Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 March 1917 — FARMERS HEED GOOD MEETING [ARTICLE]

FARMERS HEED GOOD MEETING

Clarence Henry of Purdue Talked on Advantages of Organization. At a meeting of the Jasper County Better Farming association held Saturday afternoon plans of work /or. the coming year were drawn up. The meeting was called to order by President Henry Paulas, who stated the object of the meeting and tjten called upon Clarence Henry of Purdue, a who spoke upon the advantages of an organization having a few well defined plans and working entirely upon them rather than to try to cover all phases of agriculture at the same time. Stewart Learning, county, agricultural agent, took the floor and outlined plans that had been suggested to him by representative farmers and which were later used as a basis of the deliberations. t - ~ As soil conditions present the greatest problems in the county it was decided to conduct a series of liming demonstrations on acid soils. Lime will be applied to parts of fields and the remainder will be left untreated. The association, through its agent, will call a meeting at any time that striking differences appear, and the public may be kept in touch with the results. The following men were selected to conduct liming demonstrations: Ed. iHtonaa, James Amsler, Henry Paulus, \ Stephen

Kohley, P. Ij / Hauter, Roy Gish, Henry Gowland. John G. Sparks, Tom Walter, Mr. Berry, Chauncey j Wood and William Wortley. In order to demonstrate proper methods of improving worn Out sandy soils, Messrs. Berry and Wood will conduct demonstrations in the use of lime and cowpeas to improve plots on their farms. A series of oat smut demonstrations is being conducted during the present week. During this time farmers will, be selected who will treat part of their seed oats as directed and leave part of the seed untreated! At such times as results may be nftecU the attention |of the public will be called to the i fields in order that all may be able j to see what lias been accomplished. | The following men have been se- : leetpd for this work to date: Charles Welch, George Putt, Rich- ! ard Goldsberry- and Peter Plummer. Other men will be selected and their names announced later. The association will appoint a ; committee to have charge of an : annual com show, which it intends :to conduct in rotation in the three ! principal cities of the county. This j show is designed to advertise the

varieties of corn found best adapted to conditions in the county. In order to develop better strains of corn a number of men will be selected jWho will make ear-to-row tests with the leading varieties. In many instances the yields of corn in given localities have been increased from five to fifteen bushels by this method. The men selected at the meeting were R. L. Budd and Roy Gish. Other men will be selected later and persons interested may secure assistance by applying to Secretary P. H. Hauter or the countv agent. • ■ In the late summer men will be selected to conduct tests with different varieties of winter wheat for the purpose of determining which are best adapted to the county. It was decided to encourage the fornTntion of a Jasper County Live Stock Breeders' association,- which would have for its purpose the improvement of live stock of the county, co-operation of the breeders in exchange of animals, the holding of combination sales, and co-operation in buying and selling of pure-bred stock. Such an organization could take over the live stock activities of the Better Farming association and conduct feeding demonstrations. fairs and many things of a similar nature.

Orchard pruning . and spraying demonstrations are already in progress and will he continued until the end of the season. Encouragement of local farmers’ clubs will be carried on In every community where there is a real demand for it- It is .believed that the association can be of a great deal more value if it works through these organizations than if it attempts to work with individuals alone. Four organizations' have already. been formed in the county;. , Wbeatfield Center Farmers’” club, Newton Township Farmers* club. South Marion Farmers’ | club and West Carpenter Farmers’ • club. Other communities are con-, [sidering organization anj other | clubs are«,expected in the near future. Industrial club work for the boys and girls will he carried on through I the rural and city schools. A gar- ; den club has been - projected for the city schools ' and corn, poultry and pig clubs have been arranged ! for the farm boys, and bread-mak-ing, canning and poultry clubs have been arranged for the farm girls. Full particulars will be supplied through the teachers and the press. The association plans to conduct one - or more automobile tours during the summer to visit the demonstrations as conditions warrant.

During the fall and winter a series of butchering and meat jyu;ing demonstrations will probably be held for the purpose of improving the farm meat supply. It is hoped that a week’s on gasoline motors may be conducted during .the fall or winter. The Jasper County Better Farming' association is an organization for the betterment of the county and it cordially invites everyone to join with it in planning tjie work and in helping it to carry it out to a successful termination.