The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1911-06-15
What the Demonstration
Field Contains.

A few weeks ago the County Asylum
Farm made announcement of Far
mers' Demonstration meeting to be
held on the asylum property the com
ing season. Owing to the season some
of the seed was put into the ground
somewhat late, but at the present
writing all except the late alfalfa is
above ground and there is at least
promise of crop. 1t is our purpose at
this time to give an outline in brief of
what the field contains and what may
be expected.
The field contains 20 acres and is
laid out TO 'epresent miniature farm.
First of ali it is divided into strips to
represent rotation with a separate
strip for alfalfa. Each strip furnishes
lesson in itself. There is a corn
strip, B grain strips and | alfalfa strip.
The corn strip contains a section illus
trating the proper method of selecting
seed corn. There arc "a rows, each
row of 100 hills representing ! ear of
seed corn. The best and most prolific
ears will give the most abundant har-
vest in 'all. At the other end of this
strip is the farmers corn test illustrat-
ing the results of various methods of
curing corn. Between the two is
section showing the effect of planting
corn at varying distances. There is
also row illustrating the value of
grading seed corn.
The three grain strips do not contain
so much in their way. There are two
kinds of oats as we'll as two kinds of
barley. One section shows the effect
of properly cleaning the seed grain
before seeding. In one strip the barley
is sown at varying amounts per acre
running from l bu. to ; bu. per acre.
1t is possible that one strip will be
sprayed for mustard.
The alfalfa strip shows the greatest
variety of any. 1t contains about 4
acres and the methods of sowing alfalfa
have been modified in about 10 differ
ent ways. First of all there is fer
tilizer test showing the effect of using
phosphates with or without lime
Half of the strip was sowed early and
the other half late. Part of the early
seeding has nurse crop while some of
it has none. A small plot was planted
to early potatoes to be seeded late in
the season. One strip of the alfalfa
was inoculated with soil from sweet
clover, while still another was treated
with potash fertilizer.
A small plot to one side is devoted
to variety test for legumes. Alto
gether there are II different varieties
of legumes that may be grown for feed
and forage in Wisconsin. There are
different varieties of alfalfa, clovers as
well as soy beans and vetches.
The above is the outline in brief and
yet there ara many minor points too
numerous to mention that are import
ant which can be shown only to eye
witnesses.
1t is a question whether all the diff
ferent tests will prove a success, doubt
less some of them will not, but each
and all of them will be demonstration
test under actual field conditions in
Manitowoc County.
AS was before stated the meeting
will be held some time in July or Aug
ust depending on weather and field
have opportunity to note carefully the
results OF the seasons work. Prof.
Norgord who has charge of the work
has been successfully engaged in de-
monstration tests for number of years
and is amply qualified to make the
meeting both instructive and inter-
esting to all who care to come. Far
mers throughout the county will do
well not to neglect this opportunity of
seeing various agricultural tests under
actual field conditions. The meeting
in itself should prove a direct benefit
to all attending as it gives an oppor-
tunity for, farmers from all parts OF the
county to meet and exchange ideas on
subjects that are important and of in
terest to all.
X. A. Kolb,
Farm Manager, County Asylum.