202 STATE BOAKD OF AGEICULTUKE. 



greatly improved by the use of aslies. In traveling about the country I see 

 large deposits of aslies "which are left to go to utter Avaste. 



Mr. Helms, — I have about five acres of ground on which I have put hundreds 

 of bushels of ashes. I have kept it seeded most of the time, particiilarly the 

 orchard. For three or four years I covered the groiind with ashes an inch deep, 

 and I have mowed three tons of grass to the acre and raised large crops of 

 apples at the same time. 



Dr. Owen, Adrian. — In my small orchard I had tliree trees of the Newtown 

 pippin variety Avliich would never bear until I applied lime, leached ashes, and 

 plaster freely, and then they bore as fine specimens of the Newtown pippin variety 

 as I ever saw in western New York, and about three barrels to each tree. 



J. T. Ludlow. — My father once experimented on a field of wheat with 

 unleached ashes, sown broadcast from a wagon, and increased the yield of wheat 

 from 30 bushels to the acre where it was not ashed to 45 bushels where the 

 ashes were sown. This was in the State of New York ; and from that time my 

 father always sowed ashes on his wheat, and with the best result, using thou- 

 sands of bushels in this way. I have been engaged in an ashery for a number 

 of years in this place, and I have made great exertion to get the farmers to take 

 away the ashes, by telling them of the wonderful results which might be 

 acconij)lished by their use, but they never could get rid of the idea that leached 

 ashes were good for nothing, and I have had to scrape 10,000 wagon loads 

 into the river. One farmer, who had no faith in leached ashes, had a dry, 

 gravelly knoll, on which he could not raise white beans. I finally offered to pay 

 him for his trouble if he received no benefit from their use, and he drew away 

 15 or 20 loads and scattered them on the knoll. The result was, the heaviest 

 wheat he had grew on that poor, barren knoll. I think leached ashes are 

 preferable to unleached ashes. 



C. L. Ingersoll. — I have seen unleached ashes mixed with plaster, half and 

 half, and used with the best results. I would advise every man to save his 

 ashes, and put them back upon his land.- 



Mr. C. L. Ingersoll next gave his lecture on "What stock shall we keep?" 

 (See lectures and discussions as above.) 



Prof. Gr. T. Fairchild was again called upon, who gave his lecture on ''Edu- 

 cation: who need it and who can aiford it." 



At the conclusion of Prof. Fairchild' s address A. D. Hall moved a vote of 

 thanks to the Professors. of the Agricultural College for the part taken and 

 interesting addresses delivered by them during the Institute. Prof. George T. 

 Fairchild, on behalf of the college, returned thanks for the kind attention 

 shown, and the Institute adjourned. 



INSTITUTE AT COLDWATEE. 



The Farmer's Institute at Coldwater was held, commencing on the afternoon 

 of Thursday, January 20, and continued its sessions during the following day 

 and evening, which were well attended by the farmers from the surrounding 

 country. It was ably presided over by Hon. Cyrus O. Luce. Seeley's Hall, in 

 which the meetings Avere held, was decorated for the occasion. A fine variety 



