Norwich Bulletin Newspaper, June 12, 1915, Page 12

NORWICH BULLETIN, SATURDAY, JUNE 12 1915 FARMING IN NEW ENGLAND AND ILLINOIS (Written Spcially for The Bulletin.) Dr. Hopkins of the Illinois Agricul- tural college recently gave the farmers of his state 2 sermon on the handling of their land. This may not seem a likely subject to interest the farmers of Connecticut. But when I add that the main idea he insisted on wes that the very first thing an Illinois farmer must bear in mind was that he was NOT to treat his soll as New England soil has been treated,—then, I think, some of us will prick up our ears a little. Dr. Hopkins says he has been in forty-eight states, “usually upon invi- tation to secure or to impart some in- formation concerning soils, sail prob- lems, and rational methods of soil im- provement.” Thus he opines that he has “at least had opportunity to ac- quire a somewhat definite knowledge of many soils in many states.” Then he declares that in his judgment “there is no better opportunity in American agriculture for the investment of money and mind, of science and sense, of brain and brawn, than in the farm lands of Southern Illinois.” Immediately after which he adds that “there are few better opportuni- ties in the United States to lose money than in the attempt to profit from con- tinuing to wear out” those same lands. In his opinion, it all depends on how the land is handled, and his very first assertion i{s that it must never for one( minute be treated as eastern farxneml have been in the habit of treating theirs. This certainly interests us. If we are being held up by the highest far- ming authorities of one of the best farming states as “horrible exampl of how not to do it, we ought at least to sit up and take notice. Dr. Hopkins’ talk was a long one and it is quite impossible to do more than summarize his argument, in doing which some of its force and vigor must needs be lost. But it runs some- thing like this: Ten million acres, once classed as improved farm land in New England, New York, New Jersey and Penn: vania, now recorded as agricuiturally abandoned, show that something -was wrong with the methods of those who had to abandon them. During the last thirty years the decrease in area of Improved farm land in New England has been equal to the acreage of the ten largest counties in Illinois. In that same thirty years New Eng- land wheat acreage has decreased from 79,000 acres to 4,898. I'm taking Dr. Hopkins' figures in all these cases. | The area of abandoned land is “more than twelve times the acreage of all cereal crops grown in New England” “There are five counties in Illinois any one of which produces more bushels of cereal crops than the combined total cereals of the six New England states.” Dr. Hopkins retells the old story of the boy who found a drunken man ly- ing on the sidewalk and called through the saloon door to the barkeeper that s “sigsn had fallen down.” The in- timation suggested is that New Eng- iand agriculture is the “sign” which has fallen @down in plain sight of west- again solely as an example of what not to do and how not to do it. And what do you suppose Dr. Hop- kins puts forward as the chief char- acteristic of Eastern farming and the main source of Eastern farm abandon- ment? The use of commercial mixed fer- tilizers, if you please. Listen; “Through lack of _ fundamental knowledge, the farmer of the East has been led to depend upon mixed com- mercial fertilizer, and ten million acres once classed_as improved farm land, but now abandoned, represent the sign for Illinois farmers to look upon before adopting the fertilizer system now so extensively advertised in the Middle West.” Once mor “The commercial fertilizer interests, es- pecially Eastern fertilizer manufac turers, after having sucked the life blood ‘out of Eastern agriculture, now seek new worlds to conquer, attracted by the agricultural earnings of the corn-belt.” Pretty plain talk, eh? Comes fairly straight from the shoulder, doesn't it? Sounds as if he meant it? Admitting the assertions that New England produces larger acre-yields of corn and wheat than Illinois, he sets against them the fact that the area in cereal crops in New Engiand has decreased from 746,128 acres to 468,617 acres in thirty years. He points out that what little cereals are still grown in New England are often grown in small patches on what are really mar- ket gardens, and often merely to pro- vide a rotetion of crops. Naturally the yield per acre on such small, high- ly fertilized, intensively cultivated patches ought to be high. But the patches are always small and there are mighty few of them. Once more let me quote: “If wheat can be grown with profit by use of mixed fertilizer in New Eng- land, then why has the New England wheat acreage decreased from 73,003 acres to only 4,893 acres in _thirty vears? The area of abandoned land is more than twelve times the acreage of i cereal crops grown in New England. Why does not the Boston fertilizer manufacturer restore these abandoned lands, and thus multiply cereal pro- duction in New England by twelve in- stead of permitting this _enormous shrinkage at his own door”? He quotes the 1910 census figures as showing that in that year there were only 186,958 acres in all New England devoted to corn and wheat, while 388,- 841 acres were devoted to potatoes and truck growing. That is, more than twice as much land as was in market garden crops as in cereals. And now for my last quotation:— “The vegetable crops have, of course high acre value, and mixed fertillzers are used with profit for such crops. Furthermore, such use of commercial fertilizers is and aelways has been ap- proved and recommended by us and by practically everybody, wherever the supply of farm manure is limited.” So it would seem, after all, as if Dr. Hopkins’ crusade against Eastern ways of farming and Eastern use of fert izers comes to about this: that cereal growing is decreasing in the Hast; ern farmers, and should be propped up Pt that the use of commercial fertilizers is not maintaining it; and that they \‘— ' QOur Refrigerators Are Cleanable, Pure, Cold and Dry They can be kept cleal than any other kind. apart and get at every corner and crevice. Lined with zinc or real porcelain, food kept in them is pure. 62-66 Main Street, Norwich, Conn. . FINN’S BLOCK, Come in and ask to see them. M. HOURIGAN, ner, colder and dryer You can take them all JEWETT CITY shouldn't be used where they don't pay. All of which most of us svould cheerfully subscribe to. But it does seem to me as if Dr. Hopkins was “way off” in ascribing the decrease in acreage of improved farm land in New England to the in- judiclous use of commerclal fertili- zers. There are about thirty-nine other reasons which the Sober-minded stu- dent of the sorry problem nceds to consider. Dr. Hopkins speaks rather contemp- tuously of our “little patches” of land, ‘Well, dear Doctor, that's the way the Lord made most New England farms, —in “patches.” We haven't an prair- ies across which a man might plow one straight level furrow for fifty miles without stopping, if he didn't bring up against somebody’s line fence. It's a pretty big field for New England, where ome can plow fifty rods in a straight line. There are more where 50 yards is the limit. I have some land where the plowman can't go fifty feet without turning out to go round a mountain or to dodge a swamp-hole or to_avold a brook. It costs a good deal more to fit and seed an acre where some of the work has to be done by hand and where no tool bigger than a common one-fur- row plow can be used, than it does an acre which a traction-engine and a ten-gang plow with harrows and drill hitched on behind can fit and seed in an hour. For another thing: former New Eng- land farmers used to raise regularly families of from six to a dozen children most of whom stayed on the farm. If not the home farm, then some other. Nowadays the New England family which has more than one boy to its credit is an exception. And he is brought up with careful care for the purpose and with the expectation that he won't be a farmer, but will be pres- ident of the United States,—or book- keeper in a department store, or some other job where he won't have to dirty his hands or wear old clothe: “Race-suicide”, Doctor, plays a big- ger part in New England farm aband- onment than commercial fertilizers. Dr. Hopkins admits that in raising crops with high acre values such as most vegetables, as disti ed from cereals, produce, commercial fertilizers are of value, His real objection to them in Iliinois, then, seems to be that they won’t pay because Ilinols lands are largely devoted to crops of low acre value. This, it would appear to | me, is matter for apology rather than for boast. Other things being equal, it certain- ly requiries more “money and mind, sclence ard sense, brain and brawn”, to use his own words, to_produce a hundred-dollar crop on $40-an-acre land than to produce a $40-dollar crop on $200-an-acre land. Especially when it costs in labor and fitting ebout ten times as much to work the hilly, stony, New E ngland patch as the level, loamy, horizon-wide Illinois prairie. — It is quite probable that some New England farmers have been and are throwing away money by injudicious misuse of costly fertilizers. It is fully as probable that many more are losing money by their refusal to resort to those same fertilizers where they are needed. 1 don’t take much stock in the specially selected cases of excep- tional results advertised and Dhoto- graphed in the fertilizer catalogues. They are always exceptions, picked out and promenaded before us because they are such. But few New England farmers can get from thelr own stock or from their neighbors all the farm manures their lands demand. They must supplement this lack from other sources. One great difference between the two classes of manure is that it doesn't take much knowledge to epread the stuff from the barnyerd, while, in the use of commercial fertilizers, the far- mer who expects to make any profit out of them, or even to get his money back, must know beforehand what his land wants, and in what proportions and quantities, and must measure his fertilizer applications by this, checked alweys by the girth of his pocket- boolk. Any man with a dung fork and =a pair of healthy arms can put on his land a dollar ton of barnyard manure, and it will generally do about the same things for the soil, year after year and crop after crop. But it takes knowledge and study and skill and a whole lot of “gump- tion” to put on a $30 tons of fertil- izer, so as to get $31 worth of good from it. Whether it will “pay” any farmer to use it, or how much it will “pay” him to use it is a rather intimate question between the farmer and his farm. They must thrash it out between themselves if they expect any worth while solu- tion. But it's not good judgment for Bill Smith to denounce and eschew all use of commercial fertilizers because Tom Jones has lost money by using them ignorantly or recklessly. Bill had better ask his own farm what it thinks about them, and wait the answer humbly and meekly and with a spirit emptied of prejudice and anxious to know the truth, rather than merely to prove his own superior wis- dom. THE FARMER. NEW LOMDON NE EDS JITNEY LAW Considered Time That the Growing Nuisance Was Abated— Dr. Black Remains as Health Officers—Either Will Make an Acceptable Mayor. New Lon eral public appro evident that restriction of some sort must be | put upon the business in the intere: of public Aside from cor the nd safety. compet! have done along its lines, the jitn mitted to violate all police ing the propulsion of a and seem to be selves and enjoying and to the public det common occurrence fo Jjitneys to take position State street stores between ank stre 1 the busines bile parties are barred in that section es it drive front of consequence stores in of business in business that i that are b express; their ancient stand on the parade as it was alleged that the wagons inter fered with public_traffic, but ti neys are allowed to ir ‘ere traffic and store business as well larger scale than did the e en, and without police molesta- es gov- tomobiles by them- from 1t is time this nuisance was abated and that the jitneys be assigned to some stand moved from the most active bus! s centre of the cit; ‘These jitneys ought not to be permit- ted to interfere with the business of nts of State Street, or with those of any other street, for that mat- ter. A stand has been established for the expressmen, why not a stand for the jitneys? Aledrman Cook called the atten- tion of the court of common council to the jitney nuisance and of the neces- sity for abatement, but some members who probably viewed the matter from a politica] slant were not enthusias- tic in support of eny proposition that would inconvenience in the least the jitneymen. The council did, however, consent to refer the matter to the po- lice committee with the request that there be investigation of conditions and report made to the next meeting of the council 2 month hence. The State police were called to New Lon- don to help enforce the laws concern- ing the operation of automobiles last summer, when there were not half as FINE RASHON BABY'S CHEEK liched and Burned Awfully Behind Ears, Was Fretful and Scratched, Used Cuticura Soap and Oint= ment. Baby's Face and Head Well, ‘When my little baby girl was two months old her cheeks began to break out in a little fine rash and kept o gotting worse. At the edges of her hair and behind her ears seemed to itch and burn awfully. She would wake Up out of her sleep >~ and ery and rub her face =+ until 1 would bleed. At times it scemed to go in ’;1 {) l \ under the skin, then it would brealk out just like a burn. The skin would scale up and peel off. Sho was fretful and scratched. “I was given two kinds of ointment and I also used others all without success. I saw an advertisement of Cuticura Soap and Ointment in the paper and sent for a free sample. When I had used these with a large cake of Cuticura Soap and somie Cuti- cura Ointment baby’s face and head were well.” (Signed) Mrs. Claude Cox, October 16, 1914, Sample Each Free by Mail ‘With 32-p. Skin Book on request. Ad- dress postcard “Cuticura, Dept. T, Bos= ton.” Sald throughout the world, v automobiles here as at the pres- time, but no move in that direc- as been made as yet to help ighten out the existing conditions. the meantime, the city fathers to do just a little something to ve the dangerous condition of the jitney section of State street which is S0 congested that human life is en- dangered. Other vehicles, too, as well neys have some right in the pub- c highways, that the jitney operators should be compelled to respect. Dr. J. Torrington Black, he who resigned as health officer of the city of New London, with the evident expec- tation that Mayor Miner would decline to receive the carefully prepared doc- ument, and subsequently relented and wanted his resignation back, is still the health officer of the city. He as- a cause for signation the of the r with the r. Then he ermined to battle with the mayor, and his associates of the New London dical society passed resolutions in of the conduct of the health partment by Dr. Black and appoint- ed a committee to appear before the court of common council to make plea for the retention of Dr. Black as health officer and grant him the privilege of withdrawing the resignetion. Dr. Black also received the endorsement of the Civic League and its attendant fluence to prevent the acceptance of the resignation. At the council meet- ing Mayor Miner explained his atti tude in the plainest of terms, declar- 1g that Dr. Black was unfit to be ealth officer end was not of the kind suggested in the statutes, not that he was not an efficient health officer, but he was not the discreet person that the statutes intended for health offi- cer and was too autocratic to be en- trusted with all the power of a health officer. Mayor Miner's explanation voiced the sentiment of a good part of the citizenry of New London. When the matter came to final issue In the court of common council, the motion to ac- cept the resignation of Dr. Black was defeated by a vote of 8 to 7, just enough to defeat, and that was all This is the second time thet Dr. Black has resigned and wanted his resigna- tion back. The next will probably be a case of the third strike and _out. The general opinion is that Dr. Black as health officer is efficient but over- officious. His ealary is $1,000 a year and the medical society has practically demanded that the court of common council increase the salary to $3,000. This was not gone at the June meet- ing. The Chinese commercial commission now touring the United States did not stop in New London last Wednesday, although the representative committee of the New London Chamber of Com- merce and the city of New London, Thomas F. Dorsey, Charles H. Thomp- son and James O'Neil, made a trip to New York and gave out the statement that the distinguished Chinese visi- tors would arrive in New London at four in the morning and remain for seven hours, when enroute to Provi- dence. This committee did their very best to i the commissioners to change their itinerary and outlined the plan of reception in New London. But the invitation was declined with char- Chinese civility, to become the guests of New London even for seven short hours. The gentlemen from China as a matter of fact did come to New London on the day des- ignated by special train, made the us- ual train tarry, and then sped on to Providence, where they enjoyed the two days’ reception prepared for them beginning at eight o'clock in the morn- ing. On Tuesday morning Messrs. Dor- sey and Thompson went to Providence and had interview with the committee representing that city end really aid succeed in having that committee yield to the extent of consenting to the commission remaining in New London not later than 7.30 in the morning. This did not satisfy the New London committee and the affalr was called off for the present. The genial Harry Bond, just at pres- ent the prince of entertainers and bu: ily engaged along that line, in con- nection with his arrangements to marry during the present month, wants his friends to not lose sight of the fact that he is & candidate for the nominga- > With All the OMd Friends DAVIS T THE FAVORITES ARE COMING BACK HOMAN'SMUSICAL REVUE Miss Pendleton, Mr. Jewett, Mr. O’Connell, Mr. Boudray, Mr. Morriscn, and the Same Company That Broke All Rec- ords Here a Few Weeks Ago. Bigger and Better Than Ever--Everything New Including Miss Farrington, T34 8:33 NEXT WEEK BROADW AY IR0 SR PE R APROINTMENT, Phone 1020 | CONCERT ORCHESTRA AV DA e TODAY tion to be the next mayor of the city of New London. Mr. Bond is a na- tive of this city, an officer of the New London Ship and Engine company, an aldermen of the city, prominent in Elkdom, a leading member of the Thames club, and among the, local so- ciety leaders, is a good all around young man, and socially and financi- ally and mentally equipped for the responsible end honorable office. He has not yet declared his political or business platform of his candidacy, and will probably stand on a platform of his owa construction. If there Is any contest for the nom- ination in the republican party Mr. Bond's_chief opponent is liable to be Capt. Ernest FE. Rogers, who is a receptive candidate, and has made declaration of his prificiples provided ‘he is called upon to accept the nomi- nation. Mr. Rogers has had experi- ence as alderman in the court of com- mon council, having served two full terms, and Mr. Bond is at present a member of the aldermanic body, serv- ing his first year. Mr. Rogers is\a thorough business man, of most ex- cellent character, and a true republi- can. He was for many years connect- ed with the Brainerd and Armstrong company and is now engaged in the feed and grain business on a large acale. He is of good mayoralty tim- ber. If it is Bond, or ,Rogers, New London will have an acceptable mayor. Almost any democrat can have the nomination for the asking. e WAR BUSINESS THROUGHOUT CONNECTICUT Large Orders Being Filled In Many of the Cities—Some Contracts Will Last Over a Year. l The Traut & Hine Manufacturing Company at New Britain is aessured of busy times ahead because of a large war order for brass fasteners used on leggins worn by soldiers in theBritish army. It is stated that three orders were received at one time, through the J. P. Morgan Company, and_that they gross making celled_for 65,000 gross, 3 and 17,500 gross respectivi the total number of fastene erably in the millions. The Screw Company is making brass for shrapnel shells; also parts of au- tomobile trucks, which are supposed to be destined for foreign markets. The company is adding considerable new machinery and is rushed in all departments, due, it is believed, al- most wholly to war demands. A $500,000 war order has been re- ceived by the North & Judd Company of that same city. Derby Plant to Open. At Derby the United State re Gun & Powder Company plant s been sold to the General Ordnance “ompany, a Delaware corporation, hich will open it at the earliest po sible date for the manufacture of war munitions. The purchasing agents of the ordnance company acquired the entire capita] stock of the local com- pany, which carries with it entire con- trol of the buildings, equipment, wa- ter power and other valuable holdings The buildings on are on the Hot 0 Rapid tonic River, near railway facilities. When owned and operated by the Driggs-Seabury Company they were equipped to manufacture guns of from one to three pounds capacity, besides| armor-piercing shells from one to twelve inches in size. The order of the purchasing com- pany is said to be “rush,” and the work of cleaning up the buildings and adding new machinery will proceed with all possible speed. Orders for supplies are said to have been placed by the company immediately upon the consummation of the purchase of the thin a short time after the new company took possession, the selling company’s obligations were paid off in full, with interest. Night and Day for Year. Superintendent William M. Strawn of the Amertcan & British Manufac- turing Company of Bridgeport states that this company has received for- eign orders which will necessitate the plant running night nd day from now until July 15, 1916, as complete; also that the contract is such that even if the war should come to an end be- fore the order is completed, it will not affect the order. ‘This company manufactures ordnance equfpment, and the value of the present orders is said to be in the milllons, but the exact figures, as well as the name of the Government placing the orders, are withheld. At the Bridgeport Arms Works, one of the city’s newest war munition manufacturing concerns, 800 men ere already employed and the first of the immense five-story buildings will be ready for the machines within a few weeks. In all there will be twelve of these great factorles, and it is expect- ed that all of them will be completed by Sept. 1 and, by Feb. 1, 1916, will be employing from 12,000 to 14,000 han}is. To accommodate the families which this one concern will bring here, it is estimated that at least 3000 teflements will have to be erected. = Tolland County MANSFIELD CENTER Willing Workers Hold Annual Picnic —The Week's Visitors. Mrs. E. P. Ayer returned Saturdey after two weeks' visit with her father, Mr. Wilford of Branford. Mrs. Albert James® sister, Mrs. Car- ter and her daughter Miss Marguerite are visiting her for this month. Mrs. John Dunham is_visiting her dsughter in Springfleld, Mass. Annual Picnic. The Willing Workers enjoved their annual picnic at the home of Mrs. Stephen Rose and Mrs. Herbert Chap- pell, Wednesday afternoon. Miss Florence Olin and friends, Mr. and Mrs. Schofield and son, motored from Montville to attend church here Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Brooks left Tuesday for their home in Dayton, Ohlo, after visiting at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Sumner, parents of Mrs. Brooks. Mrs. W. D. Chamberlin will remain a few weks longer. Miss Alma Josephson spent the week in ‘Windham and Danielson. BEN At 2.30, 6.45, 8.45 LORING’ HARRY RAPF Presents 14—People—14 THE GIRL OF THE NIGHT || COMING NEXT WEEK--VAUDEVILLE SPECIAL FEATURE TINSMAN & TI THE TWO JACKS A Riot of Comedy AN IDYLL OF THE HILL! KING BAGGOTT IN ONE NIGHT OLIVE'S HERO . s MUSICAL REVUE | Today AUDITORIU THE REVIEW MUSICAL COMEDY Full Hour Show Mostly Girls MUTUAL MOVIES KEYSTONE COMEDY SHOWS, 230, 7, 845 Mat. 10c—Eve. 10c and 20c IT HAPPENED ON FRIDAY NSMAN Laushable Acrobatic Comiques AMY EVANS Who Sings Popular Songs and Wears Fine Clothes TWO-REEL RURAL DRAMA IN TWO ACTS .Comedy [ Colonial Theatre CHARLIE CHAPLIN IN “THE CHAMPION,” Two Reels Tom Moore in “GIRL AND TI “MISSNG RUBY” .. Selig || HE BACHELOR,” Two Reels “JUST A LARK” Biograph Monday—“Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch,” with Beatriz Michelena | FUN! FU N! FUN! MOOSE CELEBRATION CARNIVAL BATTLE GROUNDS ALL NEXT WEEK $750.00 MAXWELL TOURING CAR Given Away at Carnival Saturday Evening, June 19th SCUTH WILLINGTON Get-Together Club Meets—Graduating Exercises of Eighth Grade This Ev- ening. Farra tween is to this It must be that he has not seen the roads through Mansfield. This town has paid $94.14 for fight- ing forest fires for the year ending May 21st One hundred and twenty-six dogs have been registered on this year's list in town. To Meet in July. Following their last entertainment of the season given in Social hall last s evening, the Get-Together club n business session Monday ev- ening to close up affairs for summer. It was found that another meeting would be necessary and adjourn- ment was taken to the second Mon- day in July. A local dealer began the delivery of ice to customers Monday at 40 cents per hundred pounds. Frank Vouasek has the frame of his new house built. with the aid of sev- eral men in the employ of the Gardner Jr. company. Graduating Exercises This Evening. Public graduating exercises for the eighth grade pupils in the town school are tq be held in Memorial church this (Saturday) evening. speaking contest is to be a fe much interest. The 6th, 7th and Sth g from the several schools contest in geography of e pupils 4 their recticut The result will be annou at the exercises this (Saturday) Elmer M. Macfs lates{ recruit in the owners There are forty wned in town and it was oniy when the first one made its ance. appear- MANSFIELD Mr. and Mrs. Otis Conant wer( taken by euprise Saturday evening when their friends hung them a very pretty June box. The evening wag spent in music and games, after which Mrs. Conant served a dainty lunch which was enjoved by all. Children’s Day will be observed ai Gurleyville Sunday, Jne 13th. George Phillips and son Doneld, and Harry Harks of Hartford, were recent guests of Mr. and M G. Hanks' of Hanks' Hill. Mrs. Otis Conant of Gurleyville has been entertaining her er for some time. Mrs. I. D. Phelps of West Upton, Mass., has been visiting her pare Mr. and Mrs. J. C. F of Mans: Four Corner: also her _br Charles J. Fuller of Ha Miss Minnie Fuller after spending two week: R. L “It’s easy enough to be pleasant ‘When a man has all he requires; If his health-is all right His heart will be light ‘While he’s riding on Diamond Tires.” —Myr. Squeegee i A man is a good deal like a tire. His greatness depends on the crowd he.is in. The really great man—the leader—literally has to meet all comers in the contest for public approval. Any tire is the best tire in a crowd of inferiors. But nowadays a tire has to be extraordinary if it is to make and hold a record for superior service and mileage economy. It is the extraordinary quafity of Tires that has given them their deserved pre-eminence. Send for our book of letters from dealers who sold Diamond Tires in 1914. It tells how more than 99 out of every 100 of than half a million Diamond Tires sold last Yyear gave maximum service at minimum mileage cost. the more It is yours for the asking, Diamond Squeegee Tires are sold at these “FAIR-LISTED” PRICES: i YL Diamond >4 For Automobiie Sicycles PDiamond Dl T 1