FAEMEES' INSTITUTES. 201 



idea of the institution, but of its location. I felt at that time that we should 

 choose some more favorable location, further south. With the thought that the 

 college could never be made a success in its present location, I did not do much 

 in the way of legislation to help the institution ; but in later years I changed 

 my mind. The college has become a necessity ; and although it is not as well 

 located as it might have been for the best possible results, still, things have gone 

 so far that I would not raise the question of changing the location, and I think 

 it never will be raised in the State of Michigan. The institution has more than 

 met my most sanguine exjiectations, and I can safely say that the farmers may 

 justly feel proud of tlie State Agricultural College. 



Now, do the farmers of Michigan need such an institution ? I answer, yes ; 

 for if there is a class of men in the world who need an education it is the far- 

 mers. If there is a man Avho should hold up his head and feel himself a man, . 

 it is he who tills the soil for a living. One object of the Agricultural College is 

 to add dignity to labor, and it has done it. 



The means for the support of our educational institutions are furnished by 

 the tax-payers of the State, and we hold the graduates from them somewhat 

 responsible to us. Not that we expect that they will pay back in dollars and 

 cents the outlay which is made for them, but that they will return the fruits of 

 the culture wliich they receive. Now the agricultural college is doing these 

 things. We pay the appropriation as farmers and mechanics, and it is right we 

 should have an institution which makes this great central idea of agriculture 

 the leading one. It is our institution, and it is well for us to look after it. 



EVENING SESSION. 



The closing session of this Institute was opened by Dr. R. C. Kedzie, who 

 read a paper on "Lightning Rods." 



Mr. Seigler of Adrian made the following remarks upon the use of 



LEACHED ASHES FOR AVHEAT CROPS. 



My father commenced farming in eastern Ohio about 55 years ago, and con- 

 sequently we had a great deal of timber to dispose of. We had cleared twelve 

 acres of very heavy timber, and had about six hundred bushels of ashes which 

 we tried to sell, and could only get about four cents a bushel. We then con- 

 cluded to work them into salts, by leaching them and boiling down the lye. 

 This was in the spring of the year. We threw the leached ashes into a pile, 

 where they remained until fall. We had a piece of wheat of about four acres, 

 and after it had got nicely up and rooted we distributed the leached ashes over 

 about three and one-half acres. There was a marked difference in the looks of 

 the wheat until harvest time, and the i^avt which we ashed yielded tliirty-three 

 bushels per acre. I think the ashes increased the yield about one-third. That 

 is about all I have to say in regard to the use of a.-hes on wheat. The ground 

 had been cleared eight or ten years previous to the application of the ashes. 

 The soil was heavy clay. 



Prof. Cook. — Mr. Mickley has referred to the light soil about the college 

 buildings. In trying to get this land well seeded Prof. Real has used allies with 

 marked effect. All the grasses have been greatly benefited by sowing ashes 

 upon them, especially the white clover. 



Prof, Kedzie. — There is no doubt that the condition of light soils can bo 



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