Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1912-02-01
SUCCESSFUL INSTITUTE!
Instructive Talks Listened To By Large Crowds.
Fine Exhibit of Poultry and Cereals.

SpectS the best ever held IN lnurmonI.
The inclement weather no doubt kept
some farmers and their families at home
and also reduced the number of exhibits
in the poultry and cereal department,
but at the afternoon session the Hall was
we'll filled with people anxious to hear
and learn more about up-to-date methods
of farming.
The institution was opened by talk
by DR.. Richard S: Hill, director of Farm
er's Institutes, on the institute work in
general. He spoke of the progressive
ness and general activity of the fruit
grower and said the farmers would find
it as profitable if they would show the
same activity in dairying and other
branches of farming. DR.. Hill also spoke
OH grasses, hay crops and the raising of
alfalfa.
Mr.. Edmund P. Cohill, of Hancock, was
introduced by the director, and spoke
about growing apples, and in paft said:
In growing apples the first considera-
ton is to get near market. Ten miles
from market makes serious handicap.
Too near the railroad is not good, as the
smoke Injuries apples. Water should be
convenient for spraying. Plant only
varieties that you know are suited to your
locality. Select a well-known apple.
Have planting trees one year old with
clean roots. They should not be planted
with cereal crops. Trees on being re-
ceived from the nursery should be i'm
medately "healed" in. A cramped root
in planting is not conductive to thrift.
You cannot get good clean fruit out of
filthy orchard. Young trees should have
plenty of nourishment. Corn, potatoes,
etc, may be grown for the first five
years with fertilization, but the profit
ableness of it is doubted. Nothing should
be grown in bearing orchard. Glover
and cowpeas are sown in orchards and
used as fertilizer The varieties of
apples best suited to this section Mr..
Cohill gave as follows: For summer,
Yellow Transparent, Duchess of Olden-
burg, Williams Early Red; for fall,
Summer Rambo, Mcintosh, Weatly; for
winter, Jonathan, Grimes Golden, Wine
sap, Rome Beauty and York Imperial.
He also advised that care be taken of the
old apple trees some of which bear the
most delicious fruit.
Sanford H. Fulton, Sleepy Creek, w.
Va, who is at the head of large peach
orchard company in West Virginia, gave
valuable talks on the planting, growing
and marketing of peaches. He divided
his subject into four parts, dealing with
the selection of site for an orchard, the
selection of trees, planting and market
ing. Last fall, he said, near Cherry Run
they used dynamite in making holes for
1900 young peach trees. The cost was
4 cents hole, compared with | cent a
hole dug with pick and shovel. Blasting
holes with dynamite loosens the subsoil,
which is beneficial. He advised planting
peach trees in the early spring. Trees
planted in the fall run the risk of being
frozen. Cultivating, fertilizing, pruning
and spraying are important factors in
peach growing. Cultivation is absolutely
necessary.
Spraying, he said, is very essential for
San Jose scale and it has only been in the
past few years that its Importance has
been recognized. The use of the Bor-
deaux mixture has not in all cases proved
satisfactory. For fungus diseases self
boiled lime and sulphur will do the work,
and has been great boon. Another in
sect which is doing great damage is the
terrapin scale. The oils are valuable for
this insect. The time to use them is
when the spring has well advanced and
before the buds open. The closer to
blooming time, it is said, the better.
Charles S. Phelps, an expert dairyman,
gave talk on building up dairy herd.
He was formerly connected with Storr' S
Experiment Station in Connecticut and
owns one of the largest and finest herds
of Guernsey cattle in New England. His
experience has been practical and
scientific.
He thought Maryland farmers had not
paid the subject of dairying the close at
tention it should have. Farmers should
give as much attention to their business
as the manufacturer gives to his. The
dairyman should see to it that waste is
reduced to minimum and that he should
realize the highest profit for his manu-
featured products. Farmers are prone
to hang on to the old live stock bred by
their fathers. Times have changed and
dairymen must specialize. The adapta-
bility of the animal must be considered.
Mr.. Phelps considered the Holstein, Ayr
shire, Jersey and Guernsey breeds the
best for dairying. The first two are
noted as heavy mixers. Jersey and
Guernseys are not such heavy mixers
but their milk is very rich in butter fat.
He also told the farmers that they were
spending too much money for various
kinds of feed, and that if they would
grow alfalfa they would have better
ration for their cattle than that for which
they are paying big prices.
At the evening session Mr.. Phelps gave
an interesting talk on poultry. He COM
mended highly the exhibit of poultry ir
the Hall and advised against purchasing
breeders from Chicken fanciers," at
they generally breed for Feathers