Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-26

Automobile demonstration trips are the
newest feature in the work Of spreading
the gospel of good farm
Motor Cars In ing In the thinly settled
Agriculture. regions OF the west
Prof w. ]. Spillman,
who is in charge of the Agricultural De-
partment's farm demonstration work In
the northern and western sections of the
country. has Just. received a report from
enc of his agents in Colorado which
shows how 1t is possible for group OF
farmers to do work in one day with auto
mobiles which with horse-drawn vehicles
would have taken two or perhaps. three
days.
During the past summer the govern
ment's agricultural agents of Logan
county. Colorado, concluded that one OF
the most beneficial things which could
be done for settlers OF that section would
be to conduct a party of upland farmers
from the western half of the county into
the Older settled region in the eastern
and southeastern parts of the county.
where the benefits of improved tillase
could be studied. Dry farming is prac-
ticed entirely in this section.
How to get all of the farmers of one
section of the county to make the long
trip across country to visit the better
titled farms was a problem which, al
first loumed up large before the farm
demonstration agent. This problem was
quickly solved, however when the sug-
gestion was made that the business men
Of the small Colorado town OF Sterling
for one day in order that the farmers oil
the surrounding country could visit the
more prosperous settlements in the east
ern part Of the county.
Arrangements were made With one OF
the section y. most successful farmers to
take charge Of the party, and with a
train OF twelve automobiles loaded with
forty six farmers start was made one
morning. during the early summer for
the older settled region of the county
The days trip covered sixty miles
visits were made to five farms where
gram was the principal crop in cult
walton, and two upland cherry or
cnards. were visited. AT each Of the
places time was given fer short talks
made by the farm owners. Many ques
tions were asked by the visitors, Who
were anxious to learn as much as pos
sible about the methods of farming
. USED by the more prosperous settlers
in the eastern part Of their county.
During single day the forty six
farmers received personal instruction
on every phase of the better methods
OF dry farming. Many of the men VIII,
II made the trip We're settlers who had
become discouraged on their land be-
cause of impending failure due to
wrong methods of cultivation. The sin
gle days demonstration. however
showed them the errors which thet
were making in farming and the value
or the system Of tillage which the
more successful men of their county
mad adopted. One man, when he re-
turned home. was SO enthusiasttc about
thCk - = NJ
was worth $4,000 to me-" and another
young man who had finished a two
year course in an agricultural college
added. Il have learned as much from
mat trip In one day az I could have
learned In year at college" Forty
SIX men had lost only a single day from
! their work. had covered much ground
ana learned lessons which. perhaps
would turn their farming ventures
where failure might be threateninn
tfetn assured successes
me automobile is becoming. aeri.
cuit,ira. experts say. a great hel, in the
work OF spreading farm information and
assisting the agricultural exnerts whe
sfrafion work. Zone man." said Prof
Sp'llrnan. in commenting on the Logan
county demonstration. when using an
automobi'e can do the work of thre,
men VINO are denending on Other
vehicles to carry them from place tc
place" :
1t is not to he understood that the gov.
eminent Is furnishing the automobiles tc
,fs agents for this demonstration work
This is done usually bv the county com
missfoners or associations of farmer.
who are anxious to see the government
demonstration work go as far as nos
sible and who are willing to show thei,
appreciation of the work Of SUPPLYING thf
government agents with machines
4
| X x
TWenty-one experts of the United
States biological survey have just com
pleted perhaps the
E1term1natlng most success sfu
ccu;-~.1. years work under
taken since the be-
ginning of the governments campaign
to exterminate the ground squirrels O.
the Pacific coast. which. along Will
rats. are the most dangerous carrier.
. of bubonic plague infection.
The biological survey men have work
ed under the direction Of DR.. Ned Dear
born. and during the past season have
almost completely exterminated thu
troublesome little animal pests over tn,
entire range Of the squads operations
which covered the Monterey. Sants
Barbara, Kern and Sequoia nationA
forests OF California. A deadly poison
concoction has been used in riddinf
, this section of the Pacific coast Of Mr.
Citellus Beecheyi. which is the humbl,
ground squirrels scientific name
People living in the eastern Part O.
the United States little realize what
nuisance are the ground squirrels ii
the far west. Aside from the fact tina
| they are a menace TO public health, be
cause they carry ncas. which in turf
carry bubonic plague. these little ami
mails destroy thousands of dollars
worth of agricultural products eacf
year.
In the opinion of Dr.. Dearborn, who's,
work on the national forests has beer
carried on in cooperation with officer!
of the United States forest service. thu
economic side of the movement in thu
determination of ground squirrels l.
even more important than that Of
| santa ton. The annual loss of range
feed and grain crops from grount
squirrels is known to be enormous
Squirrels. where they are left unmo
Tested, are said to destroy at least II
per cent of the grass feed on thu
; range and on grain land they destroy
a much larger percentage of the crop
Ranchmen are generally agreed thai
this is very low estimate of the an
nual loss from these pests. and tina
any work in eradication means q dis
tinct benefit to the agricultural Inter
ests OF the state.
Settlers owning land contiguous tt
the national forests keenly appreciate
the work which the government IL do
ing In extermnating the squirrels II
the forests and on forest ranges. Mos
of them have taken up the work O
!, clan ring their own land OF the SPUR
rels at the same time that the work
| /, oood,cfad IN the national forests