Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-10-06
SUCCESSFUL DEMONSTRATION
Crop Tests on County Asylum Farm In
terested Many of Our Citizens

The demonstration crop tests con-
Quoted this season by the county asy-
lum farm in cooperation with the state
agricultural experiment station at the
University of Wisconsin have proved
of great value to the farmers of the
community. 1t is the purpose of the
experiment station to introduce this
work on county farms where demon
strations of methods of crop culture
advocated by the station and agricul-
tural college may be shown where local
farmers can inspect the work frequent
ly and gather for an annual meeting to
be addressed by a representative of
the station. The idea is to develop
these county farms as demonstration
centers from which to work out to all
Fparts of the county. Any farmer who
will arrange to meet the representa-
tive of the station on his regular visits
during the crop season to the county
farm may secure advise on special
problems.
The tests with crops proved quite
successful on the Viroqua asylum farm
because of the good management in the
past which had been gwen the farm by
Superintendent Frederick Wilkins. The
fields were cleaned and in excellent con-
dition for such demonstration. The
station representatives have expressed
much satisfaction at the appreciative
attitude of Superintendent Wilkins and
the members of the board of trustees
through this work.
The demonstration meeting held at
the county farm, September 8, was
we'll attended Notwithstanding the
rainy DAY and over fifty farmers were
present, representing nearly all parts of
Vernon county. Mush interest was
shown and those present were particu-
larly interested in the alfalfa, field of
pedigreed corn and barley and other
grains. The plot of corn planted from
seed collected from farmers near
Viroqua and tested for termination
gave a strong lesson on the need of
proper curing of seed corn. Methods
of tests were shown, also methods of
storing seed corn to retain termination.
A fine stand of alfalfa was shown on
one field and large amount of Wis
consin No. and Golden Glow corn was
TO be seen.
Considerable of this corn will be Sc
lected and cured by artificial heat in
well ventilated rooms and will be sold
to farmers of the COUNTY for seed. An
experiment was conducted on the ad-
joining farm of j. johnson in coop
GRAFTON with r. T. Bentson, local weed
commissioners, to test the value of
hemp for the eradication of Canada
thistles. Those attending the demon
stration meeting visited this field and
were convinced of the great value of
hemp in fighting thistle.
Superintendent Wilkins will be glad
to have farmers visit the county at any
time where they may now see the al
falfa and some of the other crops. He
will be glad to describe the methods
followed this season and to give every
assistance to all farmers in securing
the advice of the experiment station on
their own problems. The work will be
conducted and extended next year and
a similar demonstration meeting will be
held. Such work was conducted this
season on thirteen county farms of the
state and thousands of farmers have
been reached through this method Of
extension service.