIL
:, leaves are slender bladed, clasping tn
It stem like a sheath above the nodes
n They arise one from each joint in tw
"a opposite rows. The flowers are usual
% ly borne on slender branches, formin,
10 open clusters or dense heads.
The hay and pasture grasses in Vel
a ne mont are many in number, but Is onl
deserve special mention; 10 being va
liable for hay or pasture and six bein
. rated as weeds. The principal ha
grasses are timothy, orchard grass
=. meadow fescue, June grass or Kel
in lucky bluegrass. Canadian blue
a. grass, fowl meadow grass, red tol
'st blue-joint, reed canacy grass and tt
ng mamma grasses. The prominent wee
te grasses are quack, poverty grass, fe
ms tail, barnyard and crab grasses.
a
d. The clovers are not grasses. The
= if belong to the pea family: are nitrog,
.,d patherers and we'll recognized and va
10. liable adjuncts to the farm econom
aid improving the animal ration and be
Tor tering the soil in which they gro'
90 r-A1.+;,cr ctotomoutc cOncarninor n