136 STATE BOARD OF AGEICULTUEE. 



myself "with telling only what my limited experience and observation has 

 learned me. We farmers know tliat there are varions other means necessary 

 to produce an increase of fertility of our lands, besides the application of fer- 

 tilizers, such as full and complete drainage, either by underdraius or surface 

 drainage, and a freer use of the plow, cultivator and harrows in mixing and 

 mellowing the soil, and leaving it in proper order for the reception of the seed ; 

 and next in order is to get good seed, and to sow it a proper depth, for it is as 

 great a mistake to cover it too deeply as too shallow ; and I would add that in 

 the use of those fertilizers, which we have found most convenient to obtain and 

 to use m our locality, the barnyard manure is most important, and its applica- 

 tion is never a mistake. Make the heap as big as possible and put it on the 

 poorest lands, and give a top dressing as often as you can afford it of such 

 green crops as clover, oats or buckwheat, and be as liberal in the use of plaster, 

 ashes and salt as your judgment may dictate to you ; and whatever you find 

 will promote a greater growth of crop, use it. I will tell you one of my first 

 lessons in farming which has always held good, and is as true now as when I 

 learned it. I was hesitating in the use of plaster, having been advised that it 

 impoverished the soil, and I referred it to an old farmer friend of mine, who 

 answered : " If you grow nothing you have nothing to put on your land, and 

 your land Anil get poor, but if you can grow something, and you put that some- 

 thing on your land, it will get rich." And I have found it true in every 

 instance, and I make it a standing rule to use any means in my power to get the 

 biggest crops, and the biggest mannure heap, and return it to my poorest fields 

 as fast as I can, and I am then contented to leave the result to a good provi- 

 dence, who has promised a reward for diligence and industiy. 



WEDNESDAY EVENING. 



The closing session of the Institute was devoted to an address by T. C. Abbot, 

 President of the Agricultural College, subject, "Industrial Education," and 

 the reading, by Mr. C. F. Garfield, of Prof. J. AV. Beal's lecture on "Grasses 

 and Forage Plants." Both of these lectures are given following this record of 

 the Institutes. 



The exercises during both evenings were interspersed with music. The attend- 

 ance was large — extra seats were placed in the aisles and every available corner 

 of the house. At all the sessions many of the farmers took a lively interest 

 in the discussions, and at its close all who had been in attendance expressed 

 themselves as highly pleased with the Institute and its results. 



DECATUR. 



The Institute held at Decatur, Van Buren County, commenced on the eve- 

 ning of January loth, and continued its sessions during the following day and 

 evening. The attendance Avas large. The town hall in which the sessions were 

 held was crowded, and in the evening many were unable to obtain seats. Among 

 the audience were many of the representative farmers both of Cass and Van 

 Buren counties. 



