The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1920-03-25
DIR. TWitchelI's Lectures Before the
Grange

Skowhegan Grange members listen
ed to an interesting discourse by DR..
George NJ. Twitchell of Monmouth and
Auburn, recently, in their hall on
evening was arranged by II. A. Dins
more and supper was served at the
close of the meeting. DR.. Twitchell's
address was entitled "A Simple Story"
and was illustrated by lantern slides.
He said in part:
In the swing of the penduleum of
industrial activities. certain to be met
IN the near future, men, thrust out
OF employment will naturally turn to
the land for support and it becomes
our dhty to make straight the path
Where failures may be minimzed. Is
II possible for man to go out upon
a lew acres and by fair business
farming, support his family and in
sure balance on the right side? To
prove this. |, twelve years ago opened
operations on a long neglected field
of less than ten acres. rocky. full of
lodges and boulders. with light rocky
soil and heavy subsoil On this field
were eighty old apple trees in the
last stages of decay.
Four essentials underlie success
everywhere Given these. a man will
succeed First of all there must be
vision of the objective desired With
this must go patience to wait its real
ization. then willingness 10 work for
its fulfillment and lastly determine
ton to win. Without these life is
but little more than drudgery. and real
success hinges upon the growing Wis
ion. for out of this comes that enthus-
iasm which will endure.
The first step towards profitable
agriculture is a knowledge of the soil
to be worked, to be CLEANED only thru
experience. To know to what a field
| is adapted and what it is hungry for
are prime requisites lying very close
to the solution of the whole problem.
My field was hungry for work, starv-
| ing for food, but not until I applied
lime and acid phosphate did l get gen
erous returns. Conscious of restrict
ed man power and the certainty that
crop production must this year be
from 25 to 40 per cent reduced, the
necessity for conserving every step
becomes absolutely necessary. Seed
must be more critically selected
Crops attempted must be congenial
fertilizer used must be of such COM
bination as to feed to maturity and
insure most vitality. land must be
thoroughly prepared and frequently
cultivated and complete protection
from insect pests and disease spores
must be guaranteed. No man can
grow weeds and profitable crops on
the same land at the same time.
Today the pressure for protection OF
plants. fruit and crops, is felt on
every hand. Reliance on arsenic in
spraying is injecting some serious
conditions. For eighteen years NO
arsenic has been used by me, in any
form. upon any plant or small fruit
and for twelve years my reliance has
been on dust instead of spray.
A large measure of credit for results
shown on small fruits, garden and
field crops must be credited to the
saving and stimulating influence Of q
purely non-arsenical agent known as
Bug Death The slides tell the story
of health, vigor and productiveness
following its use Extended expert
ments to find combined insecticide
and fungicide led finally to the add
ton of lime, sulphur and tobacco dust
to Bug Death, until happy combin-
alton was made the use of which has
given remarkable results wherever
applied. The formula is Bug Death
80 lbs, sulphur 20 lbs, lime 20 lbs.
and tobacco dust 10 lbs. Experience
proved that for best effect these
agents should be reground and care
fully mixed, as the finer the powder
the more beneficial its use. especially
in protecting from fungus diseases. TIC
insure right preparation l gave the
formula to the manufacturers of Bug
Death under conditions protecting al
consumers and il goes on the market
as bug Death Apnlies.' DR.. Twitch-
ellis mixture"
Every man" ea'd DR.. Twitchell
SHOULD be an experimenter seeking to
increase production. improve quality
and change tyre All this hinges on
seed and plant selection, careful
/ breeding, feeding, and absolute pro
lection With corn it is the build
ing up of a strain from a single ear
with potatces it spells unit breeding
The foundation in single potato;
with beans careful selection of stalks
carrying largest number of well-filled
pods No man can afford to pur-
chase seed when higher potency is
insured through house selected.
Perhaps in small fruits the field IS
widest for care in selection. Straw
'orries offer-special attractions. Va
rieties vary greatly. Tests are de-
manded to insure greatest vigor or
productiveness. Experimenting with
many varieties this lesson of SELECTION
presses heavily. Always select plants
from those carrying the largest num-
Der of fruit heads
No field is complete without its
plum. pear, ounce and apple trees
the varieties being those adapted tC
location, elevation. soil and natural
conditions Increased croDs of plumS