Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 80, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 January 1920 — The Neighborhood Corner [ARTICLE]

The Neighborhood Corner

Department of Farm Welfare Conducted by County Agent Stewart Learning.

.Farmers Will Hohl an Important Meeting f The annual winter meeting of Jasper county farmers will be held at the court house Saturday afternoon, Jan. 10, at 2 o'clock, for the purpose of taking action upon some of the problems of interest to farmers at this time. . The matter of a livestock show and sales pavilion will be presented by members of the county livestock

committee. The question of a stronger farmers’ association In this county will be up for discussion and there Is a general feeling among our farmers that this Should receive serious attention. Business in connection with the selection of a new county agent will be transacted . and any other matter which deserves attention can be brought up for discussion. A. T. Coleman, state leader of county agents, will be the principal speaker of the afternoon. Mr. Coleman is well known in the county and the message that he will have will be of Interest to all who know him. Will Demonstrate Home Curing of , Meat In order to encourage better methods of home curing ham and bacon, the short course at Purdue to be held Jan. 12 to 17, will include demonstrations in killing, cutting and preparing meat for home use. In addition, a ham and bason show will be held in which prizes of S2O, $12.50 and $5 each will be awarded for the best cured country hams and bacon. The object Is to get on exhibition some of the best specimens of cured meats with methods and receipts for curing in order that visiting farmers and their wives may learn of the more successful methods of curing meats. Entry blanks may be obtained from the county agent. All entries should be sent by prepaid express or parcel post to F. G. King, secretary, Purdue University, Lafayette, Ind. Exhibits will be returned at the en- of the show unless the owner wishes them sold, when the money will be sent to him. Stockmen Will Meet in Indianapolis A mass meeting of the livestock farmers of the state will be held at the Claypool hotel at Indianapolis at 10 a. m. Jan. 5, to confer with the directors of the Indiana Federation of Farmers’ associations on ways and means for stabilizing markets, eliminating unfair stockyards practices, devising more economical methods of handling stock and securing fair prices, according to notices sent out by Lewis Taylor, secretary of the association. The stabilizing of farmi prices is one of the big problems that the farmers’ organizations have set out

to solve. Whether or not a workable plan of accomplishing thia end has yet been evolved remains to be seen, but the object is a worthy one and the. meeting should be generally attended by the livestock producers of the state. A Good Dry Cure for Pork As butchering time Is at hand the following dry cure for pork Is reprinted as it has been found satisfactory in a number of Instances: “A good dry cure is four to five pounds of salt, one to two pounds of sugar, eix to seven ounces of black pepper, one ounce of cayenne pepper and two ounces of saltpeter for each 100 pounds of meat. Mix these well and rub the pieces to be cured thoroughly with It after the animal heat is out of the meat. Let it lay for five or six days on clean tables or boxes that afford drainage. Make another application of the curing mixture five or six days later and another after a similar period. Thin sides are cared in from 12 days to two weeks: heavier pieces should cure about two days for each, pound of weight. Brush off all excess cure and soak meat for a half hour In lukewarm water before smoking.’* Certified Seed Potatoes Available Charles Gregory, plant pathologist at the experiment station, has just issued a report showing the locating of men producing certified potato seed stock. In order that the potatoes may be certified, they must be shown to be free from disease, true to variety and must be grown from hill selected tubers. Experiments and field trials in adjoining counties last season showed that the certified seed produced very much larger yields than that secured In the ordinary way and farmers desiring high yields of potatoes will do well to get In touch with the up-to-date seed stock producers.