No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 19 



that wonderful plant, that is so rapidly taking root in Pennsylvania, 

 and if the growing of which is preserved it will revolutionize the 

 methods of stock feeding and crop rotation, for if (he fanner and 

 stock feeder will reap the greatest profits from his animals, he must 

 of necessity produce upon his farm the bulk of the feed, as the price 

 of bran and other commercial feeding stuffs have become almost 

 prohibitory; not only so, but certain adulterations are found in maL/ 

 of these feeds lowering their nutritive and feed value content 

 quite materially. For the above and other reasons, we are instruct- 

 ing the farmer to rely more upon his homo products for feed and 

 also to grow a greater variety of the crops rich in protein, thus bring- 

 ing to his business greater protit and at the same time Increasing the 

 productive power of his land through the fertilizing agency of all 

 leguminous plants, 



BARNYARD MANURES. 



The subject of increased production and economical handling of 

 Barn Manures is receiving increased attention at our institutes. 

 We feel safe in stating that through years of persistent instruction 

 at least 50 per cent, of our farmers have adopted the better method 

 of hauling direct to the field or caring for it under a shed until such 

 times as they can more conveniently spread on the field. The im- 

 portance of preventing waste of this valuable product may be more 

 fully realized when we consider the approximate value of the fer- 

 tilizing constituents of the manure produced by the different animals 

 usually kept on our Pennsylvania farms, which is as follows: — 

 The horse per year |27.00. We have over 000,000 farm horses in the 

 State, the fertilizing value of manure from this animal alone will 

 amount to |16,200,000 annually. Milch cows, manure valued at 

 |20.(t0 per head, with over 1,000,000 head v/ould give a value equal to 

 120,000,000. Our sheep number more than 1,000,000, value of manure 

 annually per head |2.00, total for year |2,000,000. Swine we have 

 about 1^000,000 head, value of nianuie per heal |8.00, total per year 

 18,000,000. Thus we may nole that from only four different kinds of 

 farm animals there is produced annually manure having fertilizing 

 value equal to |46,200,000. This calculation is based on the value as- 

 signed to phosphoric acid, potash and nitrogen in case same were 

 puri-hased tis cdinnKacial fertilizers, and no siccount is taken of tli'" 

 vegetable matter contained in the manure and its value in improving 

 the mechanical and drainage condition of soil, which would doubt- 

 less add more than 30 per cent, to above value. 



HORTICULTURE. 



The institute is striving to give more thorough information each 

 year in the methods of planting, cultivating, pruning and selection 

 of varieties suited to different soils, altitudes and climatic condi- 

 tions, as well as preparing difi'erent fruits for market and liow to 

 successfully combat the many insects and fungus enemies that are 

 working day and night as destroyers of our orchards. Pennsylvania 

 has great possibilities as a fruit growing state, her soil is every- 

 where suited to the successful growth of the apple in one or another 

 variety. The peach can be grown in most portions of the State, this 

 especially is true of the southern i>ortion. Plums, cherries, pears* 



