Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 March 1919 — The Neighborhood Corner [ARTICLE]

The Neighborhood Corner

Department of Farm Welfare Conducted by County Agent Stewart Learning.

Corn Investigations to Be Started. Mrs. John F. Trost, of Corn Investigations, U. S. Department of Agriculture was in, the county two days last week for the purpose of selecting a suitable location for a series of experiments and Investigations rn corn disease control. Five or ten such experimental fields are to be located in the state and Jasper county was selected to represent conditions in the northwestern part of the state. After making a careful survey, Mr. Trost selected the farm of Clemons Gangloff, east of Rensselaer, on which to carry out this work. The division will run three district test on the corn to be used on the experimental plot, supervise the planting make observations ’at periods two weeks apart and have charge of checking the yields obtained on different rows. e The purpose of the investigation is to study the cause of low yields, barren stalks, nubbins and weak plants and to determine methods of eliminating them. Farm Record Books Checked Up. M. H. Overton of the Farm Management Department spent several days in the county checking up the •records kept iby a number of farmers relative to the business side of their farms last year, for the purpose of stopping unprofitable methods of farming. While not all of the 90 or more farmers who started books reported, enough figures were obtained to enable Mr. Overton to make suggestions not only to individual farmers but to enable him to draw general conclusions as to the limiting factors in profits on the farms of the county. The records showed that the ma-

jority of the farmers of the county are carrying on a good sized business and are handling their labor very effectively. The farms, however, are not stocked to any where near their capacity and the livestock is not making the return on every SIOO worth of feed as it is in other localities. The greatest needs, according to Mr. Overton are more livestock, better quality and better feeding methods. As soon as the figures obtained from the records are tabulated and conclusions drawn from them, further mention will be made in this column. This office will continue to furnish farm record books free of charge to responsible farmers, who will agree to keep them and bring them in for inspection upon request. Community Club Meetings. A community meeting will be held at Remington, Tuesday evening, March 25th, to consider the organization of a Community club. ‘ The meeting is in charge of a committee consisting of Harvey Williams, Earl Taylor, Eli Zehr, Chas. Peck and Frank Peek. Everyone is invited to attend. The North Union Farmers’ club will hold its regular meeting at Virgie, Saturday evening, April sth. The committee reports that a special program has been prepared. These meetings are the first to be held since the influenza epidemic appeared and mark the beginning of a gneral revival of the clubs throughout the country. Industrial Work Starts. Mn M. J. Sauser,’ chairman of the

County Industrial Club Committee announces that he is ready to start enrollment in the various lines of club work which will 'be carried on in the county this year. The clubs will be similiar to those conducted for the past two years. For boys, there will be a corn growing club, to produce the highest yield on corn possible on an acre of ground; a steer feeding club, now being organized, a pig club in the process of completion and probably a new pig club this summer. The potato club which was so successful last year will also be held. For the girls, the canning and poultry clubs have been arranged. These clubs are open to all young people of the county, from 12 to 20 and Mr. Sauser invites all interested to send in their applications at once. • Six Percent. Treating seed oats with formaldehyde increased the yield of oats about six percent last year according to figures obtained on 6 of the several hundred farms in the courtty on which the treatment was used. As the average farmer produces from 1000 to 2000 bushels per year it rwould pay 'him to treat his seed so as to increase the yield per acre. Now is a good time to treat your seed oats before spring work begins.