The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1911-11-29
MODERN METHODS
IN FARM WORK
Valuable Service Of PennsyIVa-
nia'sAgrIGuIturaI Department.
MODEL ORCHARD MOVEMENT
Prosecution For Manufacturers OF
Bogus Fertilizers - Instruction al
Movable School and Institute.

Movable School and Institute.
Pennsylvania has taken the front
rank of states which have adopted
scientific methods for the advance
ment of agriculture and horticulture
The work of the Keystone States De
partment of Agriculture has been OF
incalculable value to the farming in,
terests. Since the creation of the de
partment the legislature has appro
priated more than $2,000O00 for that
branch of the state government. Each
year its work has been extended and
the appropriation to maintain 1t in
creased. Owing to its success its
methods are being adopted by agricul
tural and horticultural bodies through.
out the country.
A phase of the departments work
that has attracted widespread atten.
tion is presented by what is known
as the Model Orchard Movement"
The movement had its origin three
years ago in the selection of thirty
orchards which we're taken under the
departments charge This number
has grown to such an extent that now
more than 1900 orchards are on the
model list. The owners of these
orchards depend upon the department
for direction and assistance in their
efforts to grow fine fruit, under the
terms of a signed contract, executed
when application was made for the
service. More than 191S'public orchard
demonstrations, embracing work in
spraying trees and other horticultural
operations, have been conducted since
Jan. last, and about 1900 model
orchard inspections made. The attend.
ance at the demonstrations was many
thousands of fruit growers.
Kidding Orchards Of Deadly Pests.
In the inspection of orchards the
inspector determines the kinds OF in
sects injuriously infesting the trees
on each of the premises inspected, as
well as the degree of infestation. A
report is made of conditions for the
department and a duplicate left for
the use of the owner and tenant. OF
the orchard inspections, 1854 have
been made in thirty counties during
this year. Inspections of nurseries to
the number of 219 have also been
made and $50 boxes of foreign impor.
tations of nursery and greenhouse
stock inspected
Original investigations have been
carried on in the effects of certain in.
secticides on oyster-shell scale, le-
canium scale and the grapevine flea
beetle, in which 300 trees and vines
have been sprayed. Special investiga.
tions have been conducted as to the
distribution, habits and life history OF
the Hessian fly and the appearance in
Pennsylvania of the seventeen year
Cicada.
The Bureau of Farmers Institutes
may be regarded as the right arm OF
the State Agricultural Department
Through this bureau the college is
brought to the farmer and results OF
experiments carried on in all the
states for the advancement of agri.
culture are brought to his attention
by scientific men, while instruction in
methods is given by practical tillers
of the soil who have proved their
ability to instruct by the success they
have achieved in the employment OF
the methods they advocate.
Institute Work In Every County.
Since the beginning of the year POI
regular farmers institutes have been
held, all the counties of the state be.
ing included in this work. These insti
tutes we're under the direction of local
managers appointed by the Deputy
Secretary of Agriculture, who is ex.
ofiicio Director of Institutes and who
attended many of the meetings. In.
struction was given by experts in the
science of agriculture, as well as men
known to be thoroughly practical far.
mers who are successful in the con.
duct of their affairs.
In addition to the regular institute
work there were held since Jan. l
fifteen movable schools of agriculture.
These schools continue in session
about one week at a given point and
then go to another point. Before a
school is located at any point there
must be an enrolment of a sufficient
number of persons who pledge them.
selves to attend regularly the sessions
to insure such an attendance as will
justify locating the school at that
point. At these schools instruction is
given in specific branches Of agricul
ture according to the selection made
by the persons who enroll themselves
as students. The attendance at the
Institutes since Jan. l was 162,S09
and at the movable schools l6,19s
The Bureau Of Farmers Institutes
also furnished speakers for thlrty-two
special summer meetings conducted
in the interest of agriculture, at which
1886 persons we're present, and
speakers for many agricultural fairs
and expert judges of certain commodi.
ties when requests for such judges
were made.
Regulating Manufacture Of Fertilizers.
The enforcement of the provisions
of the law regulating the manufacture
and sale of commercial fertilizers has
been Of inestimable value to the farm.
ers Of Pennsylvania The amount ex