The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1912-02-02
FARMERS MANIFEST
MUCH INTEREST.
INSTRUCTIVE INSTITUTE TALKS In
COURT HOUSE BY EXPERTS.
LARGEST attendance ever Fruit and
Corn exhibited.

The tWO-day Farmers lnErlIuLe Op-
ened i'm the Courthouse last Monday
with a good attendance OF Carroll
county farmers and fruit growers,
thus emphasizing the growing desire
of these men for further enlighten-
ment along scientific lines.
On Dairying.
MFR. Charles 8. Phelps, a practical
dairyman and cattle expert OF Con-
necticut, gave an Instructive address
Oh Building up Herd" giving data
to show that by "a careful selection
OF cows the herd pan be built and
kept ND. I'm one OF his talks during
the institute Mr.. Phelps said that
Maryland farmers had not paid the
subject OF dairying the close attention
it should have. Farmers are prone
ito hang on to the Old live stock bred
by their fathers. Times have changed
and dairymen must specialize. Mr..
Phelps considered the Holstein, Ayre-
shire, Jersey and Guernsey breeds
best for dairying. He also spoke
about Poultry and the Construction
of a Hen-house-"
About Apple Culture.
Mr. T.. u. Cohill, who has 70O-acre
apple orchard near Hancock, spoke
both Monday and Tuesday on apple
Culture" He il a school commission
er Of Washington county, and for
several years kept la large herd -of
Angora goats to clear up the noun
tain land for his orchard; at present
he has about 60 goats. Mr.. Cohi1l ex-
hibited a number of fine varieties OF
apples grown by him. There was
also on exhibit in the corridor 15 va
rieties of apples grown by Mr.. John
Myers, of Bachman's Valley,
Grasses and Alfalfa
The third address on Monday was
delivered by DR.. Richard s. Hill, Of
the Maryland Agricultural College,
director of Farmers Institutes, and
was about Grasses, Hay Crops, and
Alfalfa. He certainly convinced the
farmers that he knew what he was
talking about He said alfalfa should
be a growing crop on every farm. 1t
adds fertility to the soil, is the best
feed and few crops give a. remuner-
ative return for the work expended.
The main reason why more IL not
grown is because it is not easy to get
a good stand; certain precautions
must be carefully followed, the field
must be drained; III must BE- fertile;
lime is much needed. The soil
should be ploughed deep early in the
spring and a crop of cowpeas sowed.
These should be cut in August and
the ground disked up thoroughly. 20
quarts OF seed to the acre IL sufi-
cient.. The crop should not be cut or
pastured the first year.
Soil Fertility, Corn and Wheat.
Mr.. W. Oscar Collier, grower OF
seeds in Talbot county, was not pres
ent on Monday but spoke on Tuesday
on "Good Seed, Soil Fertility, Corn
and Wheat" He explained that the
most essential thing in raising crop
of corn is proper seed selection. Be
fore corn is planted it should be test
ed and proven that the terminating
qualities are good. The test ID a.
follows:
Place about two inches OF sawdust
or sand in box and cover this over
with cloth on which small squares
are marked off and numbered. On
these squares are placed six grains
of corn taken from different places
around the middle of the ear and the
ear numbered to correspond to the
square. After this has been done an
other cloth is placed over the whole
box and all thoroughly wetted and
placed in a warm room. In several
days the sprouts will be visible and
the bad easily distinguished from the
good MIR. Christopher Schnable, OF
exhibited specimens, Of corn
which took the first prize at the re
cent corn show in Baltimore.
Peach Growing.
MIR. Sanford H Fulton, a large
peach grower of West Virginia, spoke
both days on Peach Growing" He
showed the necessity Of careful Sc
lection of varieties, location and
planting to get the desired results.
The farmers were urged to take more
in fruit growing.
Ali the meetings were well attend
ed by representative farmers from
all over the county and by many of
our Westminster citizens,-and on
the Courthouse was crowd
ed. DR.. Hill said that for the Insti
tute next year a larger hall should b.
provided. More interest was mani
Tested than ever before