Newspaper Page Text
6
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
BY DR. ANDREW M. SOULE
OUR PRIMARY NEED.
The future of our agriculture may
appear to be unpromising to many.
The progress we make will be deter
mined by the degree of educational
advancement attained in the next few
years. The reorganization of our
agriculture is inevitable. We must
do this to keep step with the prog
ress of our civilization and the de
mand of the world for raw materials
and cheap though profitably raised
foods.
Success will rest most largely upon
the shoulders of those who in the
next decade purchase and use the
most improved types of implements.
Power farming is now about to suc
ceed what in the halcyon days of the
West was termed “bonanza” farming.
Imlrtements of large size and of more
or less complicated mechanism are
destined to displace much of the la
bor previously employed. This is as
it should be in an age of scientific
advancement and development such"
as the one in which we live. Through
the use of implements, agriculture
may be made a more certain and
desirable vocation. Much of the
drudgery and labor can be removed
from it.
With a minimum of labor of high
intelligence, greatly increased areas
of land may be brought under the
plow, rotation systems established
and a part of the uncertainty which
makes many people regard agricul
ture as a semi-hazardous business
eliminated. Through the application
scientific knowledge to the prac
tice of the farm, a part of the fright
ful waste of effort now witnessed
will be prevented.
Plant diseases and insect pests will
be overcome and brought under a de
sirable measure of control. Yields
will be greatly increased through the
application of the principles of seed
selection and plant breeding. Better
types of artimals will be evolved, and
types of both plants and animals bet
ter adapted to our soils and climatic
conditions will be bred. When this
is accomplished through the leader
ship of capable experts, co-operation
can be made a reality instead of a
dream and the business of the farm
adjusted and put on a thoroughly
constructive basis.
Through co-operative efforts, the
• problem of marketing crops will be
achieved and thus the farmer will
come into his own, and will be en
abled to make a profitable dividend
each year in his operations. When
this is done, the future of the open
country will be assured, and our key
industry established on a basis which
can not be shaken. We will have
solved the problem of maintaining
an adequate proportion of our popu
lation in the country to supply the
needs of urban dwellers with both
food and raw materials. This is a
national problem of the gravest con
cern. It is recognized by all students
of our present economic situation.
In spite of the indiffert -ce evi
denced in some quarters, everyone is
intimately concerned with the prog
ress of our agriculture because it
constitutes the chief source from
which we obtain raw materials and
it is the only avenue from which we
derive the sustenance essential to
human beings. The nutrition of our
people and hence their virility is de
pendent upon the cnaracter and ad
vancement of our agricultural prac
tice.
The ability of our manufacturing
industries to supply the needs of
our population effectively and at a
moderate cost is measured by the ef
ficiency of the production attained
f on our farms. Unless we have an
abundance of raw materials, we can
not compete successfully in the mar
kets of the world with the cheap
labor of foreign countries where the
standards of living are much below
those prevailing in this country.
Hence our foreign policy in the
future will be determined by the
skill and success attending the ef
forts of those who till our soils.
Moreover, the future destiny of the
nation is to be measured largely by
their effort, for as the cost of foods
increases beyond a certain point, the
producers of other countries will
send their surplus to our shores and
we will eventually become a nation
dependent upon outside sources of
supply. This, it seems to met would
be the most unfortunate thing which
could happen to our country. Yet,
I believe these deductions are sound
and will stand the acid test of time.
So, it is evident that the time has
come in our history when we must
center, in fairness and justice to the
welfare of our country, a greater
part of our energy and effort on
the solution of the problems of the
farm. We must endow agricultural
education more liberally and thereby
develop the leaders necessary to
bring about the conditions I have en
deavored to portray as essential to
our national welfare.
The elimination of waste is one of
the problems on which we should
concentrate our effort with an in
tensity of purpose which has not
characterized our actions in the past.
A careful and conservative survey
of the situation indicates, for in
stance, that our losses last year on
sweet potatoes, corn, cotton, tobacco
and live stock aggregated, the huge
sum of more than one hundred mil
lion dollars. In other words we de
veloped crops and animals worth this
huge sum. The values thus repre
sented existed in actual, tangible
form. We could see and feel and
hear them, and yet through careless
ness, indifference or lack of business
capacity we permitted this marvel
ous stream of gold to pass unchecked
through our hands. So it was lost
forever to the men and women of
Georgia.
If it could have been saved and
put Into educational avenues, what a
benefit it would have represented;
and how effectively could we have
changed the whole face and condition
of our farms! The interesting part
of this statement lies in the fact that
at least two-thirds of this wealth
could have been saved without the
expenditure of any very great sum
of money. The means by which it
could have been accomplished are al
ready well known and their practi
cability has been clearly established.
Why does this waste go on? Be
cause its nature and extent is not
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THE ATLANTA TRI-WEEKLY JOURNAL.
fully appreciated or understood. The
amount we are spending for educa
tion at this time is a mere drop in
the bucket. We are spending in the
State of Georgfa approximately ten
million dollars for education through
private and public agencies. This in
cludes money set aside for common
schools and ’ for high education as
well.
It represents but one-tenth of the
animal losses occurring to our crops
and live stock each year. The cor
rection of this condition is an edu
cational problem, a truth-disseminat
ing undertaking. I present these fig
ures to convince those who are doubt
ful about the virtues and values of
vocational education and who are
wondering if we can afford to endow
this type of training on a basis com
mensurate with our needs. As long
as the aggregate waste from a sin
gle source reaches such a great and
staggering figure, those who oppose
education stand condemned before
the bar of justice and without a brief
on which to base their case.
In this connection I wish to em
phasize the necessity of community
oiganizations and the adoption of
community program work. Agricul
ture will become attractive and re
main so to an ever-enlarging pro
portion of our population just as it
is shown to be definitely profitable,
and to be a decidedly attractive and
desirable vocation.
To make life in the open country
worth while, we must have commun
ity centers organized around a con
solidated school. This affords not
only educational opportunities essen
tial in this day and generation, but
it provides a social atmosphere and
permits of the introduction of forms
of entertainment basic to the proper
education of the people of the com
munity and which will at the same
time afford them the necessary de
gree of relaxation. In association
with the schools there should be test
plats and gardens in which the prin
ciples of the schoolroom may be dem
onstrated and applied.
In everv such community center,
there should be a common storage
warehouse, a farm loan bank, or its
equivalent, a sweet potato storage
warehouse, a tobacco barn or ware
house, a farmers’ exchange, a co
operative store, a creamery or
cheese factory, and if the conditions
wararnt it, a cold storage plant and
a community abattoir. To these may
be added a canning factory, a poul
try depot, and such other agencies
as the life of the community may
make worth-while.. It will not take
unlimited capital to finance - enter
prises of this character, nor is this
plan an idealistic dream, because
parts of it and in some places prac
tically all of it has been, put into
successful practice;
Suph an arrangement provides the
farmer with just and fair prices for
the products of his toil and energy.
It enables him to make his crops
successfully and to supply the needs
of urban centers satisfactorily
throughout the year. The glutting
of the market at certain seasons is
overcome. It does not Interfere in
any sense with business, nor does it
militate against the interests of the
merchants and capitalists. They still
find safe avenues of investment for
their funds as they participate in the
general prosperity and success of the
community. This is the end we must
strive to attain if we /would place
our agriculture on a worth-while
basis and -make it attractive to men
and women of brains and capacity.
Feeding Rusted Oats to Korses
C. L. M., Clem, Ga., writes: I
have some oats which were sown
in March. About ten days ago
they took what I call the rust
and the crop will be very light.
Will it do to feed these oats to
horses? Can I plant this land
to sorghum now and have it
mature?
No doubt the rust in your oat crop
accounts in a measure for the condi
tion descried. Seasonal conditions
were likely to favor the development
of rust this year. We had a very
wet spring followed by hot, dry
weather.
Rusted oat straw can be fed to
livestock with safety, as you need
not hesitate to use your crop in the
manner indicated. Doubtless it is
not .as desirable as straw free of
this fungus. On the other hand, it is
probably less palatble and nutritous,
Stock, however, as a rule eat it.
There is no reason why you should
not plant sorghum cane on this land.
I should think it would reach ma
turity if planted as late as July 10th
in your section of Georgia. We find
that sorghum takes, as a rule, 140
days in which to mature. Some va
rieties may take longer. Sorghum
cane may be cut for forage in 90
days, but would not be satisfactory
for sorghum under 120 days. We
consider red top one of the best va
rieties for general planting.
How to Fight the 801 l Weevil
E. M. H., Cartersville, Ga.,
writes: I am planning a cam
paign against the boll weevil if
they shall appear here. I am
figuring on picking up all the
squares and weevils and burning
them. How often should this be
done and how many hands will
be required to ten acres? Do you
really think they will do very
much damage this far north?
At this season of the year the
first thing to do in fighting the
boll weevil is to pick all of them out
of the buds of the cotton plant once
a week until the squares begin to
form. A keen-eyed boy or girl can
watch two rows at a time. It is not
a long or arduous undertaking to
examine a ten acre field every morn
ing. All weevils picked should be
burned, as each pair of them will
have a group of descendants by the
end of the season varying in num
ber from several hundreds of thou
sands to several million. When the
squares show 20 per cent of infes
tation, then spray with calcium ar
senate. This should be continued
once every week or ten days until
five or six applications have been
made. About five pounds should be
used per acre. Only standard cal
cium arsenate should be used. It is
«
of the utmost importance to see that
you get a good grade of this ma
terial. Spray in the late afternoon
or early morning, when the dew is
on. Care should be used in applying
this material, as it is poisonous to
both men and animals. The boll
weevil will do less damage in North
Georgia than in other parts of the
| state. The destruction in this state
I will, no doubt, at times be severe.
Much depends on the vigor with
which we fi~ht this pest. I think we
! will always grow 'cotton in North
I Georgia, although we may raise less
i ner acre and the acreage may be re-
■ dnced.
Seeding Alfalfa After Cowpeas
R. S. A., Milledgeville, Ga..
writes: We are seeding an
eight-acre lot to peas to be cut
j for hay. It is our intention to
sow alfalfa as soon as the hay is
cut. Before seeding we want to
use of plenty of lime. How much
: lime should be used per acre
and what should it cost? How
i much seed should be used per
acre and should it be inoculated?
In your situation, we would turn
the pea vines under rather than at
: tempt to make them into hay. Land
on which alfalfa is planted, should
be made relative!}’ rich in vegeta
ble matter and nitrogen. Turning
under the peas will help in the at
j tainment of this end. After turn
ing the peas under, and rolling so as
to pack the land, you should apply
not less than .two tons of crushed
limestone. We would prefer that it
be ground to a very fine degree and
that it be from rock running high
in calcium carbonate. The cost will
vary considerably, depending on the
freight rates you can secure and the
quantity purchased. You can buy
at a lower cost in car lots. The
nearer you can secure a good grade
of material to your present location,
the lower the cost per ton is likely
to be.
I would suggest that you write to
a number of concerns and ask them
for prices. You know, of course,
that figures made last month are
likely to change materially in the
course of a few days. The figures
we could send you as to the prices
on limestone would thus probably
prove misleading.
You should count on sowing twen
ty pounds of re-cleaned western
grown alfalfa seed per acre, and the
seed should certainly be inoculated
before they are planted. You may,
of course, inoculate the land by us
ing soil from an area where alfalfa
has been grown successfully before.
We depend now almost altogether
on the artificial cultures. It is so
much simpler to inoculate the land
In this way than to distribute hun
dreds of pounds of soil per acre.
Moreover, when you use the arti
fical cultures there is no danger of
infesting your land with various
I forms of objectionable fungus dis-
■ eases.
Treating an Inflamed Udder
A. F. W., Eastanollee, Ga.,
I writes: I have two cows with
I calves, one and two years old,
i respectively. Their udders be
come swolen and seem to be
hard in places and also break
out in pimples. The milk is
somewhat stringy. If you can
give me a remedy for this trou
ble I will appreciate it.
The udders of your cows are evi
-1 dently more or less inflamed, due to
I the fact that the milk is probably
’ not all being drawn regularly there
-1 from. It is possible, of course, for
the trouble 'to which you refer to
arises from various causes, but we
think we have given the chief expla
nation you need. Maybe your cows
are getting in the creek or branch
too often, and probably this is re
sponsible* for a part of the scaly
condition of the udder, to which you
refer. The method of procedure to
pursue under the circumstances is
as follows:
Milk the udder out very thorough
ly not less than three times each day.
The calf will not of necessity do this
job at all satisfactorily. Then knead
I and work the udder down as much as
> possible by gentle pressure and mas
sage. Next, bathe them for twenty
minutes at a time with hot water.
You will not be able to get it too hot
for this, purpose, as the hand will
bear as much heat as the udder.
After each ,of the treatments indi
cated, rub rhe udder carefully with
camphorated lard or vaseline. If you
! keep the cows from wading in wa-
I ter, it will be a help in reaching an
| earlier and complete cure.
Assumes Duty of
Protecting Alaskan
Fur-Bearing Animals
The administration of regulations
designed for the protection of land
fur-bearing animals, which formerly
has been assigned to the secretary of
commerce, became a duty of the sec
retary of agriculture July 1, in ac
cordance with an act passed by con
gress May 31, 1920. Under the new
arrangement the biological survey of
the United States department of agri
culture is placed ’in immediate
charge of the work —a task for which
it is especially qualified, since, among
other duties, it already has charge
of important activities relating to the
control and conservation of wild
mammals and birds, administers fed
eral laws protecting birds and game,
and has made important studies of
fur-bearing animals.
The regulations issued on June 12
by the secretary of agriculture,
which became effective July 1, in
the main are those which have been
in force heretofore. Among the im
portant provisions of this Alaskan
law are that no fur-bearing animal
shall be killed when the pelt is un
prime. The killing of any land fur
bearing animals at any time by
means of the trap or device known
as the “kilps,” or by means of any
steel bar trap or any other trap with
jaws have a spread exceeding eight
inches, is prohibited. The use of
dogs for pursuing and killing land
fur-bearing animals for which closed
seasons exist is also prohibited.
Likewise, it is unlawful at all times
to kill any land fur-bearing ani
mal by means of strychinine or any
other poison. The shipment of furs
consigned for points outside Alaska,
which may be made at any time,
should be reported to the bureau of
biological survey, United States de
partment of agriculture, on appro
priate blanks, which will be supplied
for the purpose.
The black, glacier and cinnamon
bear, wolf, wolverine, squirrel, mar
mot, varying hare (rabbit) and Arctic
hare may be killed at any time.
Open seasons, varying in length, ac
cording to the district concerned,
ar© specified for muskrats, otter,
mink, weasel, fox and lynx. Fuller
particulars regarding the regulations
will be sent on request to any one
the department at Wash
' ington.
Beef Imports for 1920 Show
Slight Increase Over 1919
There was very little difference in
the quantity of fresh and refrigerat
ed beef imported into the United
States in 1919 and 1920. The figures
| are taken from the meat inspectors’
i reports, bureau of animal industry,
j United States department of agricul
| ture. In ten months ended in April.
I 1919, 27,673,105 pounds of fresh and
I refrigerated beef were imported. In
i the period ending at the correspond
| ing time in 1920 the quantiy of fresh
and refrigerated beef arriving in the
United States from foreign coun
tries was 27,968,880 pounds, an in
crease of about a quarter of a mil
lion pounds.
Fresh and refrigerated meats of
other kinds jumped to twice the
quantity in the ten months ending
April, 1920. as for the same period
in 1919. The figures show 7,933,377
pounds for 1919 and 14,979,663
pounds, for 1920. But the canned
and cured meats imported during the
same periods show a remarkable drop
from 126,624.348 pounds in 1919 to
less than 2,000,000 pounds in 1920.
This item accounts for the marked
decrease in the total meat products
imported. The total weight im
ported in th" 1919 period was 168.-
602.911 pound;, but 1920 brought on
ly 50,246,655 pounds.
SUDAN GRASS WINS A PLACE
IN AMERICAN AGRICULTURE
Ten years after its introduction
to the United States from Khartum,
Africa, Sudan grass was being suc
cessfully grown*. in nearly all parts
of the United States. It does not
serve well either as a “money crop”
or a soil improver, hence it may
never find a permanent place in reg
ular crop rotations. It has, never
theless, a very important place in
the farmer’s second line of defense
as a catch crop which can be planted
to give satisfactory returns when
conditions have brought failure to
other hay crops. This is the verdict
pronounced by the United States de
partment of agriculture in farmers’
bulletin 1126, recently—issued.
Sudan grass i« replacing millet as
the premier catch crop in many lo
calities because of its ability to pro
duce a fair yield and a high quality
of hay under conditions of low rain
fall; its rather short growing season,
and its ability to thrive on a wide
range of soil types. Large yields of
Sudan grass are obtained only on
good soils, but the grass fails com
pletely only on cold, poorly drained
land.
Sudan grass produces heavily. In
California under irrigation, it has
made yields of 9.8 tons of field-cured
hay an acre, when alfalfa produced
but 8.3 tons under like conditions; it
ordinarily yields about the same as
alfalfa under irrigation in the south
west, but Sudan grass gives its full
crop in three cuttings against th©
four or five required for alfalfa. It
is the only grass yet found which in
thifs part of the United States ranks
as the equal of alfalfa in point of
yield and quality of the hay. Its
record in this respect has led to its
use in “patching” old alfalfa fields
when the stand of alfalfa has ’been
destroyed. In the Southern threat
Plains, where there is a low rainfall,
Sudan grass grown without irriga
tion will yield from one to three
tons of hay to (the acre.
There are certain parts of the Unit
ed States where the department of
agriculture considers it unwise to de
pend on Sudan grass for hay. This
is true of the strip of territory 200
miles wide along the northern boun
dary; the regions of high altitudes
CAN ENOUGH STRING AND WAX
BEANS FOR NEXT WINTER’S USE
Plenty of string beans in jars in
the store closet means that the basis
for innumerable salads and vegeta
ble side dishes is at the housekeep
er’s command all during the winter
months, so when this vegetable js at
its best in the garden or on the mar
ket the wise woman cans enough for
use when it is out of season. The
following directions for canning
string beans are given by the United
States department of agriculture:
Select small, tender wax or green
beans for canning purposes. Beans
which have grown within the pod to
any size are difficult to can, and the
resulting product is not as satisfac
tory as one from younger beans.
The sooner the beans are in the jar
after picking the better the flavor
and the more certain they are to
keep. Wash, string, and cut off the
ends of the beans. Whole beans
may be canned or they may be cut
in short lengths. Those cut diagonal
ly are attractive in appearance.
Fill Jars With Hot Brine
Place the beans in a wire sieve or
in cheesecloth and blanch (scald) in
hot water or live steam for from
three to five minutes, or until the
pod will bend without breaking. On
removal, drain well and pack into
hot jars which have been boiled for
fifteen minutes. On the jars place
rubbers which have been boiled in
a solution of one tablespoon of soda
to one quart of water.
Cover beans with hot brine made
from four level tablespoonfuls of
salt to four quarts of boiling water.
Put on top which has been boiled
fifteen minutes. With glass-top jars
put one wire bail in position. Make
screw tops about half tight. Process
ing beans under steam pressure is
recommended. Quart jars should be
processed forty-five minutes -under
BOYS AND GIRLS MAKE BIG
, SUCCESS IN POULTRY WORK
In Catawba county, N. C., live two
boys. Their last name is Wagner
and their first names are Paul and
Aleen. The poultry club agent, who
supervises their work, does not state
in his report what their middle
names are, but, judging from their
achievements. Hustler would be emi
nently suitable, for in 1919 these two
lads made a profit of $547.79 on their
back-yard poultry and squabs and
won twenty-seven first prizes in the
best shows in the state, in both open
and club classes.
Paul and Aleen belong to one of
the many poultry clubs which are
organized by the United States de
partment of agriculture and the
state colleges. Last year they start
ed the season’s work with sixty
standard-bred hens of three different
breeds —White Leghorns, Barred
Plymouth Rocks, and Rhode Island
Reds. The eggs and chickens which
the boys sold from their flocks dur
ing the year amounted to $593.74.
As their expenses were $296.22, a
profit of $297.52 was left.
One end of the poultry house in
the Wagner back yard is devoted to
pigeons, of which Paul and Aleen
have about 100 pairs. A flying pen
outside allows the birds an oppor
tunity for outdoor flying and com
pletes a practical, inexpensive pigeon
loft Almost every week these cljib
boys ship dressed squabs to New
York. In 1919 they sold 783 squabs,
a number which, from losing most
of the young squabs hatched in* Jan
uary and February, is far below
what they hope to sell in an ordi
nary year. The amount received for
the squabs sold was $445.23. The
cost of their feed was $194.96. leav
ing a profit for the boys of $250.
Juvenile Poultry Clubs
Only in comparatively recent years
has poultry production been recog
nized as both a valuable national as
set and a very important part of the
HELP THE FARMER HARVEST-
CITY MAN’S DUTY THIS YEAR
With a shortage of farm labor, as
acute this year as in the critical war
year of 1918, threatening a curtail
ment of food production on the
farms, especially at the trying sea
son of harvesting, the United States
department of agriculture is endeav
oring to stir up the interest of city
men in spending their vacations in
the fields, particularly *as harvest
helpers.
Everyone remembers the now fa
mous “shock troops” of the war
years, who went into the harvest
fields of Kansas and other large
wheat-producing states and lent a
hand at gathering in tne nation’s
bread supply. They included men in
many walks of life —college students
and city men, including bankers, law
yers, doctors, clerks, and state mid
city officials. These veterans, to
gether with other volunteers to
swell the ranks, are urged to mob
ilize again this year to help relieve
the present shortage and so aid in
combating high costs of food prod
ucts.
Rendered Good Service in 1918
In making this appeal it is recog
nized that, at the outset at least,
such labor is not as efficient as ex
perienced farm labor, but the excel
lent results secured in 191 S, when
city men in large numbers came to
the aid of the farmers, leave no
doubt as to the success of the pres
ent canvass, if the men respond.
The present labor shortage has
arisen in spite of the fact that farm
"ages are 15 to 25 per cent higher
than last year. The situation, un
remedied. can not fail to have an
unfavorable effect on p-oonction. ac
cording to observers of the depart-
in western states, and also most of
Florida and a narrow strip of land
along the gulf coast. Low tempera
tures prevent success with the grass
in the first two regions named, and
disease is the limiting factor along
the gulf coast. In a majority of
the central and southern states, how
ever, climatic and soil conditions
favorable to Sudan grass.
Although Sudan grass is best
adapted by nature to use as a hay
crop, it is also used with great suc
cess as a soiling and pasture crop
for summer pastures. Its use as a
silage material is limited by the fact
that it is easily made into hay and
fed as such with very little waste,
and also because corn and sorghum
both outyield it 'lid are generally
available throughout the region
where Sudan grass is grown.
In the semi-arid districts the
highest yields are obtained when the
grass is sown in rows, so as to allow
of cultivation. The advantage in
yield of the row over the drilled
seedings is so small, however, that
most farmers prefer to avoid the
necessity of cultivation by drilling
or broadcasting the seed. A common
grain drill handles well-cleansed
Sudan grass seed without trouble
add the hay from drilled seedings is
finer stemmed and matures more
evenly than row plantings.
The feding value of Sudan grass
is equal to timothy hay. In locali
ties where soy beans or cowpeas do
well these legumes may be grown in
mixtures with the Sudan grass. Such
a mixture produces a hay of higher
feeding value than the grass alone,
because of the high protein content
of the legumes.
Sudan grass hybridizes freely with
the sorghums. It is necessary, there
fore, if pure seed is produced, to
have the Sudan grass field at some
distance from any sorghpmS, other
wise it will result in a mongrel crop
the following year.
The department of agriculture’s
new bulletin goes very thoroughly
into the details ot cropping, planting,
harvesting—both for hay and for
seed —as well as the best methods
of efeding the ha yto live stock.
pressure of ten pounds. With a hot
water canner or with a home-made
canner made out of a wash boiler
or lard can process the jars three
hours if the one-period procedure is
used. Make sure the water is boil
ing before startin#' to count time.
When boiled, tighten the covers and
cool.
If the intermittent boiling proce
dure is used, boil for one hour on
three successive days. Tighten cov
ers after each boiling. When the
processing Is finished, lift the jars
from the canner. Cool in a spot free
from drafts; test and store. In event
of leakage when jar is tested, re
move rubber, put on new, wet, boiled
one and process fifteen minutes
more.
Vinegar Aids In Preventing Spoilage
During the past year the home
economics experimental kitchen of
the United States department 6f
agriculture has been experimenting
with the addition of a small amount
of acid—vinegar—to non-acld vege
tables being canned. This work is
being continued, and the results thus
far indicate that one to four table
spoons of vinegar added to a quart
jar help greatly In reducing the
amount of spoilage. When the vine
gar is added, the time of processing
can be reduced. For instance, It is
found that corn, which ordinarily is
difficult to can successfully, keeps
well when four tablespoonsful of
vinegar are added to a quart jar pro
cessed three hours continuously.
String beans, old peas and spinach
are other vegetables successfully
canned by this method.
The addition of vinegar to canned
vegetables in the amounts mentioned
modifies to some degree the natural
flavor of the vegetable, but the re
sult is not objectionable to most
people and In many instances is not
noticed.
operations of the farm. One of the
the important factors in bringing
about the realization of the impor
tance of the poultry industry is the
establishment of poultry clubs
among the boys and girls. Just as
poultry keeping was formerly consid
ered a minor branch of farm work,
so it was formerly thought that the
keeping of fowls was purely an Ac
tivity for adults. With the develop
ment of other forms of agricultural
clubs among children it was found
that there was a very definite place
for clubs having for their object the
production of poultry. In 1912 this
project was formally launched by the
United States department of agricul
ture in the state of Virginia.
The poultry-club work was begun
on a very small and conservative
scale, to see If it would be profitable
and practical. At the end of 1913 the
success of the work, as it was car
ried on in three counties in Virginia
with 150. members, proved that it
had wide possibilities for effective
results. The project was not only
highly practicable in accomplishing
its principal object—interesting the
boys and girls in rural sections in
raising poultry—but it demonstrated
that the people in sections where the
clubs were formed realized the im
portance of the work.
Tn 1919 there were 29,480 boys and
girls engaged in poultry work in the
United States. From reports sub
mitted bv over 12.000 of them it is
shown that they raised 458.352
chicks to maturity and their flocks
produced for them $493,719.36 in
poultry and eggs. When it is consid
ered that this amount of poultrv
was produced by less than one-half
the number of members enrolled, it
is reasonable to assume that the
poultry products produced bv all the
club members In 1919 amounted to
considerably over half a million dol
lars
ment, who are watching the condi
tion closely. It will tend, they say.
to prevent any reduction in the
prices of farm products. While the
total acreage undoubtedly has been
reduced,as a result of the present
situation, it is not in so large pro
portion as the reduction in the labor
supply, because the farmers with
their families exerted themselves to
the utmost to overcome the handicap.
Cultivation this year was less inten
sive than formerlv. More land was
put into grass and such crops as re
quired a minimum of labor. It is
said, and the tilled fields consequent
ly suffered.
Grain States Need Help
From many of the harvest centers
are coming appeals for help. In some
of the big grain-producing states of
the west, such as Idaho and Ne
braska, the (remand for labor for
planting the crops and tending them
was fairly well met. Harvesting and
thrashing, however, means more help,
and it is this that the farmers in
these areas are worrying about. Hein
must come from the cities, and it is
to arouse the interest of city men
and obtain their aid that the de
partment and other agencies of the
government and the states are di
recting their efforts.
Persons who are desirous of re
sponding to the appeal should get in
touch with directors of agricultural
extension at the agricultural colleges
in the various states. These direc
tors are prepared to supply the names
of county agents having farmers in
their respective counties who n-‘ed
farm labor. By this means anyone
wishing to help can get in direct
communication with the farmer. In
the grain-producing states local em
ployment headquarters are establish
ed at various centers.
Thick Cotton Spacing Gives
Bigger Crops, Experts Find
A nuumber of state experiment
stations are publishing the results
of tests on thick spacing of cotton,
as opposed to the old system of
wide spacing. Without exception,
the experiments have demonstrated
the value of thick spacing, or the
single-stalk culture system, that has
been advocated by the United States
department of agriculture for several
years past. Some of the agricultural
journals are commenting on the re
ports of experiment stations, and,
while they advise planters to adopt
the thick-spacing system, they be
lieve that the old system has become
so thoroughly established that its
overthrow will be difficult. That
there may be a proper understand
ing of the scientific principle on
which the thick-spacing method is
based, department specialists have
attempted to make that clear in a
statement just issued.
Grown Fruiting Branches Only
Cotton produces more lint when it
is tnick in rows than when it is
thin in rows because of a somewhat
unusual branching characteristic. The
cotton plant puts out two kinds of
branches —short lateral branches that
bear fruit and long, heavy, vegeta
tive branches that are, in effect, sec
ondary stalks. These vegetative
branches finally put out lateral fruit
branches, but they require a long
season in which to do it. Under ad
verse conditions, such as drought or
boll weevil infestation, they do not
produce cotton, because their fruiting
season is so late that the adverse
condition, whatever it may be, frus
trates it.
If cotton is" sufficiently thick in
the row, the plants put out only
fruiting branches. There is no room
for the vegetative branches to grow.
Therefore plant growth is restricted.
Experiments conducted several years
by the department of agriculture
showed that cotton three feet apart
is in effect just as close together
as cotton three inches apart—that
is to say, when the cotton is spaced
three feet apart it puts out enough
vegetative branches or secondary
stalks to make the equivalent of one
stalk everv three inches. These sec
ondary sta'lks are at the disadvantage
of being ‘several weeks later than
the original stalky, and therefore can
not come into bearing nearly so early.
This might not reduce the yield dur
ing a long growing season, but where
the boll weevil has to be contended
with the secondary stalks rarely suc
ceed in producing bolls and the en
tire yield is confined to the portion
of the plant above the topmost vege
tative branches.
Yields Shown by Experiment
When the plants are thick in the
row all the branches are fruiting
branches, and the plant consequently
produces bolls from bottom to top.
More than that, it produces them
early and matures them to such an
extent that they are practically boll
weevil proof before the boll weevil
investation reaches the danger stage.
Experiments made by the depart
ment of agriculture some time ago
showed that cotton plants 3 inches
Dust Fans Prevent
Thrasher Explosion
Farmers and thrashermen in the
Pacific Northwest, where thrasher ex
plosions and fires have been most fre
quent, are manifesting a great deal
of interest in the dust-collecting fan
worked out by the United States de
partment of agriculture. This fan
takes care of smut and other dusts
in such way as to minimize the dan
ger of sufficient dust in suspension
to cause an explosion. In connection
with the system worked out for
grounding thrashers to get rid of the
static electricity generated by the
machinery in operation, the fan has
proved itself an almost sure preven
tion. There is no record of any ma
chine’s having exploded when proper
ly equipped with these devices. From
the Walla Walla and Palouse districts
of Washington, where not less than
eighty explosions occurred last year,
numerous appeals by telegraph and
otherwise are coming to the depart
ment for information as to where the
fans can be bought. The department
for some time past has worked close
ly with manufacturers of thrashing
machinery, arranging for having the
fans manufactured in adequate num
bers. The Washington grain men
are being put in touch with the man
ufacturers who are in position to
supply their needs. The department,
however, has been forced by lack ot
funds to abandon its investigational
work, and the plans for still further
improving the prevention system has
been abandoned, at least for the pres
ent.
Texas Sets New Record
In Dipping Cattle
“Get the last tick!”
With this goal in view cattle own
ers and citizens in Texas this year
set a new high mark in cattle dip
pings for the months of April and
May. Reports from the federal tick
eradication offices at Fort Worth and
Houston, Tex., show that during
April 2,051,472 dippings of cattle
were supervised by.federal, state and,
county employes in that state. Dur
ing May the total number of official
dippings reached 2,352,756.
In Madison county, which was re
leased from quarantine only last De
ci ber, cattle owners are “mopping
up” the few remaining ticks, and
also are rapidly introducing pure
bred sires—a step which could not
safely be taken before because of the
danger from tick fever. The county
received 125 registered bulls 'during
May. In other counties improvement
in the condition of cattle has been
noticed by stock otvners, who are
active in cleaning their pastures of
the last fever ticks.
The rapid progress, according to
the federal officials supervising the
work, shows the confidence of cattle
owners in the pernfanent benefits fol
lowing destruction of the tick. But
even more noteworthy is the sys
tematic manner in which Texas as a
whole is supporting the zone law and
taking up the work of tick eradica
tion in the different zones as pro
vided for by the state legislature. In
the past the state policy did not re
quire the dipping of cattle except
when tick exposure was demon
strated, but this year all cattle are
included in the dipping activities anti
it is hoped this practice will con
tinue. The state live stock sanitary
commission of Texas is supporting j
the federal policy of dipping all the ,
cattle, with the result that pastures
can be practically freed from ticks
in one season. That has been the re- j
suit elsewhere when all cattle have ,
been dipped.
Representatives of the United
States department of agriculture in
Texas are of the opinion that if the
systematic dipping of cattle contin
ues to be prosecuted during the
months of June, July and August as
rigorously as during April and May,
conditnons will be such that a num
ber of counties in zone 1 will be
ready for release from quarantine
early in the month of September. If
such favorable conditions can be
brought about it would be of very
great advantage to cattle owners
and the industry generally by per
mitting the free movement of cattle
from release! counties during the
autumn months.
Experts Aid in War on Rats
The health authorities of the city
ot Cincinnati have secured the aid
of the biological survey of the
United States department of agricul
ture in planning the details of a
city-wide drive to exterminate rats.
The methods of poisoning and trap
ping the animals recommended by
the department’s men who have spe
cialized in work of this sort will be
followed very largely. The city has
been divided into districts, in each
of which a door-to-door canvass will
be made to bring home to all occu
pants of houses, factories, stores,
etc., the importance of co-operating
in this important movement. A
large amount of literature prepared
by the department*, dealing with rat
extermination, will be distributed
during the campaign. Special em
phasis will bo laid on the fact that
rats are carriers of disease and are
particularly apt to contaminate hu
man food wherever it is accessible.
SATURDAY, JULY 24, 1920.
apart produce a great deal more lint
than plants 3 feet apart, and that the
same is true of all intermediate
stages. In other words, the widest
spacing is the worst system and any
narowing of the spaces down to 3
inches is an improvement. Below
that the crowding may be injurious.
These results have been confiirmed
recently by experiments carried on at
state stations. Here, for instance,
are the results of a series of experi
ments carried on at the Delta exper
iment station, Stoneville. Miss.:
Pounds per plot.
Plants 8 inches apart (117
Plants 12 inches apart 93
Plants 16 inches apart 90
Plants 20 inches apart 59
Plants 24 inches apart 57
Plants 28 inches apart 56
Unthinned or left as placed
the planter, average of 2
plots-134 1-2
When two plants were left togeth
er, at these same distances between
the hills, the results were as fol
lows:
Pounds per plot.
2 plonts in the hills, 8 inches
apartll2
2 plants in the hills, 12 inches
apartlo9
2 plants in the hills, 16 inches
apart• 90
2 plants in the hills, 20 inches
apart 92
.2 plants in the hills, 24 inches
apart 86
2 plants in the hills, 28 inches I
apart 71
I.ate Thinning PSojintial
It must be remembered by planters
practicing the thick-spacing system
that another change from old meth
ods is necessary at the same time.
When cotton is spaced far apart It
is thinned early. When close spacing
is adopted the thinning must be de
layed until comparatively late in the
season. If the thinning is done ear
ly. vegetative branches are likely to
appear even when the plants are
thick in the rows, thus offsetting
such advantage as might be gained.
It is not possible to fix any definite
tirne at which thinning should be
done, but it is safe to say that the
plants should be from 6 to 12 inches
high instead of from 2 to 4 inches
high, as has been customary in the
past. Persons who, either by design
or because they are unable to get la
bor for thinning work earlier, post
pone their thinning until late in the
reason should adopt the single stalk,
close-spacing system. If, late in the
season, they chop out the cotton- to
conform with the old-time stand
ard, they run the risk of greatly re
ducing their yields.
Close spacing and delayed thin
ning does not mean that there must
be no cultivation until after thin
ning. Cultivation to control weeds,
of course, must be undertaken when
ever the development of grass or
weeds shows that cultivation is
needed.
g | i; || Weevil, Fire,
1 = : Water and Thief Proof. !
5 The enormous loss in grain from Rats, 4'
~~~ Weevil, exposure, etc., may now be saved 4 I
by using a Dixie Corn Crib—a Crib ton- 4 1
structed of genuine American Ingot Iron <
on scientific principles—and installed at |
( * very little cost. Lasts a life-time. |
< I Corrugated construction—tight, strong and rigid. Perfect ventilating I
< system and can be made air-tight for fumigating purposes. Made in four . I
“ ' s ,ze!t . and we P ; 'y ‘be freight. Easily erected in a few hours. Will pay <'
< J , .’ r .,* n a single season. The most perfect and satisfactory Corn 4
< * ( rib ever invented.
< > Write for Bulletin No. 103 < j
* > Giving Full Details and Prices J I
;• Dixie Culvert & Metal Co., 4!
< ‘ Jacksonville ATLANTA Little Rock >
dress yowr Cetto with *
GERMAN POTASH
KAINIT
20 jter cetii MANURE SALT and
NITRATE OF SODA
100 pounds of Manure Salt go as far as 160
pounds of Kainit and have the same effect as
a plant food and plant disease preventive—
Neither one will injure your crop.
For prices write nearest Office of
Nitrate Agencies Company
Now York Nor."oil: Savar-ah Jacksonville New Orleans Houston, Tex.
Stocks at other leading Atlantic and Gulf Ports
WOOD’S SEEDS
Crimson Clover
The Wonderful Soil Improver
Sow It in your corn and cotton at the Itist working, and
next year you can plant these two crops on the same land and.
make bigger crops. It is considered worth S2O to §3O per aero
in the increased productiveness and improved mechanical con
dition of the soil.
CRIMSON CLOVER also makes an excellent winter and
spring grazing crop, the best of early green feed and a goo*
hay crop.
Cow Peas
For Forage and Soil Improving Crop
Pound for pound, cow pea hay is as valuable a feed as
clover hay; it is nearly equal in value to alfalfa and wheat
bran. The U. S. Department of Agriculture says: “No one
thing can add more to the agricultural wealth of the South
than growing of cow peas.”
Wrlto for copy of our 1920 Fall Catalog giving prices and
full Information about fall crops for Farm and Garden. Mailed
FREE on request.
T. ¥/. WOOD & SONS, Seedsmen,
Richmond, - - - Virginia.
DontWaPeniVi
Just send coupon stating size and width—that’s all.,
We’ll send the shoes by mail. We want you to sec these ■;
shoes at our risk. Examine them, try then# ■
on—and then decide na to whether or not you ,
eot bargain. Wo send them to
you, not a cent in
-15x5*1 that you can compare them wltn
acy 57 or $8 shoes. If you dpn €
Wfcyi think this tho biggest shoe bar-
Sesel Rain y° u can ffet anywhere, sen®
the «hoea back at our expense.
Vou won’t be out a cent.
and Durable
ttjffiSsgL ' Made of genuine leather In frm*
tSfigSaFA. popular Broadway toe
,Qst • Blucher style. Comfort
able. substantial, long
wearing, genuine oak
jqtvK leather soles rem-
W}forced shank anil
~ Military hr.eU
amination it
you don’t find them V
the greatest shoe bar-4&Kt to IL
gain of the year, returingp&k I
and back goes your mon-v.-F',
ey. No obTigation.no
to you. But you must sendv a•?
at once. A sale like this
soon sells the stock. Pay
only 34.69 for shoes when i B
thoy arrive. M
Send Now!
Just the coupon. No money now.
Wait until they come. Pay when
arrive. Keep them only if satisfactory
every way. Be sure to give site. J rt&jF
Order No. AX15105.
FeONARD-MORTON & CO., Dipt. 6765 Chicago
f Send me Men’s Dress Shoes No. AX15105. I will pay $4.69 for
shoes on arrival, and examine them carefully. If I am not sat
isfied, will send them back and you will refund my money.
Name Size
Address.«•<
We could not give you a better tire if
Sa \ ®t *0.50 arc practical, economical rnd
\ substantial. Cur method of reboild
/•/ ing >s the recognized standard adopted
ffl m higb-class rubber works,
g Morgan Tires ,
are made in all sizes and sold direc*
to car owners at a big saving. . - i
Guaranteed SOOO Mile,. We stand bock
■ °* f’ory tire we sell. Every sizeabar-
gain—all sizes listed below we have ia
M stock ready for shipment.
- rT cl si “ Tlr< ” Tube, Bite Tire,
GW 30 X 3 . 15.50 12.00 34 x 4 ..$ 9.25 $2.6®
2 ' lo 34 x 4« 10.75 2.88
525.0n7y7.505 2 5.0n7y7.50 2.20 » » » S I'Z
k 31 x 4.. 8 50 2 40 86 X4H 11.50 S-Ofr
32 x 4.. 8.75
33 x 4.. 9.00 2.50 37x5.. 12.76 3.3*
Send $2 deposit for each tire required and $1 for each
tube. Balance C. O. D. subject to examination. If full
amount is sent with order a discount of 5% will be al->
lowed State whether Straight Side or Clincher, Plain
or Non-Skid required. •• .
Morgan Rubber Ce.,Dept. 72,2100 Morgan St.,Chica(«,lll,
\ Money back without question i
% if HUNT’S Salve fails in th* '
i_ -wt -1 1 treatment of ITCH, ECZEMA, I
KM KINGWORM, TETTER or
f■ | py other itching skin diseases.
’"J J Try a 25 cent box at our
risk. AU druggists.