Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1920 — County Agricultural News [ARTICLE]

County Agricultural News

Department of Farm Welfare Conducted by County Agent

A New Name for the Scrubs From a farmer in Wisconsin comes a new word for use in the “Better Sires, Better Stock” campaign now being carried on by the United States department of agriculture in co-operation with state and local agencies. He applies a new title to the reactionaries of bovine society, and cites the indubitable fact that scrub bulls are the enemies of good production; that they levy upon the milk, cream and butter checks and compel the farmer to keep cows, where the cows should keep the farmerWith these charges in mind and with his eyes on the international situation, this farmer suggests that the scrub bull be known hereafter as the bulsheviks. No Chance for Quick Turnover Farmers hesitate to pay higher wages because, unlike other industries, there is no opportunity for a quick turnover or to -pass the increased cost along to the consumers. Not only are farm wages higher than ever before, but farm hired labor is scarce at any price and, on the whole, Is said to be relatively less efficient than formerly. Farmers are repeatedly assured from one source or another that prices of all commodities, especially farm prices, will be lower this year than last. This may or may not prove to be true, but the farmers know that the slump in livestock prices since last July has cost them several hundred million dollars. They are now faced with the problem of deciding whether to pay high prices for all the things they have to buy—farm labor, equipment, seed, fertilizers, clothing and supplies—and the investment of a large part of the cost of production in the early spring months, with the prospect that after harvest, when they come to market their crops, they will be compelled to accept lower prices for everything they have to sell; or, whether they shall cut down the initial expense of proinvesting less capital in equipment, supplies and hired labor by reducing acreage and numbers of livestock. The latter course means smaller production. As business men what would you do in the same circumstances? It is a matter tha concerns every business man and every consumer. The food situation during the next. 12 months will depend upon what answer the farmers give to this difficult problem. Farm Bureau Movement The Farm Bureau movement is not a mere matter of sentiment. It is a business organization in which every man, woman and child m every neighborhood is vitally interostod. When the county is federated and organized on its own basis, It is ready to become ft strong component part of the state federation. Un* less the counties are well organized, the state federation cannot do its

best work, and when the state federation is properly conducted it will in turn become a pillar of strength for the national federation. The Lasting Quality of Lime James Amsler ran an experiment with lime three years ago. The lime being applied in one strip across his corn ground at the rate of 200 pounds to the acre. Last year the same ground was sown to oats. Several days ago County Agent Mawhorter took several samples of the same soil which was limed unlimed. The lime soil showed a slight degree of acidity, while that which was not limed showed a marked degree of acidity. Thus it is very evident that lime has its beneficial effects on the ground for several years after being applied.

School Visits County Agent Mawhorter visited the city schools and demonstrated to the agricultural students the methods, capronlzing roosters and the testing of soils for acidity. Poultry Association Meeting The poultry association met last Thursday night and made arrangements for the poultry show this fall and expressed their willingness to aid the county agent in visiting the girls in the poultry club and help encourage them to carry out their work in full. Fertilizer Demonstration C. M. Dewey, with the aid of the county agent, put on a fertilizer and lime demonstration for his alfalfa and corn last Saturday. The different fertilizers, namely: Kalnlt, phol-i phorus and phosporous and potash, were applied in check strips and then the lime was applied in different parts across these strips.