Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 146, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 June 1920 — JASPER COUNTY AGRICULTURAL NEWS [ARTICLE]

JASPER COUNTY AGRICULTURAL NEWS

Smail Acreage of Alfalfa. Its Profits Mighty! is the word to express the advantage of alfalfa fields. The writer witnessed the cutting and mowing of twelve tons of choice alfalfa hay from five and one-half acres. This according to the owner, Russell Van Hook, is about the usual amount at the first cutting. He nearly always secures Your cuttings in one season. This year the first cutting was about ten days late- This meadow is now six years old and hos produced sixteen to twenty-one tons a year so far. One can readily see the great profit in a like field. Mr. Van Hook rays that nearly all of the failures and winter kills are occasioned , by not reeding the right variety of the plant For this latitude ft is well known that the Grim Seed or the Canadian Varigated is the hardiest. While this variety is not so prolific as the southern seed, commonly on sale, yet is able to withstand the rigors of our often severe winters. Of course one should not expect to secure a permanent field without innoculating the soil. A plot of ground with a natural drainage surface should be selected for the initial effort, if not already tiled. . Save the Spuds. / This is the time of the year that we, as farmers, should save our oncoming potato crop, not only in the preservation of moisture after this splendid rain, but by preventing the blight and bugs from taking them. Blight can be prevented but when the disease gets a good start it usually takes the whole _ plant. It usually attacks the plant in two forms, namely, 'by eating brown spots in the foliage and by causing the vines to wilt and die before they are ripe-. Prevention is worth more in this case than a pound of cure. Bordeaux mixture sprayed on the vines thoroughly every week not only prevents the blight, but from actual experience makes the vines put- on a more vigorous appearance, if not stronger and healthier growth. By ading paris green, % pound to 50 gallons Of bordeaux mixture you kill the bugs at the same time. The profits gained by applying this spray more than doubly pays you for your trouble besides saving the crop. Try it and help lower the high cost of living. Farmers’ Federation.. To state that the farmers of Jasper county are wide awake to. the present agricultural situation is putting it mild. Mr. Farmer, if you had been in attendance at the farmers federation meeting last Saturday afternoon and seen the one hundred farmers assembled, for the purpose of organizing to better conditions, you would have received a new life or inspiration to help adjust the few conditions that tiie state organizer, H. C. Reed revealed to us. Mr. Reed a short and snappy talk on what tiie Indiana Farmers’ Federation is doing and /some of the problems that are before us. Following the talk it was moved and < carried that Jasper county form a farmers federation, and plans be made to carry out same. The county agent was intrusted with job of heading the campaign for organizing and receiving memberships up until the permanent organization is perfected, and memberships will be received at any time now. Twenty farmers sure put pep in the meeting by paying in their memberships fees in advance and many others signified their of signing up m the near future. Plans were made to hold preliminary meetings in each township prior to the membership drives. These drives are to start Monday evening Sept. 13th, spending one night and one day to each township. The main county organization meeting will be tiie final wind-up and will be held Oct. 1, 1920. Commencing at 10:00 a. m. C. S. Masterson, farmer from Hancock county, also a state organizer, will be here to conduct all of the township drives while the membership campaign is on. During campaign every-farmer will be. visited । and any information that is desired will be freely given. letters or, articles of information will be run in the press from time to time. The outline of the township' drives together with the places and dates are as follows. Special notice is given first that the meetings in each township, beginning on Sept ISth will be held in the evening and the drive will be the next day, exempting in two cases where they have to be held on the following Monday. Marion township, South school house, Sept 18th. Jordan township, Egypt school house, Sept 14th. . Carpenter township,- Remington, Sept.' 15th. Hanging Grove township, Banta school house, Sept: Idth. . Milroy township, Milroy church, Sept. 17 *^ ve & jf on day) Barkley township, Barkley church, Sept - 20th. d Newton township, Blue Grass school, Sept. 21st ( Union township, Center school house, Sept 22nd. Gillam township, Independence church, Sept 28rd. 1 Walker township, Walker Center school, Sept 24tin Kankakee township, Tefft, Sept Zo Ul.' WheatST e DeMotte, Sept Courfty meeting, Rensselaer. Oct 1, 1920. 10:00 a. m. court house. > Shorthorn K The annualmeotang of the Shorthem Breeders’ Association wiH be the most important semdon of this association for tiie year. Vevyimportant bustneae wifi be transacted and every one is urgedlto attend. Sn* e aro“fa^ed > _ help boost the asodation. • Other

sides helping those that are just starting up m the shorthorn business, it will help bring about pure sires for our herds. Pure sires are first, last, and always essential to the best production of meat. Army Worm. It is desired that every farmer keep a close search for the army worm, which is liable now at any time to break forth with their most destructive work. . Keep looking for them in your rye. wheat, bluegrass and timothy. If you find any please report to County Agent Mawhorter without delay. He will be at your assistance at once. To hold them in check first plow a furrow around the field then use poison baits, such as 25 lbs. of bran, 1 lb. of paris green or 21 ‘lbs. of arsenate of lead and 2 qts. of syrup. Add enough water to make about 3 gals, of mixture. This is sufficient to cover about 5 acres. Certified Wheat. Firman Thompson has some Egyptian and Gladden wheat which he is going to have certified by the soils and crop department at Purdue. This wheat is showing' up pretty good for this year. Mr. C. A. Battleday has also a good piece which he is contemplating on having certified. Purdue offers them enough over and above the market price to more than pay them for their trouble.