Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 114, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 May 1919 — THE NEIGHBORHOOD CORNER [ARTICLE]

THE NEIGHBORHOOD CORNER

A DEPARTMENT OF FARM WELFARE CONDUCTED BY COUNTY AGENT LEAMING. Bee Keeper’* Tour on May 21. Frank Foltz, chairman of the C6Uhtyßee~Keeper r s"ass6ciatibh,~ has arranged for the postponed tour of that organization on Wednesday, May 21, the previous tour being called off on account of the sudden sickness of Prof. E. G. Baldwin. Mr. Foltz in company with fellow bee enthusiasts will visit various localities of the county and Professor Baldwin will give practical talks and demonstrations on “Transferring,” “Swann Prevention” and “How to Get the Honey Crop.” The following schedule has been arranged: 7:30, Charles Postill apiary, Rensselaer. 9:00, Arthur Bailey farm, Hanging Grove tp. 10:30, James Britt farm, Barkley tp. >2:00, St. Joseph college, Collegeville.

3:30, Joseph Borntrager farm, Marion tp. Any person interested in bee keeping can pick up a number of ideas of value by dropping in at one of these meetings. Mr. Foltz believes that the topics to be discussed are extremely timely and invites everyone to make all or part of this trip. Full Feed of Corn Prove* Best. The old standby ration consisting of a full feed of corn, silage, clover hay and cottonseed meal, is the most profitable, according to the results of experiments announced at the meeting of the Indiana Cattle Feeders’ association at Lafayette May 3. This is in keeping with the results of previous experiment. Not including the value of the pork produced, the lot receiving no corn showed the highest profit, the gains being low, but the cost of gain being correspondingly low. Where a full ration was used with corn and soy beans silage the profit per steer was $40.03, and where corn silage was used the profit was $30.96 per steer, previous experiments, having shown little difference. A nuniber of local feeders attended the meeting. La*t Chance for Corn and Soy Bean Combination. “Every farmer who puts corn in the silo, cuts it up for fodder or Hogs it off, should plant soy beans with the corn” is the recommendation of the county soils and crops committee. Observations lead one to believe that the practice will be followed more generally this season than ever before. Conscientious effort on the part of members of the soils committee, demand for greater yields or forage per acre and a growing appreciation for the feeding value of the legumes and home-grown protein are responsible for this increase. The farmer'who heeds the suggestion of the crops committee is going to grow cheaper feed than the man who neglects it. Sorghum for the Silo. With prospects of late corn planting, the planting of sorghum for the silos should be more popular this year than ever before. Probably the largest yields of high-grade silage may be obtained by planting fairly early maturing corn and soy beans in one field and sorghum in another, mixing the two loads about at silo filling time. Practically everyone who tried the combination thinks that it is fine. «

“Swat the Rat” Is Slogan for “Rat Day” Here May 27. “Swat the rat is the slogan adopted by Indiana for the observance of rat day, May 27. Every man, woman and child in this county is urged to heed this slogan and see that all rats and mice, the largest single destroyers of food and property, are exterminated. The brown or Norway rat is probably the worst of all mammal pests in the county and entire state. It is estimated that rats destroy food arid property in Indiana worth not less than $4,000,000 annually. The cost in 1917 of maintaining the five insane hospitals, three state prisons and rest of the 19 .institutions was $3,186,070. If the rats and mice were wiped out, enough will be saved to pay tiie taxes supporting these institutions and leave a balance of SBOO,OOO. Their depredations cost citizens of the United States a total of $200,000,000 each-year in damage to crops and property alone, not to mention the dozens of diseases for which they are to blame. This property destruction is equivalent to the gross earn- 1

j ings of an army of over 200,000 men. i “On many a farm, if the grain ; eaten and wasted by rats and mice ; could be sold, the proceeds would more than pay all the taxes,” dei dared an authority of the depart- • ment of agriculture recently. Premium* for Club Members. j Three hundred dollars was appro- ; priated by the council council to be • used as premiums for boys and girls- > of the county who successfully com- ' plete their industrial club work. J. 1 M. Sauser, chairman of the club com- ; mittee, has charge of the fund and expects to have a premium for every ' dub member who does good work f this season. The clubs this year are seven in 1 number and the enrollment is exactly" i 100 boys and girls. Marion Farmers’ Club Meeting to [ Be Held May 29. After a lapse of some months, the South Marion Farmers’ club has come to life and the officers are planning for a rousing meeting on the evening "of May 29. A fine program is being prepared and everyone is welcome to attend.