Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-03-11
ATTENDANCE INCREASES
Growing Interest in Meetings Of
Farmers Week at University.
Lectures Yesterday on Alfalfa Grow
ing. the Gutlook for Farming and
Inspection rud Purchase Of
CONNIE rcin1 Fertilizers.

Wednesdays work in farmers week
had to do with cooperate and with rural
school betterment. The registration has
steadily Increased and now totals IS. II
seems fair to expect that II will exceed
a hundred before tho close OF the week.
THE PHILOSOPHY OF TiLLAGE
The commercial fertilizer does one
thing-it furnishes available food for
plant needs 1t does that one thing very
well-lf It is a good fertilizer; but It Is
only one thing. Tllage does manifold
things: things chemical, physical, bio
logical: increasing soil fertility, modify
lne soil texture. augmenting soil life.
| conserving soil moisture, discouraeing
weed growth. That tillage In some de-
gree does what the commercial fertilizer
does. has long been recognized. That
| FREEING the soil meant increased surface
exposure of soil particles and their moro
ready solution: and that these meant
greater plant food availability and in
creased croppage have been appreciated
for years. But that tiagc. because Of
It's manysdedness, is a more potent fac
toi in crop growth than is fertilizer, is
hot we'll appreciated.
Iillage:
/. Promotes surface evenness Of the
field that crops may grow evenly and
vigorously
. Decpens the soil, increasing the
living room. the feeding surfaces. the
moisture storage abilities and the avail
! ahlc plant food contents.
3. Increases the humus by thorough
and deep mixing of organic matter
through the soil: thus forming bacterial
| growth and greater plant food solution.
/ t. Bettcrs it's filth so that bacteria may
roam freely and that roots may spread
widely and readily, thus reaching moro
food and drink
E. Controls the amount, regulates tho
movements and determines the avail
ability of soil water.
E. Ditto as to available plant food
thus prompting rapid, vigorous. normal
growth.
:. Aerates or ventila,cs tho soil and
tends to make tho soil a healthy living
place for plant roots.
G. Reduces Wastage through weed dc
struction and prevention and through the
control OF wind and water erosion.
J. l.. HILLS.
Dean Dept. Of Agriculture.
Is adapted from Kings tilage and
Eaiiey's Cyclopsdia Of Am. Ayr vol. !.
y. 80.
jAIFAIFA GROWING IN VERMONT
The value Of II as a crop and its
successful growth In Grand Isle war
rants trials in other sections. 1T re-
uuires n deep, we'll drained soil. rich
in lime. potash. and rhosphoriC acid.
A Il 20 ,,-
oro are absolutely necessary. The
, formation of an Ice sheet over an al
falfa field means almost certain fail
ure Like clover II secures nitrogen
from the air through tic agency of
nodule bacteria. The young plants
cannot compete against weeds. Pests
|, like witch grass. kale. and plantain
must be thoroughly subdued. The
seed bed should he fine on top hut
thoroughly settled. The young tap
root of alfalfa strikes down immedi l.
, ately ana is seriously injured II it on
counters a layer of dry soil at the
bottom of the old furrow. Grand Isle
growers SOW I'm spring using thirty
pounds of seed with a half stand of
! grain as nurse crop, Some recon-
mend tillage until midsummer follow
Where alfalfa has not been previous ;
grown. soil innoculation is helpful. \
little soil from an old alfalfa field
scattered ana narrowed IA before il
has time to dry, will insure root nod
, ules and plenty Of nitrogen. No trea
l ment is found necessary tho first sea
= son. The second year cut two or three
times, Harvest when in early bloom
| no nj Z n I
per cent At FUN bloom 1t drops Il
= IA per cent. Alfalfa Is cured like
r red clover, Prevent the loss of leaves
tein as 100 lbs. Of stems. It's enemie
= are weeds. dodder. and rust. Weeds
must be kept out at the start. IL dod
! der occurs watch it carefully. l'nes
it winter kills soak IL with oil an'
. burn. In case Of serious rusting har
:, vest at once The new growth is us
. ually free from this trouble.
II. A. Edison. bacteriologist, Yer
. mont EXPO riment Station.
s THE OUTLOOK FOR VERNON
+ FARMING.
Organization. communication and edr
e cation are its three great needs organ
IatlOn or DOM ihiiHS anu ihi iii'iS' CON
i munication by road, telephone rural d,
! livery and parcel post; education whic
= will serve to dignity it.
y The great difference in the business ol
senizations of to-day a. compared wit
~ these Of 80 years ago extends to ever
u industry; to agriculture with the other.
y but not as universally. The sound eco
X rcmic reasoning and foresight used h
r manufacturers should be applied to farl
~ organization. Crop specialization; Gro
y rdaptation: the Teforcstation OF area
!" formerly cultivated; economical produt
VI lions: closer utilization of waste pr,
u ducts: wiser purchases of raw matera
CITRATE system of studying profit and 10,
on methods of lowering cost OF produ,
ton. OF marketing In general. All sue
!, ADVANTAGES would cventuate if co-opcr'
~ tive effort were employed. Tie author
statement of generation ago tn;
l. "there Is no conference of the farmer
~ as a body. no trade guilds, no M,ndr
:. together to work out n common trump
y. o. to ferret out a common abuse"
=" still all true. Yet in many cases co-opc
alton has worked to advantage, Tho =;
- cIflc coast fruit growers, the AroostoC
80 notato growers, the South Hero app
~ sr,weys the Maine Cow Testing ass
VI CLIFTON. the Long Island truck grower
~ DIED.