Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1914-08-19

out SllO. which is doubtful. but 1t
will cost him more. Because one
farmer gets as large flow Of milk
without silo as his neighbor does who
has one. is no comparison because the
men are different and the cattle are
could the first farmer have done if he
had had a silo. 1t is the experience
of most farmers who have put up silos
to say, "Why didn't do it before?"
This is the real proof of the value of
silo. In this north country corn is an
uncertainty as the growing season is
short and the large varieties cannot be
used to advantage because they come
so far from maturity. The Sanford
variety seems to be the standard and
in so far as can be determined by COM
parative tests this season is superior
to most varieties. There is one crit.
cism to be made in the method prac-
tised in this county that too much |
seed is sown per acre which would not |
permit the plant to mature under the |
most favorable conditions when planted
so thickly and even decreases the
actual feeding value and tonnage per
acre. Corn is a crop which can we'll
be studied and improved upon to
advantage.
The potato crop receives little atten-
ton for several reasons: first, small
acreage; second, this crop takes time
to care for it during haying; third.
lack of machinery; fourth. lack of
suitable markets. The last reason is
because there are so few acres grown
that it does not attract buyers and this
section has not the reputation of
potato growing. The last census
records as an average yield for Or
L,,~ III Nv
| bushels per acre which is good aver
age especially when one considers how
little attention is given to the crop
and practically no spraying is done to
| fight the disease. This would indicate
that the county is naturally adapted
to the crop. If the farmer receives on
an average fifty cents a bushel he
would receive ninety dollars per acre
and if little attention were given in
addition this could still be increased.
How many acres on the farm today
actually produce ninety dollars per acre
and how many come anywhere near
that amount? Here is little food
for thought.
The next and greatest need in Or
leans county today is the need of cash
crops grown on the farm. Sugar is
about the only product which gives
AS result of careful surveys the mes
successful farmers are those who
practice diversified farming, those who
get their income from several sources
rather than from one or two. They
develope good system of farming by
the use of several crops which niche
we'll together. The poorest sections
for farming in New York State are
purely dairy sections because they
practice little selection of the cows
: and the business is out of balance and
: the speaker believes that Orleans coun.
; ty is somewhat out of balance in this
respect.
| The County Agent feels that he
could do nothing of more value
than to make careful study OF
these conditions and actually show the
farmers what exists. 1t is agricultural
history that the community which
practises a rotation of crops with
farming region.
The use of lime is causing a great
deal of thought on the part of the
farmer. The county agent at present
has requests to take more than two
/ hundred samples of soil to determine
the lime requirement. From ffteer
or twenty SAMPLES already tested the
? soil requires from one to three tons Of
burnt lime per acre to correct the
acidity. | have found none which die
not need lime. The county agent does
: not recommend a wholesale use of lime
but recommends that large number
of farmers use it on small area ane
< the value of the use of lime can be
? determined without any great expense
: to anyone.
: From the brief remarks made on the
different subjects you can readily see
D the magnitude of the duties of the
2 county agent. He hears murmuring:
f here and there that he has not been t.
S this or that farm. In many cases it i
$ due to lack of a personal request. HI
a has been called upon to such large
a extent that he has had little time to e
: about to get acquainted as he woult
f like to have done. There should be :
e little forbearance on the part of tn.
! members unless they have somethine
S definite for him to do. He will ge
S around sometime. If you are in
e hurry for him make definite request
U 1t might interest you Ito know that tn,
j county agent has travelled nearl,
o three thousand miles, made two hun
e dred and ninety-six visits, spoken OF
u hve different occasions, and sent GU
elSHC INJURED leCCerS all In three
Y months: 1t has been impossible t.
e look after all the potato sprayins
t demonstrations that he had planned t,
do because of the many pressins
It things but there are enough to shov
n results which is the main considera
It ton. In conclusion the county agen
n has request to make which is tina
o the term county ADVISER whel
y referring to the county agent, be for
s gotten. 1t is not only embarrassing t.
the county agent but conveys a falls
impression. He is not to advise but t
confer. study and investigate tn
e farmers problems with him. TIL
y word adviser implies superiorit,
: and the county agent objects to an,
e such impression. He is employed b,
the farmer and is his co-worker
r Democracy and equality is the spirit o
a this association from beginning to end
e This organization is one of the larges