The Yale expositor., 1916-08-10
Work of County Agriculturist


The event which oyershadOwed all
others in the affairs OF last week was
the Cow Testing Association meeting
at Alvin Balden's ON Friday. Some
idea of the interest that this work has
aroused can be gained from the fact
that eighty people came to enjoy the
day and learn more about dairying and
COW testing association affairs rwtnty
one of the twenty-six members were
present and took part in the meeting.
That the association regards the fam
lilies and homes Of it's members as es-
sential factors in the success OF the
wOT. was shown 10y III" arrangements
made for the wives aud children The
mcmbcrs also showed an excellent
spilt ia inviting outsiders to be pre-
ent, and not only are they deslrOus Of
obtaining benefit, themselves, but they
also wish to spread the good work 10
others. That good progress has been
made was shown 10y the report OF the
tester, Mt. MOulton. One of the most
Encouraging things was TO hear that
COWS which we're down near the Dot
tom at the beginning, as far as produc
ton and profit were concerned, are now
included in the tel best producers in
the association. The work has not
only shown the percentage OF butter
| fat in the milk, but has helped the
men to feed more judiciOusly.
On Wednesday Prof. Muncie of the
Michigan Agricultural College came to
| inspect the bean seed demonstration
| which he had placed in the county.
Ten quarts each Of Michigan haud-
picked beans, Idaho-grOwn Michigan
beans, and Early Wonder beans were
planted side by side, surrounded on
| four sides by the growers home grown
seed stock. The purpose of the work
| is to compare these different lots with
respect to the amount of disease pres
ent. The extremely dry season, how
ever, is preventing the development of
bean diseases, and the indications at
present are that the work will not de-
| monstrate anything conclusively re-
gaTding anthraCnose and blight. Other
| bean fields which had been drilled with
seed secured through the efforts of this
office were also visited some blight
was found to be present, but was not
spreading rapidly. In this county the
| experiment was located with B. j..
Smith of W Wales township. Mr.. Muncie
has these trials located in fourteen diff
ferent counties and complimented Mr..
Smith very highly on the care he had
exercised with the work.
| On Thursday Mr.. Nicholson of the
Farm Crops Department made tour
of the county inspecting oat fields with
a view to producing certified seed. This
work is just in its infancy, not only in
the county, but in the state as well, and
a few men in this county are starting
with it this season This year the
county farm at Goodells is producing
certified rye and Ralph Babcock Of
Grant township, Edwin Fuller of
Burtchyllle, John Patterson Of Colum-
bus, and John Judge of Emmett will
haye certified oats. This is very bad
year for weeds, but the owners have
shown great industry IN removing them
together with considerable quantities
of barley which were found present IN
some of the oat fields. 1t should be
mentioned, too, that number Of the
leading farmers are purchasing con.
siderable quantities Of Red Rock wheat
for fall seeding, and it is pleasing to
know that the growers or IT. Clair
county will soon be able to furnish GER
titled seed instead Ut purchasing 1t
from outside sources,
9. j. l3rody, County Agent