The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-11-29
H. A. EVA
Sec'y Commercial Club.

SEDALIA (PETTIS 60. MO.
This county took steps without out
side help and secured the necessary
funds to make sufficient inducement for
me to ask for leave of absence for
one year from the University in order
that / might give the county plan a
trial.
l had little doubt as to the outcome
of the matter and the results have far
exceeded any expectations that had
entertained. We are now Cooperating
with the University and the U. S. De-
partment of Agriculture in securing
their aid in every way that is possible
to use. You will, no doubt, be interested
in some of the things we have acom-
plished.
There had been great difficulty and
practically nothing but failure attend
ing all efforts in the county at produc-
ing alfalfa. From a general survey of
the situation we had concluded the SUBJ
soil was at fault and an investigation of
more than 200 samples of the soil showed
that the soil was too acid. AS result
limestone for fertilizer is beng used ex-
tensively. Two qaurries of limestone
are operating in this county and no
doubt within few months hundreds of
tons will be applied to Pettis county
soils. A few splendid fields of alfalfa
were found but these invariably had
been treated with limestone either be-
fore or after seeding. Last spring ten
or twelve fields had been sown with seed
containing dodder, yet nine out of ten
farmers in Pettis county had no idea
what dodder is. They very quickly be-
came interested when informed of the
very bad nature of this parasite. Had
/ been in the county 60 days sooner than
| was | could have caught this seed and
tested with this desperate pest.
This part of the county had an enor-
nous apple crop this year and since it
market established for the fruit. This
Bureau began correspondence and in a
short time had replies from eleven diff
ferent states relative to our fruit crop
and practically every bushel of high
quality marketable fruit has found an
outlet at very good price. Thousands
of bushels however were positively not
in marketable condition for the simple
reason that the trees and orchards have
not been properly cared for. This fac
tor will be part of the campaign that
is to follow.
In various sections of Missouri for
the past few months hog cholera has
been raging and our College Of Agri-
culture has had greater number of
calls for help than they ever have had
in the past.
Another part of the work that we
accomplished has been the visiting of
nearly all the schools of the county and
giving demonstration lectures on the
securing and storing of seed corn.
When this Bureau began operations
last spring dairy inspection was Sc
cured and first examination found our
dairies in a very bad condition. By or
ganization and cooperating with the
owners, the State Dairy Inspector s
report for July showed Sedalia and vi
clnity to stand at the very top of any
city in the state.
Another part of the work has been
the holding of meetings out on the
farms where the neighbors gather for
all day sessions. The smallest attend
ance we had at any one of these was IS
and the largest attendance was 600.
Farm methods are examined and dis
cussed among the farmers and two
lectures are given each day.
At the State Fair we asked the farm
ers of the county to demonstrate to the
public by bringing in exhibits for a
large tent that we provided but that no
premiums could be offered, but we were
doing this as test of the enterprise of
the farmers of Pettis county. This
tent was very large but insufficient to
take care of the exhibits that were
brought. During the five days of the
fair lectures were given, one beginning
at ten o'clock in the morning and one
at two o'clock in the afternoon, in this
tent. Every one of these lectures were
well attended and great interest shown.
Another phase of the work is spend
ing four days of the week in visiting
individual farms and assisting in plan
ming rotations, cropping schemes, etc.
The above is only part of the things
that this Bureau has accomplished.
Saturday and Monday are office days
and invariably they are very busy days
S. M. JORDAN,
Manager.