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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 ■ja l] 0 IP Ipi I AFRAID OF I am endowing or* Eg SAVED am end satisfied.” writee WOOD SHXNGIXSI ver " e *f IS $20.00 ’ -h ( C K° Ia ’ P“- “ •OU"- 1 - sV. E s"Tp ... *X: R Al<ord ’ • c “ d -°r f -nt. ,h. beat I STANDS TH— I » Moor,.Marietta, Ga. ‘ j covered T F C T Ibava ••eo,” wriua Mr. p“c. Tt d w'i*S^<3>fc ! SSi? , < £ ,^,u “ • C. c> gl FVERWEAR ROOFING price r s °°tWE PAY Freight | BEASYTOPUTON D Years L. 3 DAY OTTER I Get your roof, ■ YOU MONEY I wi, e low. We sell direct to you-Pay :ht and ship quick. Be your own t and keep in your own pocket the e dealer would get WRITE—TO. Bl Fto test r B- 1 Savannah Fence & Roofing Co. Dept. J. Savannah, Ga, -A, CAN BE NAILED OVER ; L'l OLD WOOD SHINGLES j.~l ?lain Style or , „ '’j-! Shingle Pattern I K ' ERW’EAR” j lis made in shin- , gles, as shown on house, or plain Fq as shown on barn. fe' Write For Free Fence Book, 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.