Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 82, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 January 1919 — The Neighborhood Corner [ARTICLE]

The Neighborhood Corner

Department of Farm Welfare Conducted by County Agent Stewart Learning.

Poultry and Corn Show This Week. 188 entries of poultry and 81 samples of corn are being shown at the Annual County Corn and PoultiY Show being held in Rensselaer this week. Poultry Judge H. A. Pickett states the quality of the birds on exhibition shows a marked improvement over that displayed at any other show ever held in the county.—— The quality of the corn is excellent. Not only are the ears sound and mature, but the general average shows that a great deal of attention is being paid to the selection of the proper type. In the last two years the writer has seen many in agricultural conditions of the county, including wholesale livestock improvement and the general adoption of many advanced cultural methods, but no change has been greater or more gratifying than the wonderful improvement of the corn. In the spring of 1917, as county director of a seed testing drive planned by Governor Goodrich, he had opportunity to come in close contact wit hthe seed in common use at that time, much of which was of the large cob, shallow kerneled and slow mautring type which in the short space of two years has given way to one of the most approved types found in Indiana. Members of the County Corn Show committee and their township aids are to be commended on the number of entries. In the recent White county show 36 samples were entered, in the Tippecanoe county show 29 were entered, and other counties report similar numbers. Marion township led in number of entries, 17 samples being shown. Carpenter came second with 14 samples. The makes it ,<flear that the poultrymen and corn growers of the cimpty are fully alive to their opportunities and are making rapid improvement in their products. Garden Plans. Have ybu made your garden plans for next year? If not it is time to get busy so that you can determine how much seed you need and order it early. Sit down some evening soon with your family and put your 1919 garden o,n paper. How much of each vegetable are you going plant? A mistake you may have made the past season was to plant too much of some vegetables and not enough of others. Provide for the needs of your family in the rows you allow for each vegetable. Have your last year’s plan in mind so that you do not place the crop on the same section of the garden as they were last summer. Rotate your j crops; that is, plan to put tomatoes I

where your cabbage waa planted, and cabbage where there were tomatoee, and so on. Always plan to plant in rows rather than in beds; and do not make paths through the garden unless necessary. If your plot is large enough for wheel hoe cultivation, run the rows the long way of the garden. How should the various crops be grouped? Perennials such as asparacrus or rhubard should be placed at one side; next to the xnthe group of earliest vegetables such as early radishes, early peas, leaf lettuce or early turnips. Next groups that you will plant a few weeks later such as onions, chard and cabbage, then the ones that you will plant when the weather starts to get warm, such as brush string beans; finally the rows of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and squash. . . . In your plan make provision ior the sowing of companion and succession crops. Arrange your plan so that when one crop is harvested another vegetable can be sown between the old rows or new plantings in the space vacated. Do not be content to raise a single crop, when two or three are possible. . If there is a variation an the soil in dierent parts of the garden, that must be considered. If part of your soil is higher and drier than the rest, plant your early crops there to give them the advantage of quick warm Grow a large enough garden to supply you with both summer and winter vegetables. Like* Silver King Corn.

Robert xeoman, of Newton township, is an enthusiast over Silver King Corn, a variety which originated in northern lowa. This is a white variety characterized by a rather small stalk and medium sized ear, with an exceedingly deep kernel and small cab, giving an unusually high shelling percentage. Mr. Yeoman states that he used this variety several years ago but lost the seed in some way or another. During the spring of 1917, the writer was much interested in introducing this variety into the county to be grown on the lighter soil types and lower lands. Unfortunately the farmer who carried on the trial planted late and the early frosts proved disastrous. Enough was learned, however, to show the value of the variety and now that seed is abundant it is hoped that a number of farmers will give it a trial. To Study Cost Account*. How much does at cost a farmer to grow a bushel of wheat, a pound of pork?- What does a farmer receive for a day’s wages? These are some of the questions which throw real light upon the business of farming and which may be answered in this county next winter. Wood Brothers, of Marion township, have installed a system of cost accounting designed to determine the cost of production of each of the different farm products raised and the labor income of the farm operators. While this has been done primarily for their own information, results are expected which will be of value to farmers of the county. It is very likely that a presentation of actuai costs will do much to dispel the idea among certain classes of people that farmers are becoming immensely .wealthy and that they are “profiteering.”

Want -Better Marketing System. Chairmen of the Fountain, Warren, Tippecanoe and Benton county better farming associations met at Williamsport Jan. 6 and passed the following resolutions on the hog situation: “Whereas, there exists at present an intexerable condition in the matter of shipping hogs ready for market, because of the inability of the owners of such hogs to obtain through the prpoerly authorized local authority, the shipping permits required by a ruling of the Food Admiinstration. Therefore, we, the representatives of he farmers' organization of Fountain, Tippecanoe, Benton and Warren counties, in joint session, assembled this 6t hday of January, 1919, adopted the following resolutions: “First: Resolved, That immediate steps should ibe\taken to relieve the situation in order that serious losses to all parties from the producer to the consumer may be avoided. “Second: Resolved, That this meeting delegate two representatives to bring to the attention of the State Federal Food Administration the existing facts in order that necessary action may be expedited.” Home Economics Meets. The Newton Township Home Economics Club will meet Thursday, January 16, at 2 p. m., at the horqe of Mrs. Benton Kelly. The following subjects will be discussed: Butchering, Home Curing of Meats, Canning 'of Meats, and the Cooking of Meats. A new fruit containing a large percentage of oil has been discovered in the region of Torreon, Mexico, and is known by the name of “chichopoxtle,” says the Engineer. show that 25 per cent of its contents consist of oil of great value in industrial pursuits requiring ar-lubricdnt of high quaL ity. ?