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Garden V VOL. LVI. INDIANAPOLIS, IND., NOVEMBER 16, 1901. NO. 46 Men Wbo Have Helped the Farmer. Editor* Indiana Farmer: William Saunders. (Horn Dec. 7, 1822; died Sept. 11, 1900.) "Th» art ot agriculture is the parent and precursor of all arts, and its products the foundation of all wealth. The productions of the earth are subject to the influence of natural laws, invariable and indisputable; the amount produced will, consequently, be in proportion to the intelligence of the producer, and success will depend upon his knowledge of these laws and the proper application of their principals." These words were put into the preamble of the constitution of the Xational Grange of tbe Patrons of Husbandry by William Saunders, the first master of that great fanners' organization. They expressed the philosophy of his life. In 1802 Mr. Saunders was appointed superintendent of the experimental gardens and grounds of the Department of Agriculture at Washington. In 1866 he prepared an article for Commissioner Newton's annual report, in which he declared that "there are certain fundamental principles, unchangeable in their nature, governing the growth of plants": and in* 1898 he began his last contribution to the Yearbook of the department with this brief statement of the same opinion: "Natural laws are constant and unvaried in their operation." Mr. Saunders was born at St. Andrews, Scotland, and came of an old family of gardeners. He received a good general education, took a special course in horticulture at Edinburgh, and was engaged for several years in gardening before getting married and coming to the United States in 1848. His first work in* the country of his adoption was done at New Haven, Connecticut. He immediately began writing for the agricultural and horticultural journals. In 1854 he established himself in the business of landscape gardening and horticulture at Germantown, Pennsylvania. The fame of the young Scotchman grew apace. He was employed to lay out ornamental grounds in different cities and States. In 1859 he designed the Rose Hill Cemetery in Chicago and the Oak Ridge Cemetery at Springfield, Illinois, and was consulted in regard to the plans for the ornamentation of Central Park, New York. He had previously designed Fairinount Park in* Philadelphia. In 1863 he planned the beautiful National Cemetery at Gettysburg: and on November 16th of that year had the satisfaction of explaining his drawings to President Lincoln ami having them approved by that great man. In his excellent sketch of Mr. Saunders, published in the Yearbook for 1900 of the Department of Agriculture, Mr. eGo. Wm. Hill says: "Mr. Saunders' connection with this splendid memorial was the result of a convention of governors of States at Altoona, Pa., where it was decided that this important work should be intrusted to him. It is a singular fact that, in spite of his being thus selected and of the immense amount of work which he performed in this connection, no provision was made at any time for any remuneration, even for his traveling expenses. From first to last the work was to him merely a labor of love." Mr. Saunders served for many years as one of the park commissioners of the City of Washington. The terracing of the western front of the Capitol was mainly bis work. All this represents what may be called the beauty side of the work of Mr. Saunders. But he did vastly more than to de sign beautiful parks, cemeteries, and ornamental public and private grounds. He introduced many valuable plants into this country, the most valuable of them being the famous Washington Navel orange, which he imported from Brazil. Indeed, he may be said to have been the first systematic importer of foreign plants with a view of their general use. In outlining the objects and aims of the experimental gardens and grounds in 1802, he recommended as of first importance "To procure and encourage the transmission of seeds, cuttings, bulbs, and plants from all sources, both foreign and domestic, for the purpose of testing their merits and adaptations in general, or for particular localities in this country." Next in order he proposed "To procure, by hybridizing and special culture, products of superior character to any now existing." No one needs to be an expert in agriculture to see that this was the plan of a man of sound wisdom and unusual foresight. For 38 years Mr. Saunders continued to develop the plans outlined in 1862. When Mr. O. H. Kelley and his associates were planning the organization which became the Grange, Mr. Sannders was consulted. They were enthusiasts, full of a great idea; and his practical wisdom and large experience were of great value in perfecting the organization. In the sketch already mentioned, Mr. Hill says: "Widely as Mr. Saunders is known among horticulturists, landscape gardeners, nurserymen, etc., it is probably as one of the founders of the Grange that his name is most familiar to the farmers of the United States. As long ago as 1855, in a contribution to the American Farmer of Baltimore, Mr. Saunders outlined such an organization as the Grange afterwards became. It was not, however, until 1867 that the first grange was finally organized at Washington. For six years Mr. Saunders served as master of the National Grange, afterwards serving for a number of years on the executive committee. In the first difficult decade of the existence of the Grange, no one of the Seven Founders was more faithful or more useful than William Saunders, and no one had greater influence in. giving it stability and respectability. In later years he withdrew as much as possible from the responsibilities of the organization; but as long as he lived he was frequently consulted by those in positions of authority. He never lost interest in the Grange, and its members never lost faith in him. All over the land are Grange halls and farm houses whose walls are adorned with his portrait. He was a man willing to spend himself for the good of agriculture, and his services will not be forgotten as long as the Grange exists. The Grange was never stronger than it is today, with nearly half a million members. The 34th annual session of the National Grange, which began November 13th, attracted thousands of members of the organization to the city of Lewiston. Maine. This simple sketch of the life and work of the strong, modest man who gave so much of his best effort to the Grange may induce some who have doubted the usefulness of the organization to think better of the great association whose mission to improve agriculture and "to- develop a better and higher manhood and womanhood" on the farms. Denver, Col. D. W. Working. Large and Small Stalked Corn. Editors Indiana Farmer: Selecting in the field before ripe, a medium-sized stalk with a large ear, has a tendency to breed down the size of the stalk, and to correspondingly increase proportionally the size of its ear. Thereby establishing a grain producing, instead of a fodder corn. Other kinds of field and garden crops will admit of the same principle. The seven-top turnip developing an enormous foliage at the expense of the size of its tuber, is a striking example of this. This case being strikingly contrasted in the purple top strap leaved turnip (both varieties are now growing on my farm), developing enormous tubers of fine table quality, much out of proportion to the quantity of its foliage. As another example: Great bodily weight and great mental endowments are seldom found combined in the same person. Certain particular soils and climates have a tendency to produce a too large growth of fodder and stalk, in proportion to yield of grain. A variety of corn given to great stalk and forage production, is delegated by economical mother nature, to conserve its energy by means of lessened grain production. The production of a stalk or corn is a soil exhausting process, demanding much of the plant's natural vigor. And a variety of corn which produces a very large stalk, invariably does so at the expense of its grain production; the plant's energy being used before growth of grain begins. Luxuriant stalk growth makes the first demand upon the plant's natural vigor. In order to spend liberally on one side, the law of compensation, or balance- ment of growth forces nature to economize in some other organ. If excessive nourishment flows to the stalk, it will in consequence be developed at the expense of grain production. The prodigal development of the stalk of corn out of all proportion to the quantity of grain which it produces, shows that it is degenerating from grain production towards more exclusive stalk and fodder production. As ft is very difficult to get a cow to fatten readily who gives much milk, on the same principle the small-stalked variety of medium sized corn developes a large quantity of grain at the expense of the size of its stalk. The law of correlated variation in plant growth comes actively into play in this connection. For if the breeder marks medium sized stalks in his field of growing corn, he can easily see that they will produce a much larger proportionate quantity of grain than will the larger stalks. There is no question in the writer's mind but that the excessive growth of a stalk of corn diminishes its grain producing capacity. There are but few kinds of cultivated plants that can produce two diverse and profitable products during one season's growth. Therefore the medium sized stalk of corn developes a one pound ear at the expense of its size of stalk. A short thick stalk with a great profusion of blades, tends to center the bulk of corn-producing nutriment in the ear. The writer has discovered that the largest grains that can he found in any variety of short thick stalked corn tends to intensify this character, and that the largest grain produces the largest grain yield per stalk. The writer living as he does, in the center of the greatest corn belt on earth, and in a locality of almost exclusive corn production, where probably the largest average crops of corn are annually produced, has during his 28 years' experience as a corn breeder and seed grower, often verified the foregoing facts, while roguing his growing crops, and harvesting his seed crops. And has had plainly demonstrated to him that a fodder or ensilage variety of corn is not generally a good grain yielder, and vice versa. Such farmers as may be led through the reading of this article to select their seed corn this autumn by proportional size, vigor and healthfulness of the stalk, storing their seed away in a warm, dry, well ventilated place, will secure a good quality of seed corn for next year's crop, and will have their grain yield increased at the expense of stalk production. The writer firmly believes that with the future great scientific development that will come in corn breeding during the next 25 years our average yield and quality of eorn will be largely increased. The writer during his 28 years' experience as a cereal breeder and seed grower, has grown a certain variety of dwarf- stalked yellow flint corn which has produced ears more than 12 inches in length and weighing almost one pound. During the same year he also grew another sort of yellow flint corn whose stalks reached a height of more than 14 feet. But it required about four of its ears to equal one ear which grew on a stalk of the dwarf stalked corn. No doubt many of the readers of this journal can give facts concerning the proportional size of stalk in corn which is not here related. Brother farmers kindly write me your personal experience on the subject in hand. I will take pleasure in reciprocating such kindness by giving you any further detailed information on this important subject which you may wish for, provided same be at my command. J. C. Suffern. Voorhies, 111. Soil for Alfalfa. Bdltors Indians Farmer: I have a river bottom farm, sandy loam soil, with sand and gravel subsoil to a depth of 40 feet or more—at any rate to water. The soil is 20 to 30 inches to sand and gravel subsoil, and there is no clay between the surface and sheet water. Blue grass, clover and timothy do not do well on this land for pasture, when we have a dry season. I want your advice in regard to a plot of this land being sown in alfalfa for a permanent hog pasture. Is it as good as clover for this purpose, and is it a fact that on such soil as named above it will remain for years and withstand our driest seasons? If it will do this and is as good as clover for hogs and will stand tramping, I surely will sow it. Any information you can furnish me in regard to this plant for the use I intend to make of it will be appreciated. What can you tell me about preparation of soil, and time of sowing? This land is along the Wabash river in the southern part of the State. A. E. M. —We do not like to recommend you to try alfalfa in such soil. The plant is a deep rooter and rank feeder. It must be to yield several crops in a season and from six to ten tons of dry hay, as it often does in California, where its roots often run down ten feet or more throngh rich clay loam. To undertake to get profitable crops on only 20 to 30 inches of sandy soil we think would prove a failure. In Kansas alfalfa has been found to be most excellent for hog pasture. One farmer in that State, who has tried it for this purpose, says: "As a food for swine green alfalfa goes far toward solving the problem of making hog raising a profitable industry for the arid States. If properly handled pigs will make a rapid growth on green alfalfa from the time they are weaned until they are ready to be finished off in the fall, when grain should be added." Our advice is to try it on good fertile upland soil rather than in your bottom land.
Object Description
Title | Indiana farmer, 1901, v. 56, v. 46 (Nov. 16) |
Purdue Identification Number | INFA5646 |
Date of Original | 1901 |
Subjects (LCSH) |
Agriculture Farm management Horticulture Agricultural machinery |
Subjects (NALT) |
agriculture farm management horticulture agricultural machinery and equipment |
Genre | Periodical |
Call Number of Original | 630.5 In2 |
Location of Original | Hicks Repository |
Coverage | United States - Indiana |
Type | text |
Format | JP2 |
Language | eng |
Collection Title | Indiana Farmer |
Rights Statement | Content in the Indiana Farmer Collection is in the public domain (published before 1923) or lacks a known copyright holder. Digital images in the collection may be used for educational, non-commercial, or not-for-profit purposes. |
Repository | Purdue University Libraries |
Date Digitized | 2011-03-21 |
Digitization Information | Original scanned at 300 ppi on a Bookeye 3 scanner using internal software. Display images generated in CONTENTdm as JP2000s; file format for archival copy is uncompressed TIF format. |
Description
Title | Page 1 |
Subjects (LCSH) |
Agriculture Farm management Horticulture Agricultural machinery |
Subjects (NALT) |
agriculture farm management horticulture agricultural machinery and equipment |
Genre | Periodical |
Call Number of Original | 630.5 In2 |
Location of Original | Hicks Repository |
Coverage | Indiana |
Type | text |
Format | JP2 |
Language | eng |
Collection Title | Indiana Farmer |
Rights Statement | Content in the Indiana Farmer Collection is in the public domain (published before 1923) or lacks a known copyright holder. Digital images in the collection may be used for educational, non-commercial, or non-for-profit purposes. |
Repository | Purdue University Libraries |
Digitization Information | Orignal scanned at 300 ppi on a Bookeye 3 scanner using internal software. Display images generated in CONTENTdm as JP2000s; file format for archival copy is uncompressed TIF format. |
Transcript | Garden V VOL. LVI. INDIANAPOLIS, IND., NOVEMBER 16, 1901. NO. 46 Men Wbo Have Helped the Farmer. Editor* Indiana Farmer: William Saunders. (Horn Dec. 7, 1822; died Sept. 11, 1900.) "Th» art ot agriculture is the parent and precursor of all arts, and its products the foundation of all wealth. The productions of the earth are subject to the influence of natural laws, invariable and indisputable; the amount produced will, consequently, be in proportion to the intelligence of the producer, and success will depend upon his knowledge of these laws and the proper application of their principals." These words were put into the preamble of the constitution of the Xational Grange of tbe Patrons of Husbandry by William Saunders, the first master of that great fanners' organization. They expressed the philosophy of his life. In 1802 Mr. Saunders was appointed superintendent of the experimental gardens and grounds of the Department of Agriculture at Washington. In 1866 he prepared an article for Commissioner Newton's annual report, in which he declared that "there are certain fundamental principles, unchangeable in their nature, governing the growth of plants": and in* 1898 he began his last contribution to the Yearbook of the department with this brief statement of the same opinion: "Natural laws are constant and unvaried in their operation." Mr. Saunders was born at St. Andrews, Scotland, and came of an old family of gardeners. He received a good general education, took a special course in horticulture at Edinburgh, and was engaged for several years in gardening before getting married and coming to the United States in 1848. His first work in* the country of his adoption was done at New Haven, Connecticut. He immediately began writing for the agricultural and horticultural journals. In 1854 he established himself in the business of landscape gardening and horticulture at Germantown, Pennsylvania. The fame of the young Scotchman grew apace. He was employed to lay out ornamental grounds in different cities and States. In 1859 he designed the Rose Hill Cemetery in Chicago and the Oak Ridge Cemetery at Springfield, Illinois, and was consulted in regard to the plans for the ornamentation of Central Park, New York. He had previously designed Fairinount Park in* Philadelphia. In 1863 he planned the beautiful National Cemetery at Gettysburg: and on November 16th of that year had the satisfaction of explaining his drawings to President Lincoln ami having them approved by that great man. In his excellent sketch of Mr. Saunders, published in the Yearbook for 1900 of the Department of Agriculture, Mr. eGo. Wm. Hill says: "Mr. Saunders' connection with this splendid memorial was the result of a convention of governors of States at Altoona, Pa., where it was decided that this important work should be intrusted to him. It is a singular fact that, in spite of his being thus selected and of the immense amount of work which he performed in this connection, no provision was made at any time for any remuneration, even for his traveling expenses. From first to last the work was to him merely a labor of love." Mr. Saunders served for many years as one of the park commissioners of the City of Washington. The terracing of the western front of the Capitol was mainly bis work. All this represents what may be called the beauty side of the work of Mr. Saunders. But he did vastly more than to de sign beautiful parks, cemeteries, and ornamental public and private grounds. He introduced many valuable plants into this country, the most valuable of them being the famous Washington Navel orange, which he imported from Brazil. Indeed, he may be said to have been the first systematic importer of foreign plants with a view of their general use. In outlining the objects and aims of the experimental gardens and grounds in 1802, he recommended as of first importance "To procure and encourage the transmission of seeds, cuttings, bulbs, and plants from all sources, both foreign and domestic, for the purpose of testing their merits and adaptations in general, or for particular localities in this country." Next in order he proposed "To procure, by hybridizing and special culture, products of superior character to any now existing." No one needs to be an expert in agriculture to see that this was the plan of a man of sound wisdom and unusual foresight. For 38 years Mr. Saunders continued to develop the plans outlined in 1862. When Mr. O. H. Kelley and his associates were planning the organization which became the Grange, Mr. Sannders was consulted. They were enthusiasts, full of a great idea; and his practical wisdom and large experience were of great value in perfecting the organization. In the sketch already mentioned, Mr. Hill says: "Widely as Mr. Saunders is known among horticulturists, landscape gardeners, nurserymen, etc., it is probably as one of the founders of the Grange that his name is most familiar to the farmers of the United States. As long ago as 1855, in a contribution to the American Farmer of Baltimore, Mr. Saunders outlined such an organization as the Grange afterwards became. It was not, however, until 1867 that the first grange was finally organized at Washington. For six years Mr. Saunders served as master of the National Grange, afterwards serving for a number of years on the executive committee. In the first difficult decade of the existence of the Grange, no one of the Seven Founders was more faithful or more useful than William Saunders, and no one had greater influence in. giving it stability and respectability. In later years he withdrew as much as possible from the responsibilities of the organization; but as long as he lived he was frequently consulted by those in positions of authority. He never lost interest in the Grange, and its members never lost faith in him. All over the land are Grange halls and farm houses whose walls are adorned with his portrait. He was a man willing to spend himself for the good of agriculture, and his services will not be forgotten as long as the Grange exists. The Grange was never stronger than it is today, with nearly half a million members. The 34th annual session of the National Grange, which began November 13th, attracted thousands of members of the organization to the city of Lewiston. Maine. This simple sketch of the life and work of the strong, modest man who gave so much of his best effort to the Grange may induce some who have doubted the usefulness of the organization to think better of the great association whose mission to improve agriculture and "to- develop a better and higher manhood and womanhood" on the farms. Denver, Col. D. W. Working. Large and Small Stalked Corn. Editors Indiana Farmer: Selecting in the field before ripe, a medium-sized stalk with a large ear, has a tendency to breed down the size of the stalk, and to correspondingly increase proportionally the size of its ear. Thereby establishing a grain producing, instead of a fodder corn. Other kinds of field and garden crops will admit of the same principle. The seven-top turnip developing an enormous foliage at the expense of the size of its tuber, is a striking example of this. This case being strikingly contrasted in the purple top strap leaved turnip (both varieties are now growing on my farm), developing enormous tubers of fine table quality, much out of proportion to the quantity of its foliage. As another example: Great bodily weight and great mental endowments are seldom found combined in the same person. Certain particular soils and climates have a tendency to produce a too large growth of fodder and stalk, in proportion to yield of grain. A variety of corn given to great stalk and forage production, is delegated by economical mother nature, to conserve its energy by means of lessened grain production. The production of a stalk or corn is a soil exhausting process, demanding much of the plant's natural vigor. And a variety of corn which produces a very large stalk, invariably does so at the expense of its grain production; the plant's energy being used before growth of grain begins. Luxuriant stalk growth makes the first demand upon the plant's natural vigor. In order to spend liberally on one side, the law of compensation, or balance- ment of growth forces nature to economize in some other organ. If excessive nourishment flows to the stalk, it will in consequence be developed at the expense of grain production. The prodigal development of the stalk of corn out of all proportion to the quantity of grain which it produces, shows that it is degenerating from grain production towards more exclusive stalk and fodder production. As ft is very difficult to get a cow to fatten readily who gives much milk, on the same principle the small-stalked variety of medium sized corn developes a large quantity of grain at the expense of the size of its stalk. The law of correlated variation in plant growth comes actively into play in this connection. For if the breeder marks medium sized stalks in his field of growing corn, he can easily see that they will produce a much larger proportionate quantity of grain than will the larger stalks. There is no question in the writer's mind but that the excessive growth of a stalk of corn diminishes its grain producing capacity. There are but few kinds of cultivated plants that can produce two diverse and profitable products during one season's growth. Therefore the medium sized stalk of corn developes a one pound ear at the expense of its size of stalk. A short thick stalk with a great profusion of blades, tends to center the bulk of corn-producing nutriment in the ear. The writer has discovered that the largest grains that can he found in any variety of short thick stalked corn tends to intensify this character, and that the largest grain produces the largest grain yield per stalk. The writer living as he does, in the center of the greatest corn belt on earth, and in a locality of almost exclusive corn production, where probably the largest average crops of corn are annually produced, has during his 28 years' experience as a corn breeder and seed grower, often verified the foregoing facts, while roguing his growing crops, and harvesting his seed crops. And has had plainly demonstrated to him that a fodder or ensilage variety of corn is not generally a good grain yielder, and vice versa. Such farmers as may be led through the reading of this article to select their seed corn this autumn by proportional size, vigor and healthfulness of the stalk, storing their seed away in a warm, dry, well ventilated place, will secure a good quality of seed corn for next year's crop, and will have their grain yield increased at the expense of stalk production. The writer firmly believes that with the future great scientific development that will come in corn breeding during the next 25 years our average yield and quality of eorn will be largely increased. The writer during his 28 years' experience as a cereal breeder and seed grower, has grown a certain variety of dwarf- stalked yellow flint corn which has produced ears more than 12 inches in length and weighing almost one pound. During the same year he also grew another sort of yellow flint corn whose stalks reached a height of more than 14 feet. But it required about four of its ears to equal one ear which grew on a stalk of the dwarf stalked corn. No doubt many of the readers of this journal can give facts concerning the proportional size of stalk in corn which is not here related. Brother farmers kindly write me your personal experience on the subject in hand. I will take pleasure in reciprocating such kindness by giving you any further detailed information on this important subject which you may wish for, provided same be at my command. J. C. Suffern. Voorhies, 111. Soil for Alfalfa. Bdltors Indians Farmer: I have a river bottom farm, sandy loam soil, with sand and gravel subsoil to a depth of 40 feet or more—at any rate to water. The soil is 20 to 30 inches to sand and gravel subsoil, and there is no clay between the surface and sheet water. Blue grass, clover and timothy do not do well on this land for pasture, when we have a dry season. I want your advice in regard to a plot of this land being sown in alfalfa for a permanent hog pasture. Is it as good as clover for this purpose, and is it a fact that on such soil as named above it will remain for years and withstand our driest seasons? If it will do this and is as good as clover for hogs and will stand tramping, I surely will sow it. Any information you can furnish me in regard to this plant for the use I intend to make of it will be appreciated. What can you tell me about preparation of soil, and time of sowing? This land is along the Wabash river in the southern part of the State. A. E. M. —We do not like to recommend you to try alfalfa in such soil. The plant is a deep rooter and rank feeder. It must be to yield several crops in a season and from six to ten tons of dry hay, as it often does in California, where its roots often run down ten feet or more throngh rich clay loam. To undertake to get profitable crops on only 20 to 30 inches of sandy soil we think would prove a failure. In Kansas alfalfa has been found to be most excellent for hog pasture. One farmer in that State, who has tried it for this purpose, says: "As a food for swine green alfalfa goes far toward solving the problem of making hog raising a profitable industry for the arid States. If properly handled pigs will make a rapid growth on green alfalfa from the time they are weaned until they are ready to be finished off in the fall, when grain should be added." Our advice is to try it on good fertile upland soil rather than in your bottom land. |
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