The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-08-08
WORK IN COUNTY
Annual Report of County improve
ment Association

On July LIST the Bennington County
Improvement association ended its
second fiscal year. The second anru-
al report of the secretary reviewing
the work of the year was published in
the July number of the Bennington
County Review and later reprinted in
pamphlet form. This report shows
that the work was carried on substan
tally along the lines followed during
the first year of the associations ex-
istence. The chief results may be
summarized under the following
heads:
Agriculture
John l.. Sherman, county farm
agent, has during the year coopcrated
with the farmers in practically all
parts OF the county, visited 31S diff
ferent farms one or more times eaclI
addressed "a meetings, including fer
tilizer, spraying and pruning demon
strations, travelled during the year
by auto, 5000 miles, by railroad, q
500 miles. rs farmers are working
with Mr.. Sherman this year as corn
demonstrators, 90 as oat demonstra-
tors, 10 as potato demonstrators. and
20 as cover crop demonstrators.
these demonstrators agree to grow an
acre of specified crop strictly in ac-
corllance with directions furnished by
the county agent in order that care
full comparison may be made of the
results obtained through the Ordinary
and the improved methods. Las. year
one of the corn demonstrators raised
120 bushels of shelled corn on an
acre at a net profit of $26.69. An i'm
portant branch of Mr. Sherman's work
has been along the line of investiga-
ton. Financial records have been
made of many farms to determine
what elements influence profit AMI
loss in farming. Experiments have
been carried out to determine the
best way of handling certain weed
pests; soil acidity tests have been
made, practically all of which show
lime needed up to the amount Of 5000
pounds burnt lime per acre.
The children of the county have re-
cefved some attention. Last year s
boys competed in corn growing con
test, growing a half acre Of corn each
Though this contest was not a large
one it obtained satisfactory results,
the two largest yields being respec-
lively at the rate OF 100 and 90 bush
els of shelled corn per acre This
year II contestants are enrolled in
this club work. growing either corn
or potatoes Is schools co-operatod
in the testing of seed corn, testing $50
ears. about one.half of which proved
to be worth planting.
The highly important question of
farm business has received consider
able attention. Two farmers town
ship associations have been definitely
organized and a third one practically
so. Through these associations and
through the County Farmers league
business to the amount of $4,000 has
been done this year which involved a
saving of about s2.50O net to the farm
ers. This one line of work alone in
the course of a few years will more
han repay the entire cost of main
tanning a county agent.
Plans are being made to hold a Ben |
lington County Better Farming exhi. |
bit in November, the object of which |
S to demonstrate the benefits OF inn |
1roved methods of farming Many |
lines of work have |
,een carried on, such as milk testing. |
pruning and spraying demonstrations.
tic. Generally speaking, the farmers
rave co-operated more cordially with |
he county agent than during the first
ear and the results of the years
work are deemed satisfactory.
Roads
Last year was the second year that
he road construction work of the
ounty was under the supervision of
a..