Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 August 1920 — County Agricultural News [ARTICLE]

County Agricultural News

Department of Farm Welfare Conducted by County Agent

Shorthorn Tour of County The Shorthorn breeders have completed plans to have a Shorthorn tour of the county Thursday, Sept. 2, leaving the court house in Rensselaer at 8 a. m. It is to be strictly understood that not only are the Shorthorn men urged to t>e on this tour of the county, but everybody who Is interested In fine, pure bred* live stock. There •will be seven fine herds of registered Shorthorns visited during the day and at noon we will assemble in a shady grove for picnic and do justice to the wellfilled baskets previously prepared by everyone for the occasion. We are also arranging to have a speaker for the tour. These live stock tours are one of the most popular ami successful projects that are being carried out by all the agricultural universities and every county .agent and club supervisor over the United States for the purpose of increasing the interest in pure bred live stock. We not only increase our interest but we receive new ideas from see-

ing other herds, whereby we may better our own herd. Something worth learning is worth going to see, so seriously think of being with us and help to make our county one of the leading cattle counties in the state. Don’t forget to bring the ladies; they enjoy picnics as well as meeting other ladies. Picnic at Wlnamac Several are considering going over to the farmers’ picnic at Winamac Sept. 9. They are going to have a big day over there. We will learn something about their association before we start to organize farmers’ federation in Jasper county. We will start from Rensselaer at 8 a. m. Poultry Demonstration The poultry demonstration at Mason Barlow’s, southwest of McCoysburg in Mllroy township, will be held Tuesday, Aug. 31, at 2 p. m. Report on Best Date for Wheat Results of experiments that have been conducted on the farm of Thos. Yarling, north of Shelbyville, for three years, to determine the best date for sowing wheat, have been announced by W. H. Larrimer of the United States department of agriculture. The tests have shown that the best date is Oct. 1. The best yield and wheat free from fly has been secured from plots that were put In

on Oct. 1. Mr. Larrimer and assistants will conduct investigations in the county this year, to determine the exact date when danger of fly will be over. His report made on the experiments on the Yarling farm follows: For the last three years on Tom Yarling's farm, in Shelby county, sowing of wheat have been made at intervals of five days through September and October. These sowings were carefully harvested and threshed and the average yield for the three years for each sowing is as follows: Sowings made Sept. 15, average 15 bushels per acre; sowings made Sept. 22, average 23 bushels per acre; sowings made Sept. 27, average 24 bushels per acre; sowings made Oct. 1, average 30 bushels per acre; sowings made Oct. 5, average 26 bushels per acre; sowings made Oct. 15, average 23 bushels per here. So much for the yield. The other important question at the time the wheat is sold is quality. In 1918 the wheat from the sowing of Oct. T made the highest test of 60 pounds to the bushel. Owing to the Hessian fly coming in from other fields in 1920 the test fell down considerable but still the sowing of Oct. 5 tested highest at 56 pounds per bushel. There is no question that the Hessian fly has been an important factor in making the yield of these sowings turn out as they have. A careful study of the fly in the same sowings, shows us that the average date is also Oct. 1. By this fly-free date we mean the date at which all the fly has come out of its summer flaxseeds and is dead. Since there are two generations of the fly, one in the fall and one in the spring, "it is very evident that if we kill out the fall brood by the simple remedy of not furnishing it wheat to live on, we will not have the spring brood. Right here is where the community co-operation is necessary. One early sown field can furnish enough fly to infest the whole 1 neighborhood the following spring. It must be remembered that any wheat to be put in this fall must be put in right in order to get the maximum yield. Get your seed bed in proper shape early. Make sure that the wheat plants are furnished witn all the proper soil nourishment that they need. Select good seed and treat it in such manner that it will not be handicapped by disease. And, last of all, sow it after the fly is gone.