South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-12-27
FARM CENTERS
AROUSE COUNTY
Interest in Agricultural Work
Gets Big Boost During Past
Year by Organizations.


The closing week Of the year 1918
finds a wider interest in agricultural
work in St Joseph county than has
ever been known before. This In
terest is resulting in organizations In
various parts Of the county until
now many communities have clubs.
similar to the civic clubs Of the city.
that have become a necessary part
OF the life Of the community. This
community interest is growing until
the prospects are that 1916 viii see
the formation Of countrywide organ
izations towards which definite ac-
ton had not seemed possible in years
past
The section Of the country 10 take
the latest organized interest in the
work Of rural betterment is Madison
township the extreme southeast
township Of the county. This is one
OF the most favored farming sections
OF the county and one where the eff
fects of organized effort viii be
watched with interest. a five-day
farm course was closed most success
fully last Friday by County Agent
BOrdner. The enrolment during the
week was 81 and the interest aroused
was such that a longer course next
month under a salaried teacher is
practically assured. A farm course
under the provisions of the voca-
tiCnal training law, such as the long
er course would be. viii be an inno-
walton in the county and success Will
insure other such courses in the near
future.
Have Meeting Wednesday,.
The Madison township community
center. organized a month ago. is the
newest such organization IT, the
county and IS at the same time one
of the Invest. The second program 10
be given by the organization viii be
held Wednesday night at the Madi-
son township high school. The pro
gram is asa follows:
Song. Holy Night" music. Ben
dit orchestra; recitation, Clarence
Birk: song. Christmas Carol" GIee
club; debate. Resolved. That a
common school education is suffi-
cient for country life" Affirmative
Albert Strope. Charles Loucks: neg
alive. Charles Schurr. Harold Seese.
music. Benditt orchestra; recitation,
Helen Birk; song. Bull Dog" Glee
club; lecture. Social Problems"
Glen MOchel; solo, Edna Geyer; pa
per, wide Awake Marbles" voca-
tionaI school; song. Glee club; reel
tation, Calvin Hunsberger; business
discussion; song. "God Be With You
Till We Meet Again" music. Ben
dit orchestra.
II is probable that the first county
wide farmers organization to be
formed during the new year Will be
a COW testing association. A meet
ing was held last Wednesday for
the purpose OF discussing plans for
such an organization but owing TO
misunderstanding as 20 the date OF
the meeting there was not "a large
enough attendance TO make definite
action possible. a representative Of
the division of dairy husbandry of
Purdue university was present at this
meeting and explained the workings
and benefits of such an organization.
a representative of the university
viii be present also at another meet
ing 10 be held by the dairymen of the
county within the next few weeks.
Interest In stock Grows.
Because of the fact that the agri-
cultural interests Of the county are
so varied IL has been difficult 20 cen
ter the work of agricultural extern
sion upon one interest. It is the opin-
ion Of County Agent Bordner that
now. however. the farmers Of the
county can take concerted action I'm
the work OF animal husbandry mas
much as the raising OF better stock
has come 20 be a matter of vital inn
pOrtance alike TO the farmer and the
dairyman. I'm recent months farm
ers generally Throughout the county
nave been unusually interested IA the
possibilities OF securing official COW
testing and for this reason IL is con-
sidered certain that a strong organi-
zation can be perfected and put in
working order by early spring
IntIt ar a lew lAA illtl~ lll tllf+
county now who are attempting 10
eliminate loss I'm milk production 10y
making private tests OF their cows
This method has worked ont 10 the
benefit OF some but the general orin-
ION has come 10 be that only thrOuCh
the aid OF experts representing the
state organization Tor agricultural
extension can the most profitable
results be attained The work of the
state organization has shown that
ire average yearly production of but
ter TAT in the state is only $50 pounds
and that cows producing no more
than this amount are not profitable
10 their owners. Breeders of pure
bred cattle are anxious for a testing
association and their membership
results in reducing tie cost 10 the
other members.
II is the opinion OF agricultural eN-
perts who have visited this county
that Il is one OF the best dairy c0un-
ties in the state and that in many
other farm lines il could be placed
nearer the lead. The recent Coun-
try life conference held at the court