A Feast Of Wisdom

Kougli roads and nncertain weuther caused a tnuch smaller attendance at the Farmers' Institule tlian was ex pected, but the papers were on that I account none the less interesting and the discussions none the less spirited. : Every one who attended could not have failed to receive inatruction as well as pleasure. The program was varied. It reflected inuch credit on the managing committ.ee. The exereises werp rtpened with prayer by the i:v. J. V. Br;i '- viiaw, of this city, folio vd by an adi'.ressby W. E.Stocking, president, ofihe Waahtenaw Farmers' association. Me _ai,] that an instituto, in order to be Baccessfbl, must be demanded by the farmers. It mut be nstructive and at the same time enjoyable. ile bpgged I ofl' from aiiy furlher Bpeech-makinf, saying that if be had learned any et .ration it had heen jolted out of him by the terrible r ads. lie t hen utrodnced I the first speaker of the day, Prof Km.l ar, who treated the subject of FRUIT8 FOR TUI' FA1ÍM. The lines of Michigan farmer?, Baid ..f, have fallen in pleaeant places. This state is beroming an FMen of fruits and Wasbtenaw county israpidly coming to the front with regard to thé variety and intelligent culture of fruit. Bat every Eden has its enemy. Of this we should get rid. The first thing for a horticulturist to do is to build a wall of evergreen, thus protecting bis homestead from the western winde. Then he may safely plant fruit trees. Mr. Baur named the varieties of apples, pears, andplums which he considered the best. Every farmer should plant some sweet apples, and thus be enabled to make jellies not too acid. Berries and grapes should be planted in long rowsso that they can be easiiy cullivated. Children love fruit and if they cannot get it at home they will go elsewhere. Horticultura should be a part of their education. In Germany it i taught in the public schools. Mr. Baar in conclusión urged every farmer to become i I member of the Washtenaw Pomologioal I Society. Tlie discussion on the paper was I opened by Andrew Campbell, who said I that while he had not had much snccesa I in raising small fruit:-, ke was lieariüy I in favor of their culture because tliey were healthful and added much to the 1 pleasures of farm life. He thought that ■ the red cheriy was the cheapest fruit I to raise and that pears were a mucb I safer fruit to raise than apples. He I strongly deprecated the attempts. often I made, to graft an old orchard. J. AusI tin Scott, who spoke next, said that he I had studied horticultura for seventy lyears. He had planted the first nursery lin middle Ohioand had met with re■markable success. He set out apple, ■peach and pear trees alternately. Of ■apples alone be raised Eome 200 varie■ties. His erop one year brought $4,000. I Fruit growing, he said, demanded close ■ attentioii. The farmer shonld know ■ how to set out, how to cultívate, how to ■ prune. He had found, by experience, ■ that it is best to prune in May and ■ June. Taxation, he said, was another ■ subject which interested him. He wss ■ in favor of a graduated income tax. ■ William Campbell related his experi■ enees with the culture of fruit. He had found much difliculty in preventing the growth of grass in his orchards. He bad piled manure about his trees but they did not bear any better for it. So disgusted did he finally become that he had the wbole orchard grubbed out. Despite these facts he believed in the wisdom of raising fruit for the farm, G. W. Merrill, of Webster, did not belie?ethe assertion, often made, that it is cheaper to bny than to raise fruit. Ilf one has a good soil, it is profitable to raise fruit for the market. Mr. Scott said that Mr. Campbell's mistake lay in overfeeding bis trees. He should have scattered the manure instead of piling it all up in one place. THE FARM PBOBLBU, y ■!. K. Campbell, of Augusta, was the next paper on the program. After remarking upon the growing popularity of the farmers' institute, due to the widespread discontent among the agricultural classes, he proceeded to state the farm problem, which, he said, emtraced two in? in factors. First, what :an be doneby legislation to benefit the 1 armer? Secondly, what methods, of arming will, in any given section.yield n the aggregate the maximum product er acre, when compared with that of ither sections, at the same time keeping ip the productive capacity of the soil? Lhelegislative side of the problem bas _ een agitated so much that farmers are n danger of losing sight of the other ide entirely. It is becoming apparent bat, if farmers are to succeed, they nust consider climatic and soil condiïons, and select crops best suited. to hem. Corxipetition cannot be eecaped. n this Michigan is by no means at a iisadvantage. For a period of six ■ears reports show that the aggregate ralue of the product per acre of the iight leading cereals was larger in lichigan than in nine other states. Vith respect to wheat Michigan took recedence over fourteen states. Micbgan is the great fruit state of the northvest. Twenty years ago Michigan anked fourth in the production of rooi, and the same rank was held in 881. In stock of all kinds Michigan tands well. If a farmer cannot make a uccesB in this state he cannot do so anywhere, c where he wil!. The question lor farmers to consider Ï8, what system of fiinning wili give the maximum product, meanwbile keeping up tlie soil fert.ility? The answer to thia will vary Romewhat accordini to the nnmber of acres cultivated, the kind of soil and bent. of the owner's inind. A deliuite s_stein, carried out for a nnmber of years, will give the best results. This includes, tirst, a proper erop rotation. The farmer must decide what kinds of btock he will keep, and what kinds of grains he will raise, then how to glve them the best care poesible. Other queetions arise: What crops shall we manare? Can commercial fertiliiers be used to advantage? Of what material should the farm fence be conStmcted? As little of it as possible should be used. Good machinery should be purchased. Few men begin farming without incurring debt. How to pay thisandat the same time keep tip tbe farm is anolher question. How ehall the labor be handled? These and other difficülriea requlre no Finall amonnt of brains The Inwer prices which are now prevailing tend to make farmers discontented. 'Man and management make the frm ' The farmer must be satisiied with hU calling if he is to Bucceed. The legislativo side of the problem should not be ignored, but euch demanda should nade BS meet tbe aproval of all fair inimled men. There is a growing sentiment, thonglit the speaker, that the worst of the agricultura! depresión has boen passed. ConBumption is constan ti y increasing and tlius there s a good prospect of higher priceH in the future. The farmer should nol, he urged, pay attentlon excltísively to the material aspect of his profetsion. He ghould be a man among men and not a mei-j machine for inaking money. The liscussion which followed was very spirited. II. D. Platt inveighed agftins tbe blatherf-.kites who, as he said, went among farmers and strove to make them discontented with their lot. He was decidedly opposed to cl; ss legislation of any kind. He urged farmers to adopt that line of farming which best suited their individual tictes. John McDougal, refemng to ihe ttro per-cent loan scheme of which Mr. Plutt had disapproved, said that. a similar scheme had bien tried in Erg and once and had proved successful. He thought that under existing conditioi s farming ought to pay.if samcient atten tion was given it. E. A. K rdman made a few remarks on the sulj' i-i c.i fruit growing. Enemies are em:ountered in this braoch of agri ultuti , but they re, afler all, not so b. d as those which infebt cereals. Children are !oing to have fiuit even ifüi.y ore Torced to ,-teal it. He did not take eo rosy a view ofthe farmers' condition as did his predeceseors. He held tbat tbere had been of hite years ;. n actual loss in raising wheat, cattle and wool, owing tuilie eompetition of 'the west, and other canses. Emil Baur expatiated on the necestiity of ehoosing specialties. s. R. Gïittemlf-Ti thonghf that tlii not advisable, as mixed farming was the more likely to meet witli sueros-. At the sanie time tbe farmer could push aome one branch of tbe business. The discussion was interrupted at this point by a piano solo beautifully rendered by Miss Minnie Davis. It was resumed by Andrew Campbell, who maintained that doggednei-s alone could win succes.s. At the same time the farmer must keep his mind briglit by readin and reilection. He munt lie alerl and make no misfakes in judgment. The farm problem is more seiious now than it was forty years ago, for the reason that expenses are greater. It takes more brains to be a farmer now than it did then. Wüliam Campbell referred to the use of pho: phate and salt as fertilizare. He was not eer tai n that any advantage could be derived from them. E. A. Nordman had similar doubts as to their usefulness. In reply to Mr. Platt, he urged that much goód had come from the so called blathirskites. Every reform had been brouglit about by agitation. At this point the institnte adjourned till the afternoon. PBOF. IIIsi M e'S TALK. At 2 i'. m. the institute re-convened. Pro B. A. Hiusdale opened the session with au exceedingly interesting talk on the "Territorial IXevelopmeut of the United States," which be illustrated by means of maps. He said there had never been a country in which the tillers of the soil possessed such advantages as are found in the Unitsd States. One great cause of this lav in the series of facts which he proposed to present. In a territorial sense the country is four and one-half times as laive as it was at the beginning of American history. In 1783, when tbe independence of the United States was acknowledged, this country included almostall tbe territory east of the Mississippi river. Florida and a strip running west to the Mississippi river belonged to Spain. The settlers west of the Appalachian mountains were cut ofl' from the easterners on account ofthe diliiculty of crossing the mountains and they were forced to iind an outlet for their products by means of the Mississippi river. They had much difficulty in using the river for the reason that Spain imposed arbitrary regulations and refused to make any commercial treaties. In 1801 Spain was compelled to retrocede Louisiana to France. Atteoipts were made by Jefl'erson to effect a parchase of a portion oi the territory. He finally succeeded in securing for $15,000,000 the whole territory, which then stretched north to the present boundary of the United States and west nearly to tno Kocky mountains. In 1819 Florida was puichased by the United States. Soon after this many bold and adventurous Americars began to makesettlements in Texas. That state soon deolared its independence of Mexico and took measuiea looking toward incorporation with the United States. This was flnallv accomplished by means of the war which ended in 1848. The professor sketched rapidly the disputes concerning the boundary betw-een the United States and Mexico, which were finally settled by the cession of California and New Mexico and the called Gadsden purchase. At llial time the limits of the United States were the same as at present, witli the oxception that the territory west of the liocky mountains and north of California was the subject of disputes between the United Statts and Canada. In 184C) a treaty was made whereby the United States seeured a title to that part of the territory which lay south iJ the 49th parallel. Ihe last aoquisillon of territory was made in 1S08, when the government purchased Alaska. When the professor had eonclnded bis remarks, he rereived a unanimous vote of thanks. WIT.LIAM HALL'S l'Al'ER. One of the most i-olid papers on the program was that delivered by the expresident of the Michigan Senate. Said he, in beginning, "The question of paramonnt interest ainong the farmers of the country today is not so much how to grow gooil cropa of grain, or how to breed and raise good cattle, sheep, horses. Bwine, etc., as to devise some meanaby which they mayreceivea fair equivalent for them in the markets of the country in the form of inoney. Varióos theories and ideas on this subject are promultrated by numerous doctors of polit.cal economy, which are as greatly at variance with eích other as new born (beoríes are apt to be." The first btep, f-aid .Mr Bal), should be the distinguishing of the real froni the lancied Iroublea connfctd with agricultural depression, and gieat cate should be exercised lest the remedy be worse than Ihe disefte. ''In iindertitking to evolve any llieory which will accomplish what. is desired in the way of belter prices and agreater deuiand for farm commodities there are many things to be LOnBidered: First, have we as farmers carefully considered and formed any sa'isfaetory opinión as to the kinds and quantities of agricullural producís needed in the markets of the world? Are we cognizant of the fact that agiieulture is undrrgoing a revolution in nearly all of its departments, that the rapi'i settlement of the vast tracts of fertile cheap lanis in the west bas transferred a large amounl of the growDgofgrains and -tock to those localities :;. ..i i likt ihe more eustern portions of tue country 110 iontT have a monopoly in these productionb? Such are facts and the fainicrs of Michigan ai.d the emtra! stalcs must understand ihem and be guided by the logic of pas nv; eveuts. We must raise what is the most demanded and brings the best prices, provided oor farms are adapted to tlieir cultivation " T e ppeaker amitted bat pricts of farm producís ai low, and examined the varioua remetí wlufh :ra cics jied lo ínflate the i-y. 'In individual tiansactions the crtiiitor wishes to know wbeihei the debtor or maker of a note has the ability to pay at the time note or obligationa mature, before 1"' ffill d vanee money on them. The greater the outstanding amount of indebtedneaa againsl an individual che tese bis promises to pay are worth. 80 it must be with any government." 11e did not thtnk that there is.after all, such a !ack of circulating medium as is claimed, for the reason that no farmer has any trouble in getting all the money which bis producís will bring. The farmer suffers one grievance in that there are combinalions of men in Detroit a d elsewhere who make laws goveraing the inspection of wheat to suittheirown speculative purposes. Thua the farmer who brings good wheat to market does not receive a fair price, while the carcless farmer receives a coniparatively greater price. The poor and good. wheat are mixed together and a grade arbitrarily established, the individual farmer being lelt in thedark as to the real valué of bis contnbution, The difference between the real and the nominal valué is pocketed by the speculator. The remedy for the evil is state inspection. The Detroit bcard of trade is a gigantic lottery, controlling the price of wheat, which should eilhet be controlled by law or aboliehed. Mr. Ball also scored tbe "Big Four" syndicate, which not only sets the prie-s for the producer but for tbe consumer of beef as well. It fixes transportaticn rates and bas complete control of the carrying capacity of ocean steamers. This is a matter lor nationl legislation. The twoper-cent loan scheme, as proposed by Senator Stanford, did not meet with the approval of the speaker. He objected to it on the grounds that its adoption would translorin the government into a loan association, that it would be class legislation, that it is chanapioned by one of the wealthiest monopolists in the country, that it would not accomplish its purpose. Tbe scheme is not a tenable one, for the reason that a large nuniber who would desire to avail themselves of its benefits would be unable to do so, on account of not owning a sufficient amount of real estáte or farming lands to meet the governmental requirements. Mr. Ball then quoted from the adverse report on the scheme by the senate committee. In this the point is made that men should not be encouraged thus to make debts of long standing. Kxperience, moreover, bas clearly shown that such schemes cannot l'ail to be disastrous. Mr. Ball next spoke of the unequal taxation to wbich the farmer is subjected. Some plan should be devised so that the mortgagor would be compelled 10 pay taxes only 011 that which he really owns. Uutside of the reahn of legislation there are many eyils towards which the farmer should direct his attention. He is really not worse oü' than the mecbanic, the merchant or the laborer. li be is to succeed he must conduct his business on the same principies which make other businesses successful. First, he must bave a complete knowledge of his business; second, he must look after it carefully every day in the year. He cannot sit idly through the long winter months. Every farmer should adopt some well devised and carefully matured plan of procedure. The wastes attending the barn yard must be stopped. Better stock should be bred. More attention should be given to the peculiar wants of different animáis. Better wool and more to the carcas mn8t be raised. Not so much land should be tilled, but that which istillcil should be looked :ifter more carefnlly. Ij(jss time and expense should be ie voted to idling and foolish babits. More reading und study should be done Better care of tools should be taken. Habite of indnstry and economy should be PDCOuroged. The children ehould be made to work as soon as tliey are old enough. Tliey sliould, at the sametime, be well edueated. Farmers should avoid dehts. If they will only live as they are able, and not try to imitate other people, prosperity will soón dawn upon tliem again. Upon invitationof President Stocking, Robert Campbell began the discnssion. He saw in the crowding of the cities and the consequent increasing detnand for agricultural produots bright prospects for the farmers. TJnder present cunditionssuceess is not easy, but with proper head-work it can be achieved. He was not certain but that tliereissoine virtue in the proposed two per-cent loan, but if adopied, it shotiM be done with all poSible limitation. të. A. Nordman was glad to iind somt; one conrageousenough to confesa that tliere might be something in the two per-cent loan. He did not anderstand tbat Stunfoo] was the aathor of that mach malïgned messure. He was certain of one thiog and that Aas, that the country needs more money. ïhe proposed measure was not class legislation, for the reason ihat the inasses ol" thi people would be beuetited by the imreased circulation. !le ngreed with Mr. Bal', that mucb evil is wrought by the boards of trade and cited as an ii,Slance of this the fact that tliere is established do grade of No. 1 red wheat, although much red wheat averages sixtytwo ponnds. The result ís that farmers have no inducement to try to raise goed grain. Wm. Campbell, who next took the floor, called attention to the injustice of taxation, which bore much more heavily upon real estáte than upon other property. He also attacked the mortgage law. BLOODED STOCK FHO.M A WOMAN'S STANDPOINT. This subject as handled by Mrs. Mary Dancer, who, in rhyme and met re disensted half humorously, half teriously, the varióos farm mul domeetic animáis, ïhe poem was well w ritten and proved very taking. THE S1LVÍR PROBLEM - (iEO. m'DOUQALL. Hesaid,atthe ouUet, that he was willing to accept such axiomatic truths as, for instance, the law "that supply aud i mand ñx the price, or Gresham's law, ti.at the poorer orcheaper money drives (.■ut the better, and that economie forcea, thongfa teiiding tri produce an equilibiiuu never reach stability." That part of the cnrrency of every nation which consistí of gold and silver bears certain relations to the same pat of tho curr ■ncy of every other nation. ïhese relalioniariseof necessity. 'J'lie recognition of ihtse facts has resulted in several international congreses for the ronsiúeration of coin and current-y, The ürsl of the:e was in 18!7. Mr. McDoDgall hereupon gave a brief' statement of the monetary coudition ot England, France and the United States before this congres?. He showed that Bil ver w.s tUe tirst money coined in England, and that ;(ild coin-s were not struck till Jl'ö7. These were driven out of circulation by the popular ouícrj against them. For several handred e.trs the straggle between gold and bilver continued, and constant attempts to adjust tlieir relative value were made with littlesuccess. One metal on. y ?s usually in circulation. AHer the Restoration, Charles II caused tobestruck a new iwenty-shilling gold piece, called a guinea, the real valué of wnich wai greater than its nominal value. "By common consent, itcirculated at its real value, tweniy-one shillings, andsometimesconsiderably more.owiug to thedegeneracy of the silver coin from abrasión and clipping. For a time, ander these conditions, England had both gold and silver money. In the reformationof the coinage,begununder Wil Ham III, gold was rated very near its bullion value ana silver much below. Silver coin, thns being worth lessthan bullion, w.is gathered up, melted and sold out of the kinglom, gold coming in and taking its place, till linally silver was deinonetized except in payments of forty shillings or less. Kugland thus came to have a gold standard, not because the people preferred it, but because, in fixing their relative legal value gold was made the cheaper money." Gold bec.me, in a difl'erent manner, the money of France. The advocates of the doublé standard have regarded these changes as the real advantage of the system, in that it prevents wide fluctuations in the ordinary value of both uietals. In the United States the ratio between gold and silver was fixed at n'fteen. ïhe market value of the former metal was greater than that oi the latter, and gold was, consequently, sold abroad. In 1S.'Í4 the weight of pure gold in the eagle was reduced, and three years later the composition of both gold and silver coinage was changed. The ratio of eixteen to one, which was fixed by the law of 18U4, has remained unchanged to the present time. At first silver was at a premium and congrees passed an act reducing the amount of pure silver in the coins smaller than ■. dollar and limiting their legal tender to an amount not exceeding live dollars. Thns it is seen that in Enj;land gold was used because, in tixing the ratio, silver was undervalued. In France, in tixing the ratio, gold was undervalued and silver became the principal money and remained so until tile f'all in the market price of gold below the legal value eaused the relatively cheaper metal to take its place. In the United States, Ironi the establishment ot the mint until 18Ö4, gold was largely undervalued, with the result of making silvt r the prevailing currency. In lüö 1 silver was undervalued and gold became from that time the principal money. In IStiü an international statistical conference was held in Berlín. They had no difliculty inadopting the metric system of weights and measures, but the unit of value was not so easily settled. In 180) another [ Coniinued on j'ovrth page. ] [ Concluded from flrti page. ] congrees was called togetherfor the purpose of bringing about the unifioation of the coinage of all nations. Three standards were proposed : First, the silver standard ; second, the gold standard ; third, the doublé standard. In the debate on the second proposition it was .hown that if the gold standard were adopted gold would inevitably rise in value, at the same time increasing the value of every evidence of debt. The ujiholders of the plan simply argued its convenience. The gold standard was finally adopted, the French iive-franc gold coin belng the unit. One result of this rongress was the demonetization of BilverinGentsnyand theUnited States. In the case of the latter, silver was not expressly demonetized. The act of congies simply failed to mention it as one of the coins to be made at the mint. In 187IÍ this action was reversed, as the result of the deliherations of a special conimittee. It was stated that the fall in the price of silver was due, not to over-production but to the concurrent demonetization of silver in Germany, the United States and Scandinavia. That gold is more fitful in production than silver, that the average production of bolh is more steady than that of either one, that to discontinue the use of either ene as raoney would greatly increase the purchasing power of the other and greatly reduce prices, that the supplies of both the precious metáis taken together, if not diminishing, are at least stationary, that thesnpply of gold taken by itself is falling off, that if the na tions of the continent of Europe had the doublé standard a gold standard would be pofsible here, because in that condition they would freely exchange gold tor silver, that the attatnment of such a standard becomes difficult precisely in proportion to the number and iinportance of the countries Btriving after it - all thia, Mr. MeDougill held, was very evident. A second monetary conference was held in Paris and every one of the memters represented himself as being opposed to the denionetization of silver in the United States and Europe. Most men who now advocate a gold standard appeal either fo the fears or the prejudices of the people. The speaker tben quoted recent argumenta by Congressaian Ilaiter, the Ñew York Nation and Secretary Windom, against the free coinage of i-ilver. He held that, while it is trnethat a cheaper money wilt drive out a dearer, there is no historical record of a panic being canse d by euch a change. Every gold dollar lost would be replaced by its equivalent zilver dollar; conseqiiently there would be no contraction. As to the claim that the silver miner would receive a bonus, Mr. McDougall said that he would simply be receiving back that which was taken away from him in 1873. ïo the cüarge that the debtor is seltishly demanding an unjust advantage, he replied that the debtor is simply demanding justice. His ramplaint is tliatgovernment, by forbidding the use of one of the precious metáis, has very seriously increased the burden of his debls, which are payable in the other me'al. Andrew Campbell exhorted his hearers to look at the silver question and all others in their entirety. Prejudice Bhonld be laid aBide. For his part, he han not deciden the silver question. W. H. Dancer was in favor of ihe twopercent loan. Money had been lent to banks in limiten quanlities; ii inight also be lent to farmer?. He was in lavor of free coinage, wliich lie considered a rauch better Écheme than the presejit method of btiying bullion and storing it in vaults where it is uselesp. J. Q. A. tíessions was opposed to free coinage because the western miners would, by its adoption, be enabied to make twenty per cent on every silver doüar coined. He Ihoogbt that every admiiiistration sbould increase the currency asthe vol umeof business i ncreases. He called attention to the law passed last lall, which caused an ad vanee in prices almost immediately. Robert Cainpbeil thought that the proposition to puta dollar stamp upon tighty-two cents worth of silver was a ijuestii nable one. J. K. Campbell, referrin to the statements of Mr. Sesbions.said that it was notclear to him that just so m ícn money per capita was required. In reply to thec'aim that the increase of prices was due to the silver law, he asserted that prices were much higher a year agn, before the law passed, than they are now. II. I). Platt lield that the (luetuation of prices is due to the action of su pply and deinand and notto tbe increase per capita of t lie circulating medium. The price of money dependa lipón securiiy more than anón anytliiiig else. V. E. Stocking (lid not beiieve that Bupply and demand settle everything, fur trie reason that moneyloanefs manage tilinga their own way. He tbonsht that there was no impropriety in tfie government loaning money to farmers, inasmnch as a recent adminisiration loaiifd to bankers $ 0,000,0U0 for nothing. The discuseion was conti nued by several speakers until nearly six o'clocíc, when ihe institute took a recess. The exercit-es were re?i)med at seven o'clock and continiied till nine. During the e vening the business men'squartette renderi-d tbree hne selections. The first paier was given by MrR. Mary A. Mayo, of Batile Creek. lts subject was Al.r.IlTl.TTKE, KUO.M THE STASDl'OIST OP A '(IMÁN. Tlie traes! measare of eiviliz ilion at any Huif, waid she, is fouiul u ihe state of Rgricultore. We claim to have attained to a high developnieut of our resources. We h.ive onderfnl facilities for cfaeap transportatlon, we have trans formed agricultura into a tcience and art, we have a multitude of cheap and good books, and many other advantages. Judged from a material standpoiiit, we sland biyh. Bot let na look around. I the home surrounded by a weedy yard, is the gate rickety, is the pig-sty in too i lose proximity to the house, is the cellar tainted ) y decayed vegetable?, does the farmer, in his convenatifiD, utter vulgar inuendoes, is his bearing towards his family one cif tyranny? These are som e of the questions whieh shouM interest the American farmer. Are the members of the fatnily grouml w ilh hard labor? Incpssant work and poor metbods will soon dwarf the best intellect. The iariiKT who pursues this policy belongs lo no farmer'rt organi.ation and siibsciibes for no agricultural or county paper. It is no wonder h'.s sons and daugbters find farm life degrading, for siich a course places a false value upon life. Thechildren should be surrounded by good influencea. They should feel the power of a mother's love. Attwentyone the crown of citizenship is bestowed upon our voung men. How have we prepa:ed them for it V The great need of the American peopie today is men, ereat, pure, strong, clean men- men whom the spoils of office won't buy, whom the evil influences of the world won't corrupt. How are we to get such men? Let's rear them. The. best, wisest, purest statesmen and Christians come from the farms. We must teach our children what mankind is. In this age mankind is not held sacred. Otherwise it would notbe raeasured.in the popular mind, by the amount of money one possesses or the cutof clothes one wears. Mrs. Mayo wa9 surprised that there were no young men on the program. If ilhesaid that the children cannot deal with such difh'cult subjects, it may be replied tliat they can witb your help. Let us stand by the boys and cirls, not only in our own homes but in our neighborhoods as wel!. After a few remarka by Andrew Cani - bell, Prof. .T. B. Steere read a very instructive paper on the HABITO OF AXIMAI.S. Farmers, said he, have exceptionally good opportunHies for observing the habits of animáis. To the man who notices them they seem to say, " Look at me." Every child is a bom naturalist and the best men are all interested in the animal kingdom. Why should we study nature? In the first place, beoause" there is a pleasure in knowing her. There is also a distinct ethic.il advantage. If an instructor can only interest yonr sons in the study of nature heissurelo send them back es clean and as sound as they came. For such boys saloons and other dens of vice have no charm. The taste for ihe beautiful in nature must be traeed ba'-kto the time when man became self-conscious. The habit of animáis, said tUe professor, are of two kinds: inherited and acquired. The former are rauch the stronger. Tlie habits of whole species seern at first alance to be idéntica!, and it is only when we study them earefully thal wp'si tliat tliey have individualities. Hort ei lie down in rows, and in winter time when (hey are thirsfy they lift their left font and break the ice. Thia indicatea their northern origin. Horses and hheep prefer running water, liit cattle love tostand in sta'gnant pools. Cows seek low gronnd, while sheep prefer hills. Cows try to hide their calves fnr tlie tiist two day; colts folio w their dams i ledifttely. Swine retain nearly all their wild habits. When one hog is seized, all the otliers in the field run to his rescne. The 1)02 is a lover of luxnry. He will often be seen catTving larye quantities of leaves in order to uiake tor him-elf a good bed. Fowls crow from the perch until it is light, theu thev fly to the ground and crow. The Inclination of the hen to hide its nest ia one of the results of domestication Several good birds are useless to man becanse of their wild habits. South American turkeys will nest in tree?. Many varietiea are so averee to man's society that lhey have not yet been domesticated. Thiscan beaitcomplishnd only by persistent eflort. ïhe greatest development of natural history in the future will come from the observation of animal habits. How animáis differ 18 known, but whv animáis difler is still unknown. To pursue Ihis branch of the study one does not need to read books. Any íarmer's son can learn mach by siniply watching the beasts of the field. Dr. Steere's remaiks were well ajipreciated by all lii hearers, who tenlered to him a vote of thanks. After B few partin;; words by the president and a musical selection by thequartette, the institute c.losed.