A Farmers' Beading:
Editor* India-* Farmer:
I wish, at this time, to set forth brietly
some of the advantages whieh, it seems to
me, might result from the organisation of
a Reading Circle.
It would lead to the adoption of a systematic course of reading for the farmers.
This would help them to become thoroughly Informed in certain lines of farm literature instead of attempting to grasp all
there ia of agricultural science at once.
The farmera would all be studying the
same subject at the same time. An interchange of ideas would take place. Each
one would see the subject from a dill-rent
standpoint. All the various phrases of
each subject would be brought to notice,
and nothing worthy of being treasured up
would be lost. Each person would be
able to add something to the general fund
of knowledge. And the sum total of the
information to be gained ln this way Is by
no means to be despised.
lly means of a systematic course of reading many farmers might be led to system-
atizo their work. They might be wade to
realize how much belter results can be attained by thorough, systematic study and
work than by slipshod and spasmodic
ellorta. Many of them would at least endeavor to Improve ln some manner,
whether it might be in the general management of their farms, the keeping of
their stock, or In othor way*. lty talking
over thoir business with those whose interests are identical with their own, they
will naturally come to love their work better and to take a deeper Interest ln everything which pertains to their own welfare. These friendly discussions may
have a tendency to awaken in the minds
of the young and ambitious to imitate the
exampleof the most advanced, the most intelligent and the most refined men and
women with whom they are brought ln
contact. They may be lod to realize that
culture and respectability may be found
on the farm; that it requires as much intelligence to understand the perplexing
questions which are involved in agriculture, and to be successful in its pursuit, as
it does to succeed in auy other calling;
that the farmer ls a more important factor
in the prosperity of the country than
those who labor in any of the learned professions, or in mercantile pursuits.
At present very few farmers' sons attend the Agricultural _lleg_ and of
those who do, not all return to the farm.
And those who have already begun their
life work rind themselves barred from the
privilege of attending these institutions.
So we do not have as many eduacted
farmers as we should have. Nor will
the. be a very large per cent of college
men on farms for many years to come.
And, for these reasons, among others, we
must look to some other source for our
educated farmers.
About eight years ago, tha, late Itev. Or.
R. T. Brown delivered before the State
Hoard of Agriculture an able address on
"Home agricultural education." In a masterly way he showed how, by economizing
time, the farmer could obtain a good education in his special line of work. Rut
studying at home and alone is considered
by many, as dull and monotonous, and
they prefer to spend their time in some
other way. The reading circle would supply such persons with an incentive to effort In this direction, and the questions
that would be asked, and the discussions
that would take place at the meetings,
would have a tendency to arouse the interest of many who wonld not be reached
in any other way.'
In fact I think there is everything to
gain by the organization of the reading circle. While I can see nothing against it,
except that it will be likely to encounter
opposition in certain quarters and that
there will be obstacles to overcome which'
may discourage those who are wanting in
resolution. Rnt all new departures have
shared the same fate. Resides, usually,
the more beneficial the enterprise that is
undertaken, the greater the effort that is
required to make it successful.
I believe the time is ripe for an effort of
this kind. More than this, I believe that
it is one of the necessities of the hour.
II. S. Bartholomew.
Middlebury.
»   _   .	
Loss ln Keeping Manure.
In order to make some observations
bearing directly on the changes which
take place 'n the amount of fertilizing elements between fresh manure and well
rotted old manure, this trial was made.
From the top of a pile of fresh manure
from the cow stable ono-half cord was
taken, weighed, sampled for analysis, and
piled into a close conical heap January -1,
18_. This was the mixed excrement from
cows as thrown out of tho --table twice
daily, and cut corn stover which was being fed freely and the waste used for betiding and to absorb tho urine.
At the same time a half cord of an old
compost, of which muck was tho leading
ingredient, was treated ln the same way,
i. <-., was weighed, sampled, and piled in
the same manner close by the pile from
the stable.
Both piles were rewelghod April 18, and
returned to tho _me places, and an carefully piled as before. This was equal to a
complete forking over, tho piles having
been handled twice with a forking iu the
operation
On January 21, 1 *_), both piles were
weighed, measured, and again sampled for
analysis.   The results were:
Manure. Compost
l.h. I.li.
January 4,1 wo    .1,2.1 2.   ii
April !_.]_    -..'•ll -J.l.ni
January 27, IK.    1.14s 1..I0
Per cent of lost weight In 1 y'r   i_H' '_«U
Per .cm o( lost built In I year   5n.uo 28.is
The weights, when drawn out January
4, were for half cord fresh manure, 3J29S
pounds; and for one-lmlf cord compost,
2,370 pounds. By April 13 these piles had
decreased in weight to 2,370 pounds and
2,1.10 pounds rospecti' .ly.
On January 21, ISi'O, the manure had
shrunk from one-half to one-fourth cord,
and weighed only 1,148 pounds; the com
post had diminished two sevenths of Its
bulk to flvo fourteenths of a cord, and
weighed 1,810 pounds. To compare these
losses of weight and bulk in one year:
Manure.      Compost.
Per ct. Per ct.
Loss of weight In one ye    6.*>.19 21.61
Lossof bulk In one year    60.1. __.<*
Below ia given the com position as found
on analyses of the above named samples,
the first analyses being by Mr. Ladd and
the later ones by Mr. Whalen:
Manure Compost
Fr.sb.        lyearoM.    Jan 4.   Jan. 21.
Jau.4,18_   Jan. 21, IM). 1_      ISO.
Per centof
water       SI.- 75.118 81.19.    61.42
Analysis of the dry matter of . ach sample.
Total  <lry
matter....     513.17 _.65 _.(_   098.3
Nitrogen,
per ct	
I.-si
I'.itashi K. >.)   4.0.
Phosphoric
acid (P. O.i      0.13
2.0.
2.8S
2.1.1      I.C1
     trace
2.-1 0.-10
Calculating the total amounts of these
fertilizing elements in the manure and
compost at the times noted above gives the
following:
Mi.
I2.-II
trace
Lb.        I.b. Lb.
Nitrogen    IW.lsi 5,_ !«.««
Potash    20.WI K_ 	
Phosphor l'X<*%Jg'i   (l.flT 0.80         2.<  _
The*-' '*_,«'**»'"Jyjy, a_loss from the
weai    .ip< .j particular, except the
ph .d,  of  which  a somewhat
lap .. u. rtd*,-Qliteined from the later
an is, but the apparent gain is so small
that it could easily have occurred within
duplicate determinations on so small an
amount.
In calculating  the actual  money loss,
Prof. Koberts' estimate on the value of the
fertilizing elements has been adopted.
_U__STABLE HAM'KB.
Nitrogen      numb, at (U.17, (I.T1
Pot*-.!-    2 VIM lb. at       1,       lOS
Phosphoric acid       0.67 lb. at       7,       .017
Value of one-half cord -. ,*^*5
SAME AFTER   WEATHEIIINU ONE   VEAIl AND
SEVENTEEN DAYS.
Nitrogen 5._ lb. at tv.lt. fl.il.
Potash  .._ lb. at        4,       .521
Phosphoric acid 0.80  lb. at       7,      ._
Value of above reduced by weathering to one-
fourth cord -    {I.S-a
Lost on one-half cord, $1.21, or per ton, ^1.7.1.
Percent of loss, 4fi.fi.
This lost portion was, of course, the easiest soluble, and hence most availablo and
valuable part of the manure.
As no ash determinations were made on
tbe compost at the lirst analysis, the full
value cannot be calculated.
Nitrogen In compiist.    l_.tr.KI at j.1.17, f. .*_
Nitrogen In corn-tost after weathering one year 12,-ilat       17,  _.l'-l
Lost from close pile by one year and 17 days
weathering fo..'*?
Per rem nt lw- from a rallier stable fertilizer. 21.IV
It will be remembered that the season of
IKS', ln this locality was exceptionally
cloudy and wet. Great losses of nitrogen
from manures are generally associated
with drying and burning out. Hence we
must consider these results to be under,
rather than over, what may be expected
In avorage years. Hence thts condition
helps this experiment to show more plainly tbat stable manuro should not be piled
up un cared for any length of timo.—Bulletin N. Y. Ag. Station, (ieneva.
CQucvij IXXXtX £*XX&XX)tXS.
Give your name and address when asking que*
tions. Many queries go unanswered for failure to
obeerve thts rule.
Correspondent* whodesfrsan Immediate reply lo
their queries should enclose a stamp for the purpose
I'd llko to ask John M. Stahl, or some
other contributor a fow questions. We
have just moved to a new placo, and have
quite a largo vineyard; it has boon sadly
neglected; the grass is sodded closely
around tho roots, tho vines havo been
trimmed until there is a stalk about three
feet high with a bunchy, branchy top.
Now we are cutting away the grass, what
kind of manure or mulch would be best to
apply T and would it be a good plan to set
slakes, say seven feet high and stretch
wires along the line and train the new
canes upon themT Will wait anxiously
for a reply, some one tell us soon please.
Mittie Lowrie.
While waiting for Mr. Stahl we'll give
our advice. Turn the sod, top side down
for three or four feet around the vinos.
It will make good fertilizing nlaterial.
Leave two or three canes only, and train
to stakes not less than eight feet high.
Run two or three wires along two feet
apart. Cutting and training tbe vines
may just as well be put off till February
or March.
THE WOOL MAEKET.
According to the last circular of Justice,
Bateman &. Co..the tone of the wool market
is firm, with an upward tendency to prices.
Some qualities have already advanced ODe
cent per pound above the quotations of
our circular of the 3d inst. The demand is
almost wholly from manufacturers who
are purchasing wool to cover contracts for
goods sold in advance of production.
Many of the buyers now purchasing so
freely were without wool previous to the
passage of the Tariff Bill, the depressed
condition of business at tbat time making
lt probable that some would be obliged to
close their mills. This ls now all changed.
Many manufacturers who were seeking
buyers for their idle machinery are now
busy with orders for goods, and instead of
wanting no wool^are competing in the
market for such grades as they require.
Although the importations during the
twelve weeks preceding the passage of the
Tariff Bill were enormous, the total quan
tity imported j>ince the flrst of the year up
to this time is but slightly in excess in
value of the imports for the same period
of 1889. The figures are as follows: Raw
wool imported from January 1, 1890, to
September 1, 1800, was entered at a valuation of $10,414,1'-l,as against .4,001,084 from
January 1,1889, to September 1,1889, making the quantity of raw wool imported
from January 1 to September 1, 1890, over
$3,500,000 less than the valuo of the importations for the same period during the
preceding year.
The imports, however, of manufactures
of wool show less favorably. The woolen
goods Imported in 1890, from January 1st
to September 1st, were entered at a valuation of $40,583,0-15, as against $3!),_1,7_ for
the same period of tbepreviousyear, making the imports of woolens sinco January
to September 1st about ono and one-third
millions dollars greater than the preceding year.
HOW A5D WHAT TO FEED STOCK IH
WIHTEE.
This was me ofthe subjects discussed at
the October meeting ofthe Marion county
A. and II. Society.
These things are important, good shelter, good food and good and plenty of
wator. (ilvo good care, keep warm, curry
and rub often and freely. Mr. Johnson
wanted to omphaslze tho Importance of
keeping stock warrn and comfortable.
Stock will do better thus kept warm, than
w. th double the amount of feed when allowed to remain in the cold and storms,
tjuite a difference of opinion aroso in regard to the question of feeding cows. The
prevailing opinion was that cows in milk
ought not to be fed too much, that overfeeding deteriorates the quantity and quality.
Reduced Rates.
Kditors Indiana Farmer:
Reduced rates ou the "certificate plan,"
from all points in Indiana at which
through tickets can be purchased, have
boen granted by tho Central Traffic Association to the Farmers' Institutes to be
held at Evansville, Petersburg, Jasper and
Marengo; and by the "Monon Route" to
the Institutes lo be held at Salem and
Mitchell. Persons pay full fare going,
and take certificate of same of agent selling the ticket. This certificate when countersigned by the secretary of the Institute
will entitle the holder to a return ticket at
one thinl fare.
The O. and M. Railway will sell on account of Farmers' Institute round trip
tickets at one and one-third fare from
New Albany, Deputy and intermediate
point! to Charlestown; from Medora
Shoals and Intermediate points to Mitchell; from Medora, North Yenon and intermediate points to Brownstown. The
abovo list includes -all the November Institutes that will be iield at railroad points.
The reduced rates have been very cheerfully granted by the Central Traffic Association and independent railway lines interested. It is therefore at least highly-
probable that like favors will be granted,
by the ralilroad companies, to the other
Institutes which are to be held during the
coming fall and winter. W. C. Latta.
Supt. Farmers' Institutes.
Lafayette, Oct. 20th.
A l.lOO Kernel Ear of Corn.
Editors Indiana Farmer:
In counting tho grains on 10 ears of corn
we had picked for seed we found them to
contain 11,050 large grains, making an average of 1,105 grains to tbo ear. If any of
your readers can beat that we would like
to hear from them. We have been a reader
of the Farmer for almost two years, and
think it a splendid paper for the farmer to
read. O. M. Edrinutok.
Boone Co.