266 FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



LeeConklm: The crop reports cost more than they are worth. They get 

 into the hands of but few farmers and are useful to organized monopoly. 



Pres. Willits: Has Mr. Howe any better plau for taking the reporis? 



Hon. A. N. Howe: No. 



Pres. Willits : Has there ever been an overestimate in the aggregate? 



Hon. A. N. Howe : Yes, in this town. 



Pres. Willits : Perhaps; but not in the State as a whole. In general, crops 

 •exceed the estimates. We need some basis on which to form our judgment 

 of the price our crops should bring. The oil producer is anxious to know the 

 -aggregate output of all the oil wells and it is important for the farmer to 

 have similar data for his business. Our present law is an effort to secure 

 this. Local organizations can help in making it more efficacious. 



Hon. A. N Howe: The monthly report from the Secretary of State's ofiBce 

 is all right. It is the annual spring report from the supervisors to which I 

 object. 



3rd. Do some plants poison the soil? 



Prof. Bailey : No, plants do not excrete, as was once supposed. 



4th. Is fall plowing good for sandy soils? 



S. A. Strong: I never received any benefit from fall plowing. 



Mr. Wetmore: It used to be thought that fall plowing destroyed cut worms 

 ty freezing, but that is not so. 



Mr. W. J. Gr. Dean: You can get rid,of cut worms by pasturing for a year 

 before plowing for corn. 



Mr. Wetmore: Birds are our best friends in fighting cut worms. I value 

 blackbirds very highly for this purpose. I spread corn on the ground to 

 attract them and they take the cut worms in preference to the corn. 



Mr. Beadle: If you do not plant yoirr corn in the hollow made by the 

 marker, but a little to one side of it, the cut worms will follow the mark and 

 miss the corn. 



Mr. Maynard: I plow very late to avoid cut worms. They will work in 

 fresh sod in preference to corn. I don't believe in pasturing. 



THREE OAKS INSTITUTE. 



PROGKAM. 



Thursday, February 10— Evening Session, 7. P. M. 

 Music. 

 Prayer. 



Address of Welcome, Hon. Henry Chamberlain. 

 "Industrial Education," Pres. Edwin Willits. 



Friday, February 11— Morning Session, 9:30 A, M. 

 Music. 



"What Shall we do to Make Farm Life More Attractive," Thos. Mars. 

 "Construction of Highways," A. L. Drew. 

 " Injurious Insects," Prof. A. J. Cook. 

 Question Box. 



