The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1915-02-12
INSTITUTE
VERY SUCCESSFUL
TOTAL ATTENDANCE FOR TWO
DAYS REACHED l275
Lectures by the Experts Were Valuable
and Helpful; Discussions by Farm-
ers Showed Great Knowledge

bihS SNOiy oehSi puohS SNShI hSiu III
Clio within the past year the Farmers
Institute which was concluded last Sat-
urday afternoon was thoroughly sue
cessful and went to further build up
the reputation of the town as pro-
gressive, enterprising village. Messrs.
Field and Runnells are entitled to con-
siderable commentator for securing
the county institute and for the activ-
ity they displayed in making the local
arrangements which were very COM
plete and successful The splendid
new auditorium was the subject of
much favorable comment and various
speakers expressed appreciation at be-
ing enabled to meet in so beautiful a
room.
f. M. Moore, of Wixom, director of
the county Institutes, proved to be a
deep student of agricultural problems.
and showed that he as practical farm
er had been very successful in working
out his theories for the advancement of
agriculture in general. He is ready
speaker and gave his auditors food for
thought every minute of the time.
A very interesting subject, "Some
Rural Problems, was taken up by Mr..
Moore, Friday evening. The special
subject discussed by the speaker was
that of the rural church, which like the
city church, only in lesser degree, per-
haps, he said was going into swift and
lamentable decline. The reasons for
this were given as follows: First, the
existence of too many weak sects
which divided the support that should
be centered upon the attainment of one
great purpose-the elevation and Chris
tianizing of society-and belittled the
whole movement in the eyes of the peo-
pie. Second, the failure of the church.
es to keep step with the trend of
events, to enter into the lives and nat
ural tendencies of the people, and thus
led them into those elevations of
thought and character which it is the
special province of the church to ac-
complish. He thought the churches
might in some instances take dancing
under their direction and thus protect
a natural and wholesome diversion
from the dangers that appertain to it
when indulged in under questionable
surroundings. He cited the instance of
certain rural church in Illinois. which
was about to be closed after years of
existence, where young minister en-
tered largely into the social life of the
people, trained the boys in athletics,
countenanced dancing under proper re-
strictions, made the church commun-
ity center in every possible way and
incidentally huge success as church.
While many will undoubtedly disagree
with the speaker, and perhaps with
abundant reason, his talk was very in
teresting and commanded close atten-
ton. He did not, however, explain
why those who do not like the way the
churches are conducted do not start
some after their own ideas and go for
ward to easy success.
Mr.. Moore discussed "Alfalfa and
Other Legumes" in an interesting and
practical manner and demonstrated
that in proper rotation they are
very beneficial in restoring or retain
ing the fertility of the soil. He like
wise advocated the breeding of pure
bred stock, which under a system of
intelligent selection, produced type
vastly superior to mixtures as source
of profit. 'The Care of the Farm Or
chard" was another of the topics COW
cred by Mr.. Moore His treatment of
the subject was too voluminous to be
stated in detail in this article. He, of
course, advised thorough spraying,
proper trimming and tillage. which, he
said, would make the orchard one of
the most profitable assets of the farm.
The subject was discussed by Messrs.
l. r. Acheson, J. F. Riemen and j. J.
Jones, the latter of whom was very
enthusiastic regarding it and said that,
under proper methods, good orchard
should return profit of ten dollars per
tree on an expenditure of one dollar per
tree for labor. One of the most inter-
esting and helpful of Mr.. Moore's talks
related to "The Importance of Seed Sc
lection" He stated his experience in
improving the oat crop on his farm and
showed many specimens that demon
strated the wonderful results attained.
At time when his oat fields were
yielding crop of forty to fifty bushels
to the acre he sent young man into
the fields with instructions to cut a
quantity of the best individual heads
for seed. At that time the largest
heads that could be secured contained
40 to Is berries. These were planted