Middletown transcript., 1914-02-21
FARMERS INSTITUTE
Many Topics Discussed by Able
Speakers and AgricuIturists
IMPROVING RURAL SCHOOLS

AN4A AAO AN0 AOAAEA4 S$AAN(AS -
The Farmer s Institute at Middletowr
on Wednesday had special features be-
cause this is central point and many
of the farmers who attended at Town
send and Odessa we've present at Mid
dletown, the attendance being large al
every session. The meeting was opened
by Prof. Wesley Webb of Dover, who
discussed soil fertility. This subject
has been discussed at every Institute,
and farmers realize that the produciiv-
ity Of the land is basic matter under
lying all successful and profitable agri-
culture Prof. Harry Hayward dis
cussed this subject at Middletown deal
ing with tillage, the making, saving,
and using farm manures, the use of
cover crops, especially the legumes like
crimso IN clover, vetch, soy beans and
COW peas. Prof. Hayward also discus
sed the value of tile draining and stated
that he hopes the Experiment Station
Station will be able to purchase ditch
digging machine, a sort of special
dredge that Digs at one-half the cost of
hand labor better bitches than can be
dug by hand. This machine will be
used to demonstrate the value of drain
age in different parts of the state.
Prof. T. F. Manns gave in detail the
work that has been done to determine
the value of farm manure and different
forms of phosphate. By a proper mix
ture of phosphate rock, either dissolved
by sulphuric acid or undissolved, with
farm manure, this manure is worth
more than $4 a ton, at least it gives
crops valued at more than $4 and the
soil is also permanently improved. The
only way to use the undissolved rock is
to mix this rock with manure or use it
on heavy clover sod.
The subject of plant diseases, espe-
cially of white potatoes was discussed.
Potato diseases are controlled by pro-
per spraying and rotation of crops.
Prof. Hayward gave talk on pork
its breeding, growth and sale. He
thinks hogs next to chickens are the
most profitable of all farm animals. If
it costs six cents per pound to raise
pork which will sell for ten cents or
possibly twelve cents, it seems to be
decidedly to the farmers advantage
to raise and sell hogs.
The afternoon session was opened
with discussion on white potato grow
ing, Mr.. E. A. Rodgers of Maine, lead
ing off by giving his experience in the
Pine Tree State. He plows his land
deep nine or ten inches, harrows 1t
down we'll and plants in June. The
seed potatoes are soaked in formalda-
hyde, cut and planted Immediately.
He advised planting the Irish Cobbler
variety. This variety turns dark when
exposed to the sun, other varieties do
not turn dark, so by applying this test,
we can have true Irish Cobbler potatoes.
He would use sod ground and apply a
4-8-1O fertilizer, using about half ton
at planting time and another half ton
per acre after the plants come up.
Miss Edna Grassland of St. Georges
gave delightful piano solo.
DIR. A. D. Cromwell of West Chester
Pa, man of wide experience, gave
an instructive talk on Improving the
Rural Schools. There are fine secrets
for improving the schools; ~ More
Money; ~ Better Organization; (3)
An Increased course of study; (0 Bet
ter Supervision; (5) Rural Life Leader
ship. He urged that agriculture be
taught in the schools and said that all
the books used seem to be made for
the town children rather than country
children. Prof. Cromwell talked fer
a quarter of an hour to the school
children and when he spoke to the boys
urged them to let alone tobacco stating
that there are generally seventeen per.
cent more girls. than boys who graduate
from high school He was surprised
when informed that in the June grad
uating class in the Middletown schools,
there are seven boys and three girls.
DR.. Charles A Wagner gave a talk
on the cost of maintaining the public
schools of the state and the relative
good received by the children from the
money expended
The total expenditure for New Castle
County schools, (ouiside of Whining
toni, is $286, ,278; Expenditure where
the children receive direct benefit S179,-
1863. DR.. Wagner urged the teachers
to have faith in the children, and the
parents to believe that the best in the
children can be brought out only by
sending them to school regularly.
The evening program was:- Breeds
and breeding poultry, DIR. Fred H.
Stoneburn; Farm Drainage, lantern
slides, j. R. Haswell, U. S. Drainage
engineer; Agricultural education, Prof.
Hayward; Our Public Schools, Prof.
Wagner; Growing and breeding corn,
lantern slides, DR.. Cromwell.