The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-06-12
KENT MAKES REPORT
FARM DEMONSTRATORS WAS A
BUSY MAN DURING MAY.

wrote so letters, mailed 12S pieces
of literature, inoculated 100 head of
hogs and travelled 571 miles.
1t has been unusually dry all over
my territory during the month, and
for this reason rapid, fiat and shall
low cultivation has been advocated.
Where same has been practiced the
crops have not suffered nearly so bad
as where ridge culture has been prac-
ticed. To conserve moisture 1t is
very essential to expose as little OF
the surface as possible, and this end
is accomplished in the way men
toned. The loose layer of earth
known as a mulch stops the upward
| movement of soil moisture caused by
capillary attraction. The cultivation
for corn and cotton has, for the most
| part. been alike during this month.
Second application of fertilizer has
been applied to the old cotton and
corn, but a great deal of the old corn
is so badly damaged that we do not
think it advisable to make further
expenditures by applying nitrate OF
soda, as was first intended. 1t will,
however. be applied to younger corn
| if the seasons following are more
favorable. The same cultivation will
continue through next month.
propose to do a great deal of essential
detasseling work in corn breeding
| that we may be able to furnish this
county with better seed corn than
can be bought from any seed house.
We can never get seed corn in the
ear and consequently have no way OF
telling from what kind of ear the
corn came, nor do we have the priv
ilege of discarding objectional ears
or grains. Furthermore seed brought
| from a distance is never at it's best
the first year, not being used to our
soil and climate. l feel safe in say
ing that if the seed corn we ordina-
rily buy is worth SO per bushel, good,
hand picked home seed in the ear
! is worth Sc per bushel. Corn breed
ing is not by any means complex.
There are only few rules to follow.
Do not have your breeding patch too
near to other corn that will tassel
about the same time, not under 200
yards, the futher the better, because
corn is a wind pollinated plant and
will mix very readily. Go over the
patch when all the tassels are out and
before the pollen is ripe and cut out
| the tassels of all undesirable stalks,
such as replants, immature stalks,
barren stalks, etc. There is a great
law in nature that will help us great
ly if observed and kept constantly in
mind. This law is like produces
like" This law is slightly offset by
another law known as the law of va
ration" which is the tendency of
plants and animals, as well, to re-
semble remote ancestors. However,
this law is easily overcome by selec-
ton if same is kept up. 1t will be
impossible for me to see all the men
that have breeding patches in time
to do the necessary work, so it is
hoped that all will note the foregoing
and put it into practice.
Quite bit of time has been spent
getting the truckers of Terrell in
touch with good reliable purchasers
of their produce, with fairly good re-
suits The efforts of these truckers
to diversity and thereby prepare for
any crisis that might occur is to be
greatly admired. 1t is hoped that'we
will have more another year in Ter
rell and see. If we had as many as
50 acres in each county we would
have no trouble in getting buyers to
come and pay cash for all the com
modities.
A great deal of time has also been
given to purchasers of the pear crop
of Lee. 1 fear that we are going to
be handicapped by not having the
pear growers organized, it being hard
to come to any agreement when sew
eral individuals work separately
However, we can get busy and do
this yet l want to make an urgent
request that every pear grower in Lee
county send me his name, address,
amount of Keifer and lie Conte pears
he will have this year, what he will
consider in the way of a price for
each and be sure if he will prepare
for shipping as the purchaser directs.
Now if every man will do this at
once, we are more than likely to get
buyer here, but if he does not, our
efforts will be partially III vain. So
hope to hear from all at once.
The members of the pig and corn
clubs are getting on as nicely as
could he expected. Not one has lost
interest and sincerely hope l can
leontinue to say this at the end of
each month. 1t seems that they have
resolved not to be cutters. but to
stay till the work is complete with
an exhibit at the county fair this fall.
Respectfully submitted,
R. H. KENT, Demonstration Agent.