Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1914-10-03

The "Sand Farmer" was glad to see
SO many Of his friends at the Greater
Michigan Fair, and while he did rot
have the opportunity of shaking
hands with all, the many who did in
troduce themselves made him feel as
though he has many friends, and IN
future stories he will try to explain
more at length some of the problems
of the "Sand Farm" He was glad
70 see so many interested in raising
sheep, and will be glad to cooperate
in making the sheep industry more
profitable by carding the woo! into
bats for bed comfortables, spinning
II into yarn for home knitting, or
knitting up the yarn into stockings,
mit1ens. leggings and socks at the
knitting mills, for those who want
the best of all-wool goods, and who
are helping to develop the Michigan
lands by keeping sheep.
If those having sheep for sale, and
those wishing to buy, will let the
"Sand Farmer" know the stock they
have on hand, or the kind of stock
they wish to purchase, he will Re glad
TO try to bring these two classes Of
farmers together, without charge, if
for a reply.
Many have asked that the lecture
which the "Sand Farmer" gave at
the fair might appear in print, and
although he never said the same
things twice alike, and many of the
lectures were made more interesting
by questions asked the following is
condensed report for the benefit of
30 nd
the lectures will give them some idea
of the "pine barren exhibit.
The first department represented
the 100000 acres of waste land in
the state of Michigan, and tie lcrge
map at the end of the hall showed
that the states of New Hampshire,
Mass achusetts, Rhode Island. Connec-
ticut and Maryland could be placed
on these lands lying north of Grand
Rapids, and not cover the entire ter
rItory. These states have pobula-
tion of nearly 100000 people, and
could these lands be placed under cul-
tivation, where they produced but
SO per acre, they would add Sl70,-
100000 to Michigan's wealth each
year, or more than all the assets of
the banks of Michigan. The vastness
of this work can hardly be com.bre-
hended, and it is a mans job, who
ever that man may be, who will at
tempt to bring these waste lands UNI
der cultivation, to feed the millions
who Will soon be dependent upon
them for food.
The first section had the large pine
stumps which are blasted with dyna-
mite at the Haight Farm, and then
pulled out with a traction engine. but
instead cf being piled and burned, as
is the case in many parts of the state,
-hey are saved and cut up into kindl-
urg wood, to be sold to the city
friends, who like to watch them burn
.p their CRATE fires, and the Sand
Farmer tried to impress upon his
hearers that they had better keep
their stump piles than 10 burn them
and N few years buy wood
Ehere were also the oak gruns.
which were explained by the second
exhibit. showing the three methods
that have been employed to get rid OF
them the first by cutting them of 3
incncs above the ground and pulling
them with q windlasS, or friction
engine; the second, by cutting them
of close TO the ground and depending
upon them to dic--which they viii
not do, but will produce 20 sprouts
where there was but one the year be-
fore Both Of these methods were
placarded as the wrong way. while
the right way was shown by the
stUmps being cut close to the ground
and the bark peeled off a little way
underground, so that there were no
eyes to start new sprouts. One stroke
of the axe partially split the heart
and made a place for the water 10
settle, and the fungi to gather, which
help to decay the stump.
The ground was then plowed as
best IL could be, as illustrated in the
third exhibit, where the roots of the
brakes, huckleberries and willows
with the wild opening grass, showed
"A tough sod which must be overcome
and oecayed before this land can be
tilled.
Here the "Sand Farmer" explained
the three great causes for the Mich.
gan Hpine barrens": First, the fires
which have run over them and burned
cut all Of the humus which had beer
deposited on these lands for centuries
leaving little but sand and acid or
the surface. He also explained how
this acid had been deposited by the
pine needles, which had dropped or
the soil for many years, and he said
that he could take the pine needles
from the pine trees near by, and by
sleeping them in boiling water he
could produce a decoction which when
poured upon the roots of a living
plant would kill it. He also called
attention to the fact that nothing
would grow in a pine forest, although
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