Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-12-06

ANU may O0 put IN COn0lIlOn 10 raise
good hay especially clover hay. There
arc enough alfalfa pieces started in
the county to demonstrate its growth
in different localities and shall not
recommend starting any more until
these plots show that conditions war
rant growing more alfalfa for hay.
Better Corn Yield.
The next important work to be COW
cred by demonstrations should be
along the lines of improving the corn
yield. This should be so carried out
as to show the advantage of having
good seed, covering selection, care and
termination tests. and proper methods
Of cultivation. This might be carried
out by organizing a corn club for
grown-ups. / also believe 1t would be
advisable to try out different varieties
in an effort to find out which partic-
ular variety will give the largest yield
in any one section. In connection with
the corn fair found large number
Of farms where the corn was already
in the bin in damp, poor condition and
on inquiry found that next years seed
would be selected from what was left
in the bin at planting time.
Improve Milk Conditions.
In connection with the dairy i'm
proment projects we are working on
New England wide effort to improve
the conditions under which milk is
transported and marketed, including
the adjustment of the leased car sys-
tenn of transportation and the estab-
lishment of milk collecting and dis
tributing stations similar to those al
ready in operation in New York, Penn
sylvania, Maryland and the greater
part of Canada. The existing condi
ton OF the milk industry in New Eng
land as found by the agricultural com
mittee of the Boston Chamber of Com
mel ce and their recommendations for
improving the same are embodied in
q report, copies Of which may be OBJ
tanned at the league office by all in
terested in this subject which means
so much to the prosperity Of New Lon
don county.
Secured Extension School.
We have secured an agricultural ex-
tension school, the first one of it's
kind to be held in the state Of Con-
necticut, to be held in Preston City,
Jan 4 to Z, inclusive. This school Of
fers four day courses in soils and crop
rotations, dairying, poultry and home
economics and is open to every resi-
dent of the county. Preston will well
come all who can attend. We expect
word at any time from the Connect
cut Dairymen's association in answer
to our invitation to hold a dairy in
stitute at the Norwich state hospital
on Dec. 9.
Need of Cooperation.
There is just one thing needed to
make all this work a success and that
is cooperation. We need the help of
each and every member of the league
along the lines suggested in this re-
port to put farming conditions where
they belong, which will mean more
income for the producer and lower
prices for the consumer. Windham
county farmers stand ready to cooper
ate on the milk situation and it was
only Thursday last that l received
word that our neighbors on the east
in Washington county, Rhode Island,
want to help on the same problem.
Let us do our part.
Work Accomplished.
On the work that had been done
during the year County Agent Warner
reported that he had assisted the farm
management demonstration for the state
| in making a farm survey of 20 farms
fin Lebanon in order to find out Just
what the farmers are receiving for
| their labor. 1t has been found that
there are certain factors which greatly
| influence the income of a farm. These
are size of business, quality of bus
| mess and organized diversity of bust
ness. The survey shows that the IL
| best farms had six more COWS, 10
| acres more of crops, and two more
sources of income than the average
| farm; that crop yields especially hay
and corn should be nearly doubled ;
that the quality of cows are poor on
most of the farms: the average re-
ceipts per cow being only SS4 while
nine farms average $116 and one farm
| er received $151 from every COW in the
| barn.
A meeting was held in every town
| in which 10 or more men were inter-
ested to explain methods of handling
chemicals, price, etc, and the result
| of these meetings is shown in the fact
that IL carloads of chemicals and I
| carloads of agricultural lime involving
| the sum of $4,000 were brought into
| the county.
Boys and Girls Clubs.
May saw the organization of the
London with an enrolment of 10
| boys and girls. This project was the
! first in the state to give the city boy
| and girl chance to belong to an agri-
| cultural club and is designed to be
carried on at the home of the club
member even If there is only Il back
yard available. The gardens consisted
| of plots 10 feet square and the little
| farmers had a choice between raising
corn, potatoes and tomatoes. Thirty
| six actually got started of which num-
| Der 81 completed their work and were
| awarded merit buttons at the club
| fair, which was held Oct. H.
Besides this club work Boys and
| Girls Agricultural clubs have been
| carried on successfully throughout the
Lebanon, Colchester, Hadlyme, Lyme,
East Lyme and Jewett City, having a
| total enrolment of $50 members Most
| of this work is now complete, but final
awards have not been made.
During the summer II communities
asked for and received canning dem
onstrations which reached a total of
$500 people besides those who attend
| ed the canning demonstrations given
| at the Norwich fair.
! Besides the cooperative buying of
| fertilizers and lime, several orders for
| high grade seeds were placed and the
| league acted as an exchange for sew
| eral of the members. Culture for in
| oculating alfalfa seed and other
| leagues was secured for dozen farm
ers and numerous other items such
| as bulletins, dairy record sheets, and
information of all kinds have been Sc
cured for those requesting the same
| Wide Range of Activity.
| During the year the county agent
visited $40 farmers on their farms
/ wrote 1,947 letters in answer to in
quiries and in regard to league work
besides about 5000 circular letters sent
out on specific work, furnished 49,
newspaper articles on agricultural sub
jects to the newspapers, 266 persons
called at the office for information
along agricultural lines and 300 such
calls came in by phone. One hundred
I