Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 62, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 March 1918 — FINAL REPORT OF BETTER FARMING ASSOCIATION [ARTICLE]

FINAL REPORT OF BETTER FARMING ASSOCIATION

A year ago the county agent work was new to Jasper county. Many people did not realize the advantage ~ a county would have with an agent. Mr. S Learning took charge of his office on March 1, 1917 and he soon saw that the first thing we needed was organization so on March 17th, a meeting of the fanners was called and it was’decided to form ’the Jasper County Better Farming Association. The following officers were elected: Henry Paulus, president; W. A. Lake, vicepresident; and P. H. Hauter, secretary. Then a constitution and bylaws were drawn up, and adopted and the meeting adjourned until the 24th. At this meeting a definite set of projects were adopted 1. Soils. Liming demonstrations. Use of lime and cowpeas in building up sandy soils. 2. Crops. Oat smut demonstrations. Ear-to-row corn tests. y . Corn variety and cowpea variety tests. 3. Livestock. Organization of livestock breeders’ association. 4. Horticulture. Orchard pruning and spraying demonstrations. 5. Rural Organisations. Farmers’ club organization. Industrial club work for the boys and girls. Boys’ corn club. Boys’ and Girls’ poultry club. Girls bread making club. Boys’ pig club. Boys’ and girls garden club. Local auto tours, summer picnics, farmers*, institutes. 6. General. Butchering and meat curing demonstrations. . - " Gasoline motor dempnstrations. At call of Governor Goodrich a meeting was held April 7th, at which time the Better Farming association was enlarged to include following committees: Corn production—P. H. Hauter; Charles Welsh and M. J. Delahanty. Home garden—A. H. Hopkins; Ellis Jones; Worth Stoneburner; S. A. Brusnahan and Henry Marble. Live stock production—Chauncey Wood; O. S. Bell; Kenton Parkinson; John Ryan and Frank Hill. Boys’ and girls’ club work—John Kolhoff; Ernest Lamson; John Matt and Martin Sauser. Diary production—Steve Kohley; I. F. Meader and John Frye. Food conservation —J. C. Deselms; Mabie Atwood; . Earl Foulks; Mrs. A. Eib and Helen Murray. Poultry production—Martin Sauser; C. W. Postill and Al Wallace. Publicity—L. H. Hamilton; F. E. Babcock; Mr. Bartoo and John Bowie. At our first meeting, nine farmers were selected to conduct liming demonstrations. These men were simply volunteers and applied lime without tests to determine the degree of acidity found in their soils. These men ordered a carload of lime and applied it to whatever crops were to be grown on the soil selected.

Demonstrators —Ed Honan, mamoth clover, 200 per cent increase; James Amsler, corn; Henry Paulus, clover, 31 per cent increase; Henry Paulus, corn, good; Stephen Kohley, corn, good; P. H. Hauter, corn, poor; Henry Gowland, oats and clover, 500 per cent increase; W. H. Berry, cowpeas, seed blew away; Chauncey Wood, corn, excellent; Al Daugherty, corn, good. A complete report will be given by each of these men. Placards 22x28 inches were placed at these demonstrations calling attention to work and at least 350 people visited the various plots during the summer. As soil acidity is one of the big problems of the county, the matter hay been given especial attention. About 500 soil samples have been tested. Ten minutes talks have been given at farmers’ clubs. 25 farmers have signified that intention of using a carload or more of lime. Arrangements have been made thus far for five additional demonstrations next year. , ; The shortage of cars has made it almost impossible to get rock lime stone, but the county agent located a marl bed in Wheatfield township two miles from railroad that has about 200,000 tons of marl testing 76.3 per cent calcium carbonate and a workable marl bed with 40 per cent calcium carbonate was located in Walker township, it would be a great benefit to the community if these would be opened.

Oat Smut Demonstrations. Last spring a series of seven oat smut attended by 231 people was held. At these meetings thirty-seven farmers were selected to complete the demonstrations by treating part of their seed oats and leaving part in the Same field untreated. Mr. J. F. Pipal of Purdue checked up the results, according to his finding the saving effected ran from 11 to 600 bushels per farm. Average saving per farm was 93 bushels of oats. Taking this at an average price of 60 cents it would amount to 55.50 a farm and the county over $95,450 by all treating this year, a year when oats were un»usually free of smut. About 400 pledges have been signed up for the coming season. Ear-to-Rew Cora Tests. R. L. Budd and Roy Gish conducted corn tests. Mr. Budd used Reed's Yeliow Dent. His best strains yielded 78 per cent more than his poorest and 25 per cent more than average, he will give complete report. Mr. Gish enlisted in the U. S. Army and his plot was not completed. Corn Show. The Renselaer show was in charge of the Jasper County Poultry Association,. and was» one of the largest ever held in the county. There were about 40 yellow corn exhibits and about 35 white corn ex-

hibits, 8 single yellow ears and 7 white corn ears. This corn attracted a good deal of attention and it also shows that the seed had to be tested for many dead ears, were found. Corn and Soy Bean Variety Te»t*. In order to determine the value of different variety corn. Firman Thompson conducted a trial to tan varieties on his ranch north of Parr. These were planted about June 6th, and were killed by the frost September 9th. As a consequence most of the corn did not ripen, but as all had equal chances the test served Its purpose exceedingly well. The following results were obtained* Relative CondiVariety Yield tion White Cap Yellow Dent 48 fair Early Yellow Dent 50 poor Bustldr White 35 poor Silver King 44 poor Reed Yellow Dent 56 poor Silver Mine 29 poor Murdock 90 fair Minnesota 13 51 good Wolf Yellow Dent 33 fair This tests shows that the Minnesota 13 and Murdock is corn that may be recommended to North part of the county.

, Seed Corn. Last spring farmers were urged to test and grade their seed corn. R. H. S. tested out 100 bushels. Many farmers, tested theirs and dealers claimed that it was the first year there was demand for graders and result was that over the county in general their was a very good stand of corn. During the summer the county agent made an inspection of 10 farmers fields who pick their corn early and. 10 who pick seed corn out of the crib in the spring of the year, and the following results were obtained: 10 who picked seed out of field before frost 88 per cent. 10 who picked seed out ff crib after frost 69 per cent. September 15th a drive was made to pick out seed corn early by talks and circular letters. October 29th, circular letters were sent out telling farmers that corn was not marketable urging farmers to buy hogs which were selling at 12 cents at that time. Later on when farmers did want to buy, they were paying 20 to 25 cents a pound. December 6th, poster circulars suggesting ways of saving corn were ‘sent out.

T rt o COnemg-acJ After • orn show was >ver farmers realized condition of seed corn. A committee was appointed to make survey. The chairmen of this committee were: Carpenter, Mr. Sigo; Jordan, Frank Welsh; Milroy, Thos. MlcAleer; Hanging .Grove, George Parker; Marion, Steve Kohley; Newton, Chas. Schleman; Gillam, S. C. Robinson; Barkley, John Rusk and Harry Gifford; Walker, W. C. Dooley and Isaac Knapp; Union, Charles Lakin; Keener, C. P. Chenoweth; Wheatfield, Wm. Grube; Kankakee, R. E. Davis. The following results were obtained. Acres planted last season 79,644. Acres planted this season 63,946. Bu, on hand 8,269. Bu. to be bought 3,238 f. Bu. for sale 2,034. Labor. Hired all time 1917 351 men. Hired part time 1917 395 men. Men hired for 1918 85. Men hired part time 65. Applied for boys 171.

February 22 Seed Testing Demonstration. We conducted at various school louses and it was shown that corn selected during husking time before zero weather about 60 per cent germination, that selected before frost was much better. . . Soy Bean Variety Tests. Mr. I. F. Meader conducted a soy lean variety test. Planting five varieties June Ist. These were tilled by the frost on September 9, leaving only one variety, the Chestnut developed enough for seed. For hay and sable was, Mr. Meader’s first choice and Holly brook his second. He preferred Chestnut for grain and gave Hollybrook as his second choice. Winter Wheat Variety Tests. With a view of standardizing wheat varieties, Eilt Toben and Sons, Chas. Hewett, A. P. Rice and Amos McDaniels planted plots with eight different varieties of wheat. These men are to report next season. C. M. Dewey is conducting a similiar test with. rye.

Orchard Pruning Demonstrations. 10 demonstrations were held with an attendance of about 250 people, at least 50 orchards were cared for by suggestion of tTie county agent. Poultry Association. The association has been existing for a number of years. They gave a splendid show; one of the best ever given with their poultry show. They had corn show and also boys’ and girls’ exhibits. They are going to make a poultry drive and also be given charge of the boys and girls poultry club. Rural Engineering School. This was held the same week as the poultry show and about 500 people attended this meeting and they had some good .speakers. Silo demostrations were held and from their meeting about 10 silos were built in the north part of the county. Wheat demonstrations were given. The council of defense wanted in Jasper county, planted 14,000 acres of wheat and 7,000 acres of rye and the result was about 16,000 acres wheat and 7,000 or 8,000 acres of rye were planted. A food conservation campaign in nature of 10 demonstrations of cold pack process of canning and attended by 800 women resulted in an increased canning at least 18,000 quarts of fruits and vegetables. Through the aid of the home economic club and women pf the farm-

:ers’ club, a home demonstrator was obtained. Miss Billman was first appointed but on account of the death in her family resigned so we have a new one with us today. Farmer*’ Club*. It is through our farmers’ clubs that most of our demonstrations are conducted, these clubs having created great interest in various communities. It is through these that a great many of our projects are obtained and the people are taking a great deal of interest in this work. The general policy of the association has been to organize clubs only in such localities as show a proper willingness to maintain an organization when once formed. The work of the clubs has been social and educational in its nature.

Industrial Club Work. Six lines of industrial club worK have been carried out. Five, the corn, pig, poultry, canning and bread making were started last spring through the schools. Fair results have .been obtained in spite of the unfavorable season. A yield of 97.5 bushels were obtained at the Morris Reed. The total enrollment of the five clubs,was 246. During the summer the Jasper county shorthorn club was organized, financed by the First National bank of Rensselaer. This club has 40 members, each of which received a registered yearling Shorthorn heifer, giving his note at six per cent for one year for actual cost of the animal received. The heifers are to be kept one-year by the boys and bought in and auctioneered off. The boy may bid in the heifer which he owned, at any price and simply pay off the amount of the note or he may sell her and receive the difference between the selling price and the cost. More interest has been created in club work and in better live stock through this organization than all of the other clubs, combined , _ Live Stock' Breeder*’ Association. One of the most important pieces of work' of the year has been the organization of county live stock breeders’ association. This organization has a membership of 52. It has been instrumental in holding a live stock tour of the county, visiting leading herds, holding a live stock show at Rensselaer, October 12 and 13th, at which time 125 head of pure bred live stock were on exhibition, fostering the distribution of 40 registered heifers among the boys of the county and promoting a healthy interest in better live stock which has resulted in the establishmen of at least six new herds of pure bred livestock. It has been responsible for ;he organization of a county Shortlorn breeders’ association and a county Hereford breeders’ association. . . > xU Now in closing my report of the association I wish to say that the assiciation endeavored to follow out She line of work which was of most benefit to the community in general jut also at the same time following out our war program. In behalf of our county agent and officers of the association I wish to thank the people who have given , their time to these projects and have I ifelped in work in any other way, for it is true that most of the credit must be given to our county agent but no matter how efficient he may be, these things can not be accomplished single harided. You must have the co-operation of every person in the | When we have accomplished all ■ of these things we have established a base upon which we can expect to build for results. It opens the path that leads to that foremost ideal of our democracy; that each man should be given an equal chance and it will also emphasize and actuate that truth; that people are able to efficiently govern themselves. Let us then organize in each community such activities as will make for community welfare and individual justice, and we will have laid a foundation for our great nation and world democracy so strong and permanent, that it will put the rocks of Gilbratar to shame, P. H. HAUTER, Sec’y.