Barbour County index., 1909-02-24
Farmers Institute Organized

ty Farmers Institute was successfully
completed Wednesday, Feb. II, under
the direction of Supt j. II. Miller and
Prof. Freeman of the State Agricultural
College, both being present together
with about 60 farmers and business men
of the city and county.
The program was carried out as print
ed with few exceptions
Mr.. j. NJ. Hall presented the subject
OF KaHr Corn, showing that there is
great feeding value in the crop as for
age crop and also as a grain crop as the
selling price is generally above that of
corn and the number Of bushels, if prop
er seed be selected, per acre is greater
than can be grown by corn. Also that
there are great number of acres of land
in this county suitable to the production
OF kafir corn and cane that would not
produce corn successfully.
Some exceptions we're taken to Mr..
Halls position on the question and sew
eral responded to questions asked. The
following were among the ones who took
part in the discussion, Luke Chaplin,
John MacGregor, Judge Garrison and
Supt. j. II. Miller. Mr.. Miller said that
contrary to the popular opinion that cane
and kaffir corn were not hard on the
ground, ie. ,robbing it of the potash ,phos-
phoric acid, ETC., but that on account
of the tendency of these crops to sprout
up from the roots after cutting, they
robbed the ground Of the moisture and
that if the ground could be plowed or
thorougblydisced after cutting the crop
off land, it would stop the second
growth and, also, put the ground in ex-
cellent condition to conserve the mois-
ture and to retain all of the rainfall of
the fall months. It was agreed, how
ever, by majority vote of the Institute
that of an average year on average
soil that corn crop is better paying
crop to raise than kaffir corn or cane.
Mr.. Blackmore read a paper before
the Institute on the subject Of "The
Selection of Fruits Suited to Soil and
Climate of Barber County," which gave
Mr.. Blackmore's long and successful ex-
perience as a horticultureist in this
county. Mr.. Blackmore said that Bar
ber county is one Of the best counties in
the state for the production OF fruits
and the selection of varieties suited to
the soil and climate was Of the utmost
Importance to prospective horticulturist.
An interesting discussion followed.
Mr.. Crumpacker being absent the
subject of the preparation of the soil for
corn was taken up by Mr.. Miller for a
few minutes and the subject dropped
until afternoon session.
Mr.. Miller made a motion that a
Farmers Institute be organized in Bar
Der county and the vote was unanimous
in favor of organization.
A committee consisting of John Camp
bell, j. M. Hall and E. S. Crumpacker
was appointed for the purpose Of draft
constitution and bylaws.
Adjourned till 1:15 p. m.
AFTERNOON sBssION.
The Institute was called to order at
1:15 p. m.
The following officers were elected:
President, j. NJ. Hall; there were six
vice presidents elected as follows: First
vice president, M. T. Williams, Medicine
Lodge; second vice president, Hon. o. P.
T. Ewell, Kiowa; third vice president,
Geo. Eckert, Aetna; fourth vice presi-
dent, @. S. Marty, Sun City; fifth vice
president, F. E. Stone, Sharon; sixth
vice president, N. B. Marshall, Isabel;
j. E. Thomas was elected secretary and
treasurer.
The Constitution provides for a mem
bership fee of 25c and this entities the
members to all crop, live stock and other
bulletins issued by the Agricultural
College. II the names are sent to
Prof. Freeman, which the secretary viii
do for all Of the charter members. This
will also entitle the member to all of the
bulletins from the Experiment Station.
After the business meeting the subject
Of alfalfa in Barber county was open for
discussion. Mr.. N. T. Williams tbeing
unable to attend, sent his paper with
Mr.. J. N. Hall, who read it before the
institure. Mr.. Williams gave a very
able discussion upon the subject, es-
pecially the preparation and selection
of the ground and the time of planting.
He also discussed to some length the
preparation Of up land by means Of
dynamiting. After the reading of the
paper Mr.. Miller asked if anyone in the
house land there were a good many
prominent alfalfa raisers presently, had
made failure to get stand of alfalfa
on up land and the result was not one
had failed, whereas eleven had succeed
ed. This was gratifying, and goes to
show that with proper care alfalfa can