Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 53, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 March 1914 — Crop Improvement [ARTICLE]

Crop Improvement

A»k your Confresiman if your Cuunty Farm Bureau ia in the Budget. It’a on to YOU.

COUNTY PROGRAM . k _ CROP IMPROVEMENT ' ■ ba ' A Practical - Demonstration and Discussion of How to Establish a Single Variety of Each Kind of Grain Best Adapted to the Soil and Climate of the County. / It has been demonstrated a great many times that unless a man actually does things for himself that it will not do a great deal of good mere ly to tell him or have him read about how to do it. This actual demonstra-: tion is the main recommendation of the Crop Improvement Committee working through the county farm bureaus to be added to the old idea of institute lecturing' which is all very well in Its way, but which is gradually being set aside for practical demonstration by the farmer himself. The program suggested for the next few weeks before seeding time is somewhat as follows.

A Single Variety. I. —The best type of corn, oats, barley and wheat adapted to the soil and climate of the county. Demonstrations and discussions led by the State Experiment Station. If it is found impossible to secure an agronomy professor, insist that he send you samples of the grain which he recommends for your territory and'have the subject led by the best grain growers in your section as to the merits of this type, so that all will agree that preferably one type may be selected to be grown by all, so that ultimately it may be had in carloads free from mixtures and . weed seeds. Germination Tests. 11. —Germination tests with Blotter and Rag Doll testers. Demonstrations and discussions led by the superintendent of the county schools, by members of the Boys’ Corn Club or by the seed selection committee which is established under the farm bureau. This demonstration should be started a week before the meeting, and samples of fair types of every kind of grain be shown actually germinated in the Blotting-paper, Rag Doll or Germination Box testers. In this connection, the committee should be enlarged so that every school district is taken care of, so that a demonstration may be made for every farmer, a certificate being given him showing the seed condition of his grain, and a tabulation made from every school district and published in the county newspapers, just prior to the date of a meeting to be held later on. The Crop Improvement-Committee of Chicago will supply the blank certificates free and will also furnish Blotters and Rag Dolls at cost. If you prefer to make your own testers, either blotter or cloth, they will give you careful directions. Eradicate Foul Seeds. 111. —Purity tests. The mixed condition of all our grains is something deplorable and it will be impossible to grow thoroughbred seeds until weeds and mixtures are eliminated. There is a good laboratory at your agricultural college, and if you will write the dean he will no doubt send some one to demonstrate a practical method of selecting a pure type and he will also tell you how to combat dangerous weeds. Fanning the Seed Grains. IV. —Fanning and cleaning of seeds. The manufacturers of fanning and grading machinery are generally willing, through their local agents, to give practical demonstrations to show how to fan and re-fan, until everything is removed from your seed grain except the plumpest and most robust seeds. This can often be done nature of a contest, and the work should be done by spectators rather than experts. You should have eaeft member bring a sack of grain, and a grain show so arranged would add to the interest

Grain Diseases. V. —The treatment of grain diseases, especially smut Demonstrations with formaldehyde by sprinkling, by dipping or'by machines, also hot water treatment, for smut not affected by formaldehyde. Ask the dean of your college to send some one who‘will demonstrate this and show the importance of doing it properly. Selling on Its Merits. . VI. —Demonstrations by your state department showing the advantages of selling your surplus grain by grading on Its merits. This subject should be followed by a discussion of how to keep from mixing all kinds of grain, good, bad and indifferent, into the same bin at the elevator. This can be accomplished by your seed committee and a plan made whereby each different grade may be marketed systematically, so that Inferior grades may not be mixed in. It is obvious that this work cannot be done at the latest minute when there is a line of urgent drivers waiting to dump at the elevator. The seed committee should arrange this delivery to the elevator so that every man would know at what time his particular kind of grain is to be shipped. A balanced ration means a balance on the right side of the ledger. ' Clover, cattle and corn silage makes a good combination. Good silage in winter and good pasture in summer make green feed the year rouhd.—G- R Bliss,