Evening journal., 1914-12-09
GRANCERS TALK Of
ROAD Building
Say Methods Followed in
New Castle County Are
Satisfactory
CROP DAMAGES
ARE REPORTED
Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL

Special TO THE EVENING JOURNAL.
DOVER, Del. Dec. 9.--Yesterday
afternoons session of the Delaware
State Grange was devoted mainly to
the report of the committee on good
roads and agriculture. both reports
bringing forth lengthy discussions.
In the discussion OF good roads, it
was argued by the representatives,
from New Castle that for the main
roads. the only proper material TO be
used was stone, while clay
and gravel could be easily used on the
by-roads. where the travel is not 50
heavy. II was the concensus of opin-
ion that the methods of road building
In New Castle county could hardly be
improved upon with the material az
hand.
The Kent county representatives
argued that clay and gravel were suf-
ficient for the Kent county roads for
either hard or light travel The New
Castle county delegates seemed not to
understand this argument The Kent
county delegates urged that the good
roads fund under the law for Kent
county be used for the repair of the
roads as well as the building of roads
The report of the committee ON
agriculture was most interesting, and
was discussed at some length. being
concluded with resolutions. presented
by the committee, and adopted by the
grange with the report. The report
follows:
"The season of 1914 opened unfa-
vorable for the farmer. Winter lin
gered long and work started late, al
most a full month later than usual bur
this was not the only unfavorable
condition. Dry weather came early
and lasted through the entire season
with only occasional and insufficient
rains. Hailstorms did great injury to
our fruit crops. War and hard times
have lowered prices on many farm
products. Yet the picture is not all
shadow. Grain crops have been good
with the large war demand Sweet po-
tatoes have probably seldom been bet
ter with good prices from the start.
Dry weather always improves the
quality without seriously imparing the
yield. Strawberries, too, gave very
satisfactory returns, Notwithstanding
the fact that only half crop was har-
vested. This illustrates what might be
done by limiting the production OF
crop. The extremely low prices that
have prevailed in the apple market
would not be necessary, IL by some co.
operative arrangement nothing should
De allowed to go TO market except tho
good number one apples.
There is one Delaware crop that
never fails to bring success. This Is
the egg crop, which was, as has been
so aptly described by the old negro.
'as dey bird that is good to eat before
dey is born, and after dey is dead.
Wet or dry, high or low tariff. war or
no war, our Delaware hens continue
70 grow in numbers and increase bv
leaps and bounds in their output OF
eggs.
The State OF New York has a strin-
gent apple grading law which requires
"a packages TO be clearly marked as
O size and quality of fruit contained
Your committee thinks such a law
should be recommended to the COM
ing Delaware Legislature for consid..
Grafton and passage
The outlook of the hoof and mouth
disease in our State seemed at one
time 10 threaten our great live sotck
industry. From the very earliest his
tory man has depended on his cattle
as the basis of all physical advance
and prosperity. Any serious loss 20
the cattle industry would be felt in
every part of our land. BY prompt
action Of our State Sanitary Boaro.
and especially our Governor. they
have controlled this outbreak. The
thanks Of this grange and of all our
farmers and citizens of the State arr,
due to the Governor and those who
assisted him in furnishing the means
OF stamping out this contaglon.
The farmer is now confronted with
war conditions and prices. and il be-
comes desirable to shape our busi-
ness to meet the unusual situation. II
would seem to be policy to grow more
corn, wheat and potatoes. and stock. as
well as peas and tomatoes for canning
and less fruit and Of better quality.
The succession Of dry seasons
points to experiments in irrigation I'm
our State by one of the improved svA-
TENS now so successfully Installed IN
other States. We hear of strawberry
beds yielding $1,000 per acre under
lnls KIND OF water supply Just over In
New Jersey. We think orr exneri-
menting station at Newark should un-
uer'ahe such an experiment. as also
the railroad experiment station.
The question of an ADEQUATE SUNNY
OF potash TO meet the demands of onr
crops becomes an important one. now
that the main source Of supply has been
cut OIL by the war In this connection
an experiment reported by Professor
HAL OF Rethemstead, England. Is. we
think, important. This experiment GOV.
erng a period of ten years. shows that
plots treated with nitrate of soda pbos.
phoric acid, gave good crops without anv
Application of potash, thus proving The
soda IN the nitrate has the mower To lib.
crate enough potash from the soil to
supply the needs of our crops for ten
years at least. Long before which time
we hope that the war will be settled
without a possibility of its recurrence
"A. w Slaymaker.
"Salie Giles Short.
"A. B. Smith.
IN. =. Armstrong;
The above committee presented the
following resolutions in connection with
the report on agriculture. which. with