Norwich bulletin., 1910-08-19

and Rev. W. f. White. The legislative
committee will interest themselves
with all matters of proposed legisla-
ton affecting the good of the order,
and will work to secure fayora Bile act
ion The members of the educational
committee viii visit schools, report to
the grange from time to time on their
findings, and~as opportunity presents
itself they will do what they can to
promote the educational interests of
the state.
Public Session.
The afternoon session Of the meet
ing, which commenced at 40, was
open to the public, and a large number
of people who were not Patrons of
Husbandry awaited themselves of this
privilege to benefit by what the speak
ers of the day had to say. The first
numbeeon the programme was a piano
solo. The Meadow Brook. by Miss Flor
ence Hoffman, who so pleased her au-
dience that an encore was called for.
Soil Fertility and Crop Production.
w. P. Pollock of New York city was
the first speaker, and gave an interest
ing and instructive talk on the topic,
The Relation of Soil Fertility to Crop
Production. He said that the defini-
ton for soil fertility was not an easy
thing to give. Chemists are able to tell
us what kind of soil certain plants re-
ouire, but not as to the quantity. There
are ten or more elements to be found
|
of these are usually lacking in most
soils. These are nitrogen, phosphorus
acid and potash. The question of soil
fertility, however, is interviewer with
all farm practice, and there are other
considerations, such as moisture, plant
fertility and others that enter in.
Plants at different periods of their
growth require different degrees of
plant food, and there are some plants
that take a good deal of plant food and
dfrfrF oil h. erix-
en- back. though, is of not much i'm
portance. The real question should be
as to how these three plant foods can
be maintained. The speaker then stat
ed that it was becoming necessary to
resort to artificial plant food to produce
this needed fertility and cited q few.
facts concerning its manufacture. The
nitrate of soda industry is chiefly con-
fined to Chill phosphate is manufac-
tured principally in the United States,
and the potash industry is to be found
almost entirely in Germany.
Mr. Pollock enumerated the various
changes that these several industries
We're undergoing at the present time,
and finally concluded by advising the
farmers assembled to mix their soWn
phosphates. He illustrated his talk on
the use of artificial plant foods by
means of an ella borate chart, which he
had brought along for the occasion.
There are a number of objections
raised against this home mixing of
phosphateS, such as the poor equip
ment for such a purpose as the farmer
possesses and his rather meagre
knowledge in respect to the proper pro-
portions to use. But these objections
are more than counterba lanced by the
arguments in favor of such operations.
These are the economy that can thus
be obtained by buying the raw product
at a low cost, the satisfaction of know
ing that one has a high grade article,
and in the last place by knowing the
qualities of his soil, the farmer can
study up its various needs and so Sc
cure what the soil requires
Following the remarks of Mr.. Pollock
there was music by the Preston City
grange male quartette, which is made
Nathan H Hall, Charles C. Zabrislxie
and John Peclzham.
The Last and the Next Assembly.
The Palaver of Our Last Assembly
and Connecticut's Demand of Our Next
Assembly, was the topic of a splendid
address by the Hon. Lucius E. Wilton
of New London The speaker referred
to the high place of usefulness that the
grange occupied and the immense adj
vantages to be obtained by slfch a
gathering as this one, where all meet
interests in common. He said that pub
lie opinion was far more important
than statutes on our law books, and
1t was by just such meetings as these
we have an opportunity to build up To-
cal sentiment. which Is really the all
controlling element. We can all con-
tribute to this feeling. and these gath.
erings contribute greatly to our nation
bys arousing sentiment in favor of a
government for all and not for the few.
The cracker barrel parliament, such as
the meetings at the village store used