Putnam patriot., 1915-07-16


 Soon after I arrived in the County, was asked about cooperative buying of fertilizer, and 1T the new County 4 gent was going to supply the county with is fertilizer. 1 found an altogether wrong impression of the duties Of County Agent regarding the buying of supplies. Consequently theTe are pro bably many who were disappointed when did not issue a general recom- mendauos regarding the Use Of fertiii gers, and statement that all who wanted suea goods could get them at the office oi She Farm Bureau. bsuc- ceeded. however, in getting a few far mers together in Woodstock in the right way, and in cooperating with them in the purchase of a carload of fertilizer. Pure chemicals could not be obtained at the time 50 factory mixed goods had 10 be bought. l got prices from about a dozen Of the leading fer tiiizer companies, and those submitted by the company selected by the WOod- stock farmers with which to do busi. ness were so favorable that they saved about fifty dollars on their ear Of fer tilizef. The scheme of organization which followed then, and which 1 shaii continue 10 follow was this: When there is enough local interest in cooperative buying or selling of any i thing those interested will be so organ l ized that they are a focal cooperative society preferably incorporated. They will have their own officers and will conduct their own business. Any aid that the Farm Bureau can render Will be at their service. Such cooperative organization must be local, simple, md for a single purpose; that sis, for either 1 buying or selling, and must have a i paid manager, business agent.
 Probably the biggest and best piece Of work with which 1 have been con. nected so far has been the organizing of 1 a Cow-test Association. Me have one in Windham county now working, the fourth in the state, and there is only one III the state which has been run nIng for whole year. Some time in February Kari B. MusseT, Extension 1 Daryman trom the StateCollege, spoke | on the COW lest association. Consider l able interest was shown at the meet ing and about halt dezen men signed up to have records kept of their herds. 1 No one took an active lead in pushing the organization and no more names were obtained. 1 was asked to take up the work and finish getting enough men, into the association 10 warrant 1 them hiring nan to keep their herd records. The ideal number is 2b, as there are that many working days in the month. Fortunately l could have the services of Hugh Fergus of the l Dairy Division, L. .. D. A. who has had considerable experience in organi- zing and working in cow-test associa- tions. Mr. Fergus and l looked up the original contract with the half doz. en names all signed up, and got busy looking up more who were interested. Ne succeeded in getting the required number
 Nine men met al the office of the Farm Ruleau iu Putnam, June 26,and with the aid ot Karl B. Mu,ser and myself organized the Herd Improve meut Association No. I, aud hired Ghas. F.. Simmons, who fiaisned work at the Siate college this past year te do the testing and keep the herd records, Mr. Simmons began work July 1. lie k 10 visit eacS man in the Association every month He arrives ia the after noon, is present at the milking, weighs whatever feed is given and figures the cost per COW of feed, and also figures what her product Is worth. This ena bles the dairyman to determine which of his animals are returning him q pto fit and which are not. The tester can help many also in their feeding prob Iemi, either by balancing the rations already fed, or by figuring out another ration if the one in use is not entirely satisfactory.
 have outlined plans for several far mers to follow on their respective farms, such as suggesting crop rota- ton, change in method Of seeding down, fertilizer, kind and amount to be used, etc. Respectfully submitted,
 N. C. KENNEDY,
 County Agent L. :. Dept. of Agricul
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