420 BrifKAi! OF Faijmehs' Insthites. 



barbed wire fence. Its use is increasing every year, although we 

 hear of some severe accidents to cattle and horses from it, but it is 

 the best material for all that. The old rails in our county are 

 going, while lumber costs too much to be used for fencing. 



A Farmer. — Barb-wire fencing should be prohibited by law. 



Mr. Cook. — I can count now fully a half dozen horses that were 

 injured last summer by barbed wire; as a rule, it was done by the 

 colt fighting flies when standing near the fence; in striking with 

 his foot it w^as thrust between the wires that were close together, 

 which cut the foot about the fetlock; one of the colts was per- 

 manently injured; I prefer the Page woven wire fence to any I 

 know of. 



Sliould the Grange elect farmers only for its officers? 



Mr. Cook. — I think so, for the reason that the membership is 

 mostly made up of farmers. We have a Grange in our town of 

 200 members, and another of 100 or more, and we have found 

 that we prospered best when we elected farmers to oflSce. If you 

 have a barber, merchant or a man of some other profession in the 

 Grange, keep him out of the master's chair. I know of two or 

 three Granges which have stranded and gone to pieces because 

 they violated certain fixed and esseuial rules. If you have a man 

 in your chair who will not live up to these rules, ask him to get 

 out; if he does not do it, turn him out. i 



How about cow peas as a soil renovator when plowed under? 



Mr. Terry. — Cow peas will, in part, do the work of clover, but 

 I should not advise substituting them for it, especially in this 

 climate, although they will grow on poor land better than will 

 clover. I have seen five times as much growth from them on the 

 same land and they will furnish a great amount of humus; but 

 I prefer clover. 



What class of reading is best for tlie average farmer? 



Mr. Converse. — The Cornell reading course furnishes good 

 literature. I have taken that course. It pays. Any one, what- 

 ever department of farming he may be engaged in, should read 



