Putnam County herald. (Cookeville, Tenn.) 1903-1922, 1916-05-11
FARM DEMONSTRATION WORK

FARM DEMONSTRATION WORK
In a short article it is impossible
to give any definite data on the ag.
ricultural development of Putnam
county except in a scattering way.
, The farmers demonstration work has
been established in this county since
Oct. list, 1914, County Agent Blair
Harrison being in charge of the
work. Because of the importance of
the crop corn has had the most con-
sideratiOn with increase of yield and
reduction of cost per acre as the OBJ
ject. In 1915 thirty one corn demon
stratiOns of an average of eleven
acres each made a yield of thirty
nine and one half bushels TO the
acre. The average yield over the en-
tire county was twenty four bushels
per acre.. Better preparation, pro-
per spacing, better cultivation, and
use of good seed were the factors in
this increase. The influence of these
fields was widespread, resulting in
better work upon all of the farms OF
the county. A good indication OF
the interest among the farmers in
the permanent upbuilding of their
soil is the turning under of such
crops as rye, peas, crimson clover,
and oats. This spring many of the
farmers of this country are following
this method of improving their
farms, and in the near future the
great benefits of this practice will
be seen.
On Oct 90, 1915 the first Agricul-
tural day was held in the courthouse
yard. There were several hundred
exhibits made by farmers from ev-
cry section of the county. This year
we are planning to enlarge the ex-
hibit list and from the interest ex-
much NOSE extensive exhibit is an
ticipated.
Much progress has been made in
the clearing up of our lands and in
the introduction of valuable crops as
crimson clover, bur clover, soy
beans. This is very important In
the case of soy beans as the intro
duction of this extremity valuable
crop upon \every farm in the county
was halted by lack of knowledge of
the best methods of growing and
handling the crop. AS this knowl-
edge is rapidly being spread over
the country the acreage is growing
rapidly, and from an acreage of
about two hundred two years ago
several thousand acres will be sown
in this county this year.
A most important work is being
carried on by working out systems
Of rotations Of crops to furnish pas
ture for hogs during the entire year.
Much work of this kind is being car
ried on this season, and several CON-
munities in this county are forming
pig clubs with the purpose of grow
ing the hogs on pasture crops alone.
a short time We expect to develop
a very extensive hog industry in this
section.
Great progress has been made In
the selection of seed corn and grow
ing seed corn for market and home
use. Communities are forming seed
clubs to achieve this end, and the
farmers are getting good seed and
making plans to save field selected
seed for their next crop. While
less evident hut most important the
attitude of the farmer towards CO.
operation in his community is chang
ing and the formation of clubs such
as has been mentioned in the first
part of this article is evidence of this /
TACT.
I The corn club work has been a
great success. Thirtysfve boys en-
listed in 1915 and made an average
yield of fifty-four bushels per acre.
This year about fifty boys are enlist
I'd in the corn club work, and are
into community clubs at :
Algood, Baxter, Shipley, Pleasant
Valley, Salem, and Gentry, respect
vely.
Beginning this year three pig
,lubs have been organized in which
he boys each raise a pig and by
1eeping a record of the amount OF
eed fed and weight gained are able
o find the cost of the production OF
! pound of pork. These boys are In
'tructed in the proper feeding of
logs with low cost Of feed and high /
Increase in weight as the object.
The soil of our county is just be-
ginning to become known to our far
ners, and not yet have they obtained
he full measure of it's productivity.
rhe great progress of the past few
vears is in no way proper measure
# that of the future. We can only
Measure the future by the past so
n measuring the future of Putnam
county by its past it can be easily
een that but few years will pass
,efore this section will be called
Justly the garden spot of Tennessee.
BLAIR HARRISON, Co. Agent +
Oil TRACTOR DEMONSTRATION
A. M. Gibbs, representative of the
Harvester Co., will give
demonstration Of an ZIG oil tractor