Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 July 1918 — The Neighborhood Corner [ARTICLE]

The Neighborhood Corner

Department of Farm Welfare Conductsd by County Agent Stewart Learning.

Ixisses from Smut Apparent Now. Last winter several hundred farmers of the county pledged themselves to treat their seed oats to prevent smut, leaving an untreated strip in their fields to check up on the benefits. Now is the time that the fields should be examined, and as very few farmers understand the method of hunting for smut, a word on the subject should not be amiss. Smut plants are usually shorter than healthy ones, and consequently it is necessary for the observer to stoop down in the grain and direct his vision a foot or two from the surface of the ground in order to see most of the affected heads. The observer who gains his informationfrocil passing by a field or walking through it is almost sure to overlook the damage. The average of more than a hundred fields examined last week showed from 5 to 6 per cent smut in untreated fields, the percentage ini individual cases running from nothing to 18 per cent. Members of the County Crop committee have remarked that many farmers are losing enough oats each year from smut~lo pay their threshing bill. Hog Feeder Reports. Erhardt Wuerthner of Newton township _is conducting a hog feeding trial this supimer. On May 29 he weighed in 17 hogs averaging 91.8 pounds. These he has fed on a small bluegrass pasture, giving a ration of corn, skim milk and tankage in a self feeder. The corn ration has been limited. During the first week one hog died, which has seriously reduced the gains made for the month. His report is as follows: Weight 1 6 hogs June 29. . . ... 2360 Weight 17 hogs May 29 .1561 Gain 799 Value of gain at 15c. ... .$119.85 Cost of gain (Corn SSO, tankage $5.25, skim milk $4.65, pasture $1.60). .. . 61.50 Return per bushel of corn. 2.16 Cost per cwt. gain......... 7.69 Average daily gain. ... . . 1.63 ibs. The hogs will be continued on feed as long as the gains are satisfactory.

Farmers’ Clubs. « The Milroy Country club will meet at the church next Saturday evening, July 6. The annual commencement will be the principal feature of the evening and a prograin of exceptional merit has been arranged. The Souith Marion Farmers’ club will hold its regular July meeting at the Consolidated school building next Thursday evening, July 11. The program committee reports an attractive program and promises an interesting time to all who attend. Following is the program: Farm Bookkeeping Paul Wood Feeding Baby Beef.... Mr. Learning Reading . . , . > .Mrs. Scheetz Ideas of a Plain Country Woman . , . ....... .Mrs. Horsewood Demonstration .....LaVerne Geyer Song ..Chauncey Wood _ The North Union Farmers’ club will meet at Virgie Saturday evening July 6. The following program will be given: Opening Remarks President Secretary’s Report .... R.' L. Budd Election of Program Committee Song—America .' .”. .Everybody Recitation ........... Elden Budd Home Play—Not a Man in the House Five Girls Auction sale of quilt made by Ladies’ Aid Mr. Hannaway Recess 15 minutes—lce Cream Refreshments Served. Instrumental \Mqsic and Mrs. Hoo i i»er Debate, “Resolved, That Love is a Passion of .the Heart and Not of the 50u1...... Five Boys