Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 88, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1918 — The Neighborhood Corner [ARTICLE]

The Neighborhood Corner

Department of Farm Welfare Conductsd by County Agent Stewart Learning.

Poultry Production to Be Increased From today until the war is won, the U. S. Department oif Agriculture earnestly requests every one of the 1,4 58 poultry growers in this county to help overcome any possible crisis by turning into action this slogan: “One hundred hens on every farm, 100 eggs from every hen in Jasper county.” This slogan was not adopted at random, but was progressively worked out from an analysis of the present situation on farms and careful estimates of the possibilities of increasing production by methods suited to conditions on the average farm. If every farmer in thia county will hatch 275 chickens within the next sixty days so as to have 100 mature pullets ready to lay their first egg about October 1 of this year, it will mean an increase of about 437,400 pounds of poultry meat. By so doing the farmers of this county would make possible the release of over 218 tons of red meat 'for our coldiers. the fighting men of our allies and their families. Hatching should begin in March. To do this breeding stock should be mated within the next week. The early hatched pullets are the mon-ey-makers. The secret of getting pullets to lay in cold weather is to have them matured and laying before October’s frosts. As it requires seven months to mature

Plymouth Rock, Rhoae Island Red and Wyandotte pullets and six to six and one-half months to mature Leghorn pullets, it is absolutely essential to hatch Plymouth . Rocks and all heavy breeds between March 1 and March 31; all Leghorns before April 30. If pullets hatched this year are not laying before heavy frosts next fall, the cold weather will retard their development to such an extent that it will be practically impossible to get them to lay until spring, 1919. Club Meetings The North Union Farmers’ club will hold its regular meeting at Virgie Saturday evening, February 2. The new program comimiittee, headed by L. E. Harrington, has arranged the following program: Everybody invited. Song, “They All Sang ‘Annie Laurie,’ the Song that Every Soldier Knows”Knlman Quartet Recitations ......A. L. McCurtain Song i .... Virgie Quartet Conservation of Manure.R. L. Budd Song Nellie McCurtain Feed and Care of Farm Fowls. . . .Mrs. I. F. Meader Song, “Somewhere in France Is the Lily” . . Knlman Quartet Why I Am a Farmer C. A. Harrington Song ' Virgie Quartet Seed Corn Emergency.. R. A. Conn Discussion, led by Mr. Meader and followed by interested. Song, A-M-E-R-I-C-A means ‘I Love You, My Yankee Land’ Knlman Quartet Another Angus Herd Started ■H. W. Marble of Wheatfield returned last week from Muncie where he purchased six registered Angus heifers as a foundation for a i>ure-bred herd. Mr. Marble has been in the Angus business for some time but this is his first purchase of pure-bred females. Me is firm In the belief that northern Jasper county miust be developed through the use of livestock. He expects to develop his own land through the use of limestone and clover in order that more livestock may be kept. Farm Accounts Popular That the farmer is becoming a business man is shown by the large number of requests for Farm Record Books coming to the county agent’s office. When summarized at the end of the year these books will show the net income from the farm and the farmer’s labor income. The labor income is what the farmer makes for his year’s labor after paying all expenses and interest on all capital. The book enables .the farmer to find the strong and weak places in his farm business and make changes that will result in greater profits. These books will be supplied without charge to farmers who will agree to keep them. Poultry Association Meeting Another poultry show will be held next winter, according to plans made at the annual meeting of the Jasper County Poultry association held last Friday evening. The association plans to take an active part in the government’s plan to increase poultry production this season. Lime Needed "We need lime more than anything- else in our section of the county,” said Jos. Pullins of Barkley tnwnshin at the fertilizer meeting held Tuesday. “f find that when we can get the soil sweetened so. that we ran raise clover and alfalfa. we can rci.se good crops fol-* lowing them without much fertilize, er.’’ Clover Seed A group of prominent farmers were the clover seed situation the other day. “Can I afford to pay S2O a bushel for clover seed this Spring?” was the question brought up. “It is easier to sell 80-cent oats to buy S2O-elover seed than it was to sell 30-cent oats to buy $lO seed,” was the answer given by one of the Parr men. .It is short-sighted policy to give up clover this year on account of the cost of the seed. Clover will pay big returns in increased soil fertility, protein ifeed for our livestock. Farmers’ Institute at Kniman The first farmers’ institute to be

Leld in the county in years will be held at Kniman Saturday, February 23. Prof. F. C. Gaylord vylll discuss the "Home Garden” and a talk will be given on “Corn Root Louse Control.’’ Plans are being made for a big all-day session. Test Every Ear of Seed Corn “Test every ear of seed corn,” is the slogan of the entire force of workers of the United States Department of Agriculture. Careful observers report that hot over one-. half of the seed saved and stored under the best conditions will grow. Ono of the cheapest as well as most convenient and accurate methods of testing seed corn is known as the “rag doll’’ method. For this test buy a few yards of sheeting off good quality and tear it into strips 8 inches wide and from 3 to 5 feet long. If it is planned to use the strips a number of times hem the edges, as otherwise the ravelings sometimes disarrange the kernels in unrolling. Down the middle 6f each cloth strip, lengthwise, draw a line with a heavy pencil. Then draw cross lines at right angles to the first to divide the strips into squares about three inches wide. Wet one of the strips thoroughly and stretch it out ■ln_front-of- the ears to be tested. Take six kernels from ear No. 1, as was described in the sawdust test, and place in square No. 1; take six kernels from ear No. 2 and place itt square No. 2; and so on. When the cloth has been filled, begin at either end and roll the cloth up. If It Is well moistened the kernels will not push" out,of place. When the cloth has been rolled, tie a string around each end rather loosely, or better still, use a rubber band. Number this roll No. I. Then proceed with roll No. 2 in the sarnie way. As many rolls may be used as are necessary to contain the corn which one has to test. From thirty to fifty ears can be tested in each roll. After the rolls have been filled they should be placed in a bucket or tub of water where they may remain from two to eighteen hours, depending upon the preference of the operator. At the end olf this time pour off the water and turn the bucket or tub upside down over the rolls, or use a common drygoods box for this purpose. A couple of small pieces of Wood should be lifted front one-half to' one inch in order to give ventilation. At the end of five days the kernels should be ready. Depending upon the arrangement of the ears, select first either roll No. 1 or the last roll fillejl. This cloth will be unrolled in front of the ears represented. Examine all kernels, carefully, as in the sawdust test. In all cases in which all six kernels are not strong in germination the ear should be thrown away. This method is simple and inexpensive, and the seed dorn situation is so serious that no farmer can afford to plant seed that has not been carefully tested. Seed Uorn Located George Parker, chairman of the United States Seed Stocks committee o>f Hanging Grove township, has located a supply of seed corn which he thinks Will take care of all the needs of his locality. He has taken up with the elevators , the matter of distributing this: seed which he expects to secure at^a. very reasonable price. A meeting Will be held at the postoffice at McCoysburg next Wednesday afternoon,., February 6, at 1 o’clock, t<f make complete arrangements dor the purchasing of this seed. All farmers who will need seed corn this coming spring are invited and urged to be present at this meeting. All of the township chairmen of the Seed Stock committee are doing excellent work in locating the stocks of seed and the needs of their townships, but Mr. Parker is the first man who has definitely taken up the matter of importing seed and he is to be commended on this move.