/
or
Garden
VOL. LXV
INDIANAPOLIS, OCT. 8, 1910.
NO. 41
SYSTEM   ON   THE   FARM.
Editors Indiana Fanner:
Scientific management of the farm in
all departments means, not only the
growing of stock and crops, but systematic ways of doing everything pertaining to farm life. Without system
the commercial man fails to make his
business a success, or at least not as
profitable as It should be. The business world well recognizes this.
By the changed condition of agricultural matters, and   the	
new methods that are
continually being inaugurated, the advanced or
progressive farmer has
become one among other
business men, and must
manage his affairs by
some kind of a system.
He knows then what he is
doing, for everything is
worked by well arranged
plans. He wants to know
if he is growing and disposing of the best crops
of grain, and the right
of stock, that his land
and particular market
demands. He also wants
to know if the management of his land is of a
character that the soil
will not run down in fertility.
To this end the first
thing a farmer must find
out, is the capabilities of
his soil, or what crops do
the best, and what kinds
of stock he ean raise for
the most profit. He then
becomes able and is ready
to reduce all his work
and management to a
well defined system. He
then is in position to calculate  ahead,     and  know       	
much in advance of what
he expects to do. Having reached this
stage, he is ready to study what is his
best plans for a rotation of the leading
crops, and the fertilization of his land,
both by manure and otherwise, in order
that his fields may become more productive under his system of management, from year to year.
No system that can be adopted, can
be called anything like perfect unless
there is a deep laid plan to grow freely
many kinds of farm animals, as also
poultry, to consume almost all the
grain, grass, hay, fodder and straw
that can be grown. In this way good
prices can be realized for all his products, and everything most being consumed on the farm there is a vast
amount of manure to be used to still
increase the fertility of the land, and
this is very necessary for success.
Of course such grain as wheat, the
products of the dairy, the vegetables,
and the fruits, that are produced in a
greater quantity than will meet home
consumption, must be sold but they do
not cause a loss of fertility of the soil
like the selling of corn, hay, fodder,
straw and such extensively grown
crops.
A good system of stock management
is not to sell any animals until reasonably mature in age and size. Then
when they are disposed of they bring
something worth while. Besides a
system of crop rotation, and management,  and  also  well matured  plans of
stock raising and feeding, everything
else on the farm will adjust itself nicely
to make the whole a success, and life
on the farm wtll have' many new
charms, both to the owner and his
family, over what are common in careless and indifferent management of
rural homes and surroundings. Farmers everywhere should arouse themselves to the conditions that confront
them. Conditions have so changed
that but very little money can be made
parison to the prosperity of the farm-
es about him that he is unable to do
good work.
Fourth—The schools in the country
must be radically improved looking toward ultimate consolidation in the interest of the whole community.
Fifth—Churches and other institutions in the country should promote
the study of agriculture under the
great agricultural  leaders.
Sixth—The   church   should     promote
begin   the
Part of Thursday's Crowd at the Big  1910 State Fair.
by old processes and practices, and
newer and better ways ought to be
speedily adopted.
Agricultural schools, farm journals,
farmer's institutes and many other
educational agencies are doing a great
work in advancing farmers and farm
life to the place they ought to occupy.
X. X. X.
THE COUNTRY CHURCH PROGRAM
By Warren  H. Wilson,  Ph.  I>.
Twenty-five ministers who have been
successful in their own parishes have
consented to serve during the coming
year as advocates in the Reconstruction of llie Country Church on a definite program.
These men are volunteers, asking
only that their expenses be paid, in
this service among religious organizations. The reason for their enthusiasm
is their belief in a common program
for the upbuilding of the country
church in which they all agree. Among
the elements entering into this program  are:
First—The church must be a community center.
Second—The churches in the country community should be federated and
should cooperate with all rural institutions.
Third—The average country minister
is crippled by a salary so low in corn-
public recreation for the young people
and the working people of the country
community.
Seventh—This program     is       a
definite religious effort to interpret the Gospel of Christ,
especially on behalf of the poor
and the young and other people on the
margin   of  the   country  community.
This work is undertaken in coopera- ;
tion with such men as Pres. Kenyon L. !
Butterfield, of Massachusetts Agricul- \
tural College at Amherst, Dr. Henry
Wallace, of Des Moines, la., and Secre- j
tary Willet M. Hays, of the Department
of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.
HEAVY' APPLE CROP.
The State fruit farm near Mitchell,
Lawrence county, proves a profitable
property this season. It escaped the
cold wave that spread over our central
counties in May, killing all the bloom,
and set and bore a heavy crop. The
trees are well taken care of, pruned
and fertilized and were thoroughly
sprayed. The season being favorable
a fine crop of first class fruit was gathered. The principal varieties were
Grimes, Jonathan, Wine Sap and Ben'
Davis. About $6,000 worth of apples1
were sent to market; of these $3,200;
worth were gathered from 102 trees of
Grimes, an average of 31.3 bushels per
tree. Ninety per cent of the apples
were perfect. The orchard Is 23 years
old.
BEHEADING MANURE IN THE FALL
Kdltors Indiana Farmer:
While we must handle the manure at
all seasons of the year, fall manure-
spreading is, without doubt, the most
propitious for ideal results.
Usually, the fields which will be
turned under this fall or next spring,
are now in stubble or sod, and if the
manure be spread before the ground
freezes, it will work into the soil and
work of rejuvenation this
fall.
Another big advantage
of hauling out the manure this fall, is, that it
will give up to the soil on
which it lies, the rich
juices and liquids that
would leach away during
the winter if it is left in
heaps around the barn,
duch of the most beneficial part of manure thus
Is lost.
It is not advisable to
spread manure on the
surface of a bare field,
such as a corn-field where
the product was cut for
fodder, as there ls nothing to hold the manure
particles and prevent
their being washed away
by the late, fall rains and
the water from melting
snows later on. The liquids also are more liable
to leach away on the bare
fields; while the alternate freezing and thawing are other agencies we
must   consider.
The fall season is the
only one in which to
spread manure on the
meadow. The stubble and
the growth  since  mowing,
         wdll retain all particles of
manure, as well as the
liquids; while the alternate freezing
and thawing of the soil during the winter, will work the rejuvenating components of the manure into the very
texture of the sod, where it will be
ready to wield its greatest influence on
next season's growth of grass as soon
as spring opens up. On the other hand,
manure spread over the meadow in the
spring, will be productive of very little
good, since the spring and summer
rains, together with the effect of the
sun's rays, will destroy and wash away
much of the richest fertilizing elements
contained in the manure.
Where one uses a manure spreader
in applying the manure there will be
no necessity for further handling, but
if it is hauled out in a wagon, by hand,
it will be impossible to secure an even
distribution of the fertilizer by scattering it with a fork; in which case, pay
little attention to an even distribution
while unloading; then, after several
loads have been scattered, hitch to the
harrow and harrow the field both
lengthwise and crosswise till the manure-particles are thoroughly pulverized and evenly distributed over the
surface of the soil. Again, where one
must haul the manure in a wagon, let
it be in a low, wide-tire wagon, so that
the meadow-sod will not be cut up by
the heavy loads.
There is still another great advantage in hauling and spreading manure
In the fall.      It Is done at a season ln