151' STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



who e-oukl not otherwise afford it. The cutter and power are statiouary and are 

 always ready for work. 



FOR HANDI^ING THE BALANCE OF THE CORN CROP, 



(wbicli I have put up in sixty-four hill shocks, yielding tliis year an average of two 

 and a half bushels to tlie shock) I use the same trucks and platform as for ensilage 

 corn. Upon this is erected a tripod with a horizontal circle on the top to support 

 a swinging crane; the cap of the crane has a pulley wheel mortised in each end, 

 and another wheel at the foot of crane in platform on line with hub of truck wheel. 

 I now take enough slings for each shock in one load, slings made with a ring in one 

 end and a loop in the other end, and long enough to pass around the shock below 

 the center, passing loop end through ring. Hook loop to hook on crane rope, take 

 one tiirn of crane rope around rear hub of truck wheel, hold taut, and drive to 

 next shock. By that time the shock is high enough to swing to any part of load, 

 when by slackening on rope around hub the shock drops to place. Unhook from 

 sling and hook to next shock, leaving sling on loaded shock for unloading. In un- 

 loading we attach hay fork rope to slings on shocks and run to any part of barn 

 desired, removing slings for next load. Two fourteen-year-old boys with a team 

 will do the whole work. 



With a track in the barn' all feed can be run to the cutter with the hay fork or 

 slings, and a spout will conduct the cut feed to any part desired. We have cut our 

 feed for the last thirty :s'ears and find this arrangement satisfactory, as the whole 

 work is done with the ordinary farm help. 



No feed should be sold from the farm, but should be used thereon to create a 

 finished product. This system will keep the farmer on the faiiu. and also his sons 

 and daughters. 



STOAR BEETS. 

 S. R. HOOBLEli, Saganing, at ARENAC COUNTY Institute. Au Ores. 



The following are the field notes of my experience for last season: 



Plat 1—% acres— clay loam— sowed May 8. yield fi28 bushels or 1.5 ton 14 cwt., 

 gross return $73.80, net return .^o7.50, or $46.60 per acre. 



Plat 2—% acres— sandy loam— sowed May 20, yield 200 bushels or 5 tons, gross 

 return $23.50, net $11.25. 



Plat 3—% acres— sand— sowed June 10, yield 107 bushels or 2 ton 13 cwt., gross 

 return $12.45, net $2.45. 



Entire crop— li/4 acre.s— yield 935 bushels or 23 ton 7 cwt., gross return $109.75, 

 net $57.15 for the IV2 acres, or $38.00 per acre. He estimates 20 days work to 

 harvest an acre, 10 days to thin and weed same, and says it will take beets 140 

 days to mature. 



* CHICOIIY. 



JOHN EGAN, Essexville. at BAY COUNTY Institute, Bay City. 



It is an old saying that we must take the bitter with the sweet, hence the sub- 

 jects of sugar beets and chicory naturally go together. The farmers of Bay 

 county and vicinity have reason to congi'atulnte themselves on the fact that both 

 of these industries are firmly established here. The fact that three large chicorj' 

 plants will be in operation in Bay City during the coming year ought to be suffi- 

 cient to Induce farmers to give chicory raising careful consideration. 



The first question that will naturally be asked is. What kind of soil is best 

 adapted to growing chicory V Speaking from my own experience and from facts 

 obtained from others, I answer that clay loam gives the gi-eatest yield; but when 

 the cost of cultivation and harvesting is considered, a black sandy loam or muck 

 will give most profit. The piece of land I sowed last year consisted of three kinds 

 of soil — a heavy clay loam, a black sandy loam, and a light sandy ridge. The clay 

 loam yields at the rate of ten tons per acre, the black sand 9 tons and the light sand 

 8 tons per acre. The soil should be thoroughly pulverized and made as smooth as 



