Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1914-09-17
PEOPLE OF MILLS RIVER ARE
S GIVEN PRACTICAL FARM TALKS
Farmers Institute Well Attended; In.
teresting Talks; Farm Life School
Work; Academy Notes

10y Fio1. N Il. Ponder,@ Principal Mills
River Academy
A very good attendance featured the
Farmers Institute held at the high
school building on Mills River. thera
being nearly one hundred men and
women and many young people pres
ent Interest in this work was not
Just what it ought to have been as 1t
has been such long time since any
institute was held in this part of the
county However, those present took
notice of the work and more interest
VIII be shown the next year in instr
tute work.
Mr.. Garren of Buncombe county was
leader of the work and brought out
several valuable things for the FARM
{ers. Some of his ideas may be re-
Eeated here for the benefit of those
who were not present. He spoke of
the prejudice which has been existing
and is existing now to some extent
against Farmers Institutes. People
claim the directors and men sent out
by the government with book know
ledge will hardly benefit the man on
the farm with his practical knowledge.
He says it takes the man of books and
experience, too, to make the best farm
er, just as in the professions we look
for the doctor who reads and has a
medical diploma; the lawyer who
reads and has books and diploma. or
the educated man for a minister. Mr..
Garren said the farmer was the man
who bears the expense, of the Institutes
by buying fertilizers and as the in
>stftutes are going to be held where
they are wanted, every body should at
tend and profit>by them.
He made a considerable discussion
On soil improvement and crimson Glow
or, stating that we have three ways of
improving soil. One way, he said. is
the use of stable manure, and he new
cd had found a man who has had
enough of this. Another is the use OF
commercial fertilizers of which, there
is vast amount used. In North Car
DINA there is about S15.000,00O invest
cd il fertilizers yearly, making about
SIS for every person. Mr.. Garren says
there are ten dishes of eatables our
plants must have and spoke of three
important ones. The soil near the i'm
mediate section of Mills River acad-
envy analyses to show enough potash
to last near 400 years; but nitrogen
and phOsphoric acid must be supplied
Farmers should not buy fertilizers
they don't need The potash we don't
need comes from Germany; and there
are mo merchant marines to carry it
now. Fortunately, our phosphoric
acid can be obtained from Tennessee
in abundance. This has been recently
quoted at $40 per ton in bags. The
cheap phosphate needs acid to dissolve
it to get bestsFesults. a
The best method of supplying nitro
gen is by growing leguminous plants
that gather this element from the air.
Crimson clover is good for this pur-
pose as it will grow any where and in
winter. Mr.. Garren also showed how
q crop of crimson clover will mean
about 600 per cent on an investment in
growing the crop. He then spoke OF
seed and the reliability of seedmen.
Crimson clover seed is an import OF
about 80 per cent from Germany and
the shortage caused by the European
wars will compel farmers to grow
their own seed. This can be done by
letting the crop ripen, cutting when
the dew is on and gathering when the
dew is on to prevent SCATTERING and
then place on floor and fail out with
a fork or apparatus and SOW in the
chaff Good stands and yields have
been obtained in this way. Mr.. Gar
rem further says that farmers should
not consult the moon or almanacs in
sowing crops, but SOW between show
ers or use best judgment. Inoculating
material may be had from the state at
so cents for enough for one acre
Other manufacturing establishments
charge $500 an acre.
Hog Raising.
DR.. Owen spoke extensively on hog
growing and hog cholera. He has
been in the meat inspection business
for the government for quite while
and knows the meat question. He
suggested two books farmers should
have, the first Diseases of Cows" and
second Diseases of Horses" These
sell for so cents each but can be had i
free of charge through Congressman. !
He said meat conditions have changed