Webster Farmers' Club

When tbe Argus scribe arrived at the hospitable and comfortable old hoiue of Wm. E. Boyden in Webster at abont 11 o'olock Saturday morning to be present at tbe regular monthJy meeting of the Webster Farmers Club, whicb was to be held tbere, he fonnd besides Mr. Boyden and bis honsehold, jast two farmers there. It looked as thongb the fine weatber bad tempted tbe members to stay at home to atteDd to tbeir spring work and let the disenssion of topics interesting to farmers take care of itself. But before 12 o'oiock - that's dinner time in the conntiy - vehicle after vebicle rolled into the yard and when dinner was annonnoed over 40 bnngry people were ready to make a Dewey-Manila attack on tbe appetizing f are tbat had been piovided. Among them were Mr. and Mrs. George W. Phelps, son and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Harrison T. Phelps and daughter, F. E. Mills, Harris Ball, and T. W. Mingay, of Ann Arbor. Dinner over those who feit so disposed went ont on a tour of inspection of tbe valuable berd of shorthorn cattla which flnds its home on Mr. Boyden 's farm. Among these was a fine lot whicb he brought last week from the west. There were many fine beasta among them and opinions were divided as to which animal was tbe best. About 2 o'clock George E. Merrill, president of the club, called the meeting to order. Rev. G. A. Moorehouse offered prayer and the regular business cf the meeting commenced. The next meeting of the club, and tbe last nntil September, was announced to be held with Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Smith, of Ann Arbor town. Cyrus M. Starks brongbt to the notice of tbe club tbe faot that last year they had been royally entertained by the Salem Club at the home of I. Savery and suggested that it was time the Webster club reciprooated. A motiou was oarried to invite tbe Saleantes to meet with tbe home club in September at some central place to be decided on later. Mrs. Carrie Ball, of Hamburg, then read an article by "Beatris" on "How to Make Farm Life Enjoyable." Astbe writer of the article, who is editor of one of tbe departments of the Weekly Free Piesa, was formerly Miss Lizzie Gardner, of Lima, the daughter of a farmer, Bbe is well qualified to speak on tbe subject, and tbe caustic remarks in the article, which contained so rnany truisms, brought out many a smile. At the conclusión of the reading some of the statements in it were vigorously opposed by Wm. Ball, of Hamburg. A well prepared paper by Miss Cullen on '"The advantages of the graded system in our distriot sohools, " followed. She gave some good argnments iu support of her position. The graded systein establishes uniformity. It enablea one teacher to take up another's work and continue it. The result of its adopticn would be that teachers would be hired by the year instead of by the term and they would thus be able to keep up their work and better results would follow. C. M. Starks commended tbe paper beartily and thougbt tbat if teachers wonld follow the ideas put forth in the paper and be backed up by the people, we need have do fear of the future of our schools. Wm. Ball thought the benefit of the system would depend on the results. Was in tbe main in favor of tbe ideas set forth in the paper. There is anotber question wbetber too much system would not resnlr in machine metbods. Tbe difflcnlty in grading country schools is fonnd in the difference in the age of the scholars and the irregular attendance. He thought the best scholars of their age could be found in the oountry schools as at present oonducted. F. E. Mills, said the grading of the sohools should commence with the grading of tbe school boards. Only about half the people elected on school boards are fit for the position. Some of whom are put there for a joke. The county school commissionersbip should be taken out of politics, for as now carried on it often results in the best man for the position being left eutirely out of the question. R. C. Reeves and J. W. Wing also spoke a few words on the subjeot. Tbe disoussion of tbe "Best metbod of restoring andretaining soil ferclity" was then taken up. Wm. Ball, Wm. E. Boyden, Wm. Smith, Andrew Smitb, J. S. Pacey, J. W. Wing and Mr. Lyons took part. The main ideas developed were plenty of manure, the growth of oiover to be turned under wben green, plenty of cultivación of tbe soil. One or two advocated growing rye and feeding it off in tbe fall and spring with sbeep and afterwards plowing it in. F. E. Mills called the attention of the olub to the arrangement made by the Washtenaw Fair Society to offer premiums of $20, f 15 and 10 for the best exhibit of fruits, graius and grasses at the fair nest fall, tbe exhibits to be made by farmers' clubs and granges. He said it would be for the benefit of farmers and farming interests in general and stated that the Washtenaw society is now 50 years old and the oldest society in the state. On motion of Mr. Ball the matter was left over until the next olnb meeting, then to be brougbt up and aoted on. The olnb tben adjoained til June 11.