122 Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



sow the medium red. For permanent pasture, some of the 

 fescues and white clover. Orchard grass if kept pastured close, 

 makes a good permanent pasture, while blue grass is excellent for 

 a hillside pasture. In England the fescues are largely used, but 

 they feed the pastures all the time, and I never saw such fine pas- 

 tures anywhere as I saw there. It is a good plan to go over the 

 pasture with a harrow and re-seed it occasionally. 



Question. — Is humus absolutely essential for the good of the 

 soil? ' 



Mr. Goodrich. — Humus is decayed vegetable matter, and 

 must be dissolved, and which, when combined with plant food, 

 builds up the plant. I do not think we can grow any plant un- 

 less we have some humus in the soil. 



Dr. Curryer. — What is soil without humus? Is it anything 

 more than pulverized rock? 



Mr. Rice. — Nothing more. That is it, exactly. All soils are 

 pulverized rock, made productive by the addition of hum us, which, 

 as Mr. Goodrich says, is decayed vegetable matter, or what we term 

 humus. 



Question. — Will it do to sow rape seed in winter wheat when 

 it is thin? 



Mr. Woodward. — No; but it may be sown in the corn at the 

 last cultivation for late feeding, or it may be sown alone at that 

 time. If for early feeding sow it about the time oats are sown. 



Question. — How shall we destroy the wire worm the most 

 easily? 



Mr. Witter. — Turn the land over — plow it — just as late in 

 the fall as can be done. This will expose the worms to the action 

 of the winter frosts. It will also kill the white grubs and cut 

 worms. Salt will not kill wire worms. They have been known to 

 grow and thrive well in a barrel of salt. 



Question. — Do English sparrows eat grubs and other injurious 

 insects that prey upon the farmers' crops? 



Mr. Smith. — I think not. As a rule, they are not guilty of 

 doing anything of such value. 



Question. — Shall we cut corn stalks or feed them whole? 



Mr. Lillie. — By all means, cut them, else nearly all the feed- 

 ing value below the ears will be lost. 



Question. — What crop can a dairyman most profitably grow to 

 produce his own protein? What about the southern cow pea, or 

 soja bean? 



