Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1916-02-17
ATTENDANCE OVER
SEVEN THOUSAND
ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1915
SHOWS GROWTH OF AGRICUL-
TURAL WORK IN COUNTY
Project Basis For Present Year Prom.
ises System and Greater
Efficiency

Efficiency
In his annual report to the directors
of Williams County Better Farming
Association County Agent E. w. Hall
reviews the work of the past year and
while he modestly confines himself to
a plain statement of facts, figures and
conditions, these are sufficient to re-
veal large measure of growth in all
departments of the work and spirit
of cooperation between all factors
that gives assurance of greater eff
cheney for the future.
The statistics of the report gives
some surprising figures. There are
now Al farmers clubs, during the
year 81 public meetings were held
with a total attendance of 7,466. The
agent travelled 11,448 miles and, al
though travel by car in December
was almost impossible, visited 1863
farms. Forty y-eight farmers are CO.
operating in demonstration work de-
voting 377 acres to the purpose. A
definite system of project work, the
plans for which were published in
these columns recently, has been laid
out for 1916 which should be of much
assistance to all concerned.
The Report In Full
The Honorable Board of Directors,
Williams Co. Better Farming Asso.,
Williston, North Dakota.
Gentlemen:
The following is the report Of E.
w. Hall, Agricultural Agent in Will
iams County for the year 1915:
The main efforts of the Field Agent
during the past year has been direct
ed along the following lines:
l. Work to strengthen and make
more efficient the Farmers Clubs in
the county and help to start more
clubs.
sires. lA' '"''''''''D " pure ''''
5. Corn growing.
4. Alfalfa production, especially
Grimm alfalfa in rows.
5. The Farm Boys Hike, and the
Farmers Club investigation tour.
6. The Annual County Short Course
and other meetings.
There are at present forty-one
Farmers Clubs in the county. It is
a disappointment to have to state
that a number of these clubs are dead.
The local Farmers Club is the unit
on which all organized effort must be
based. No large organization can be
effective without live and active units.
. Marketing organizations, breeding as
sociations and credit associations, as
we'll as all other organizations for the
betterment of the community, will be
the natural outgrowth of the Farm
portant that the clubs should be alive,
studying and working together to
bring about greater prosperity for
their different communities.
Eight new clubs were assisted in
making start by the County Agent
in 1915.
Some of these clubs outlined work
for the Field Agent which has proved
to be the most effective he has car
ried on. The clubs had charge of all
but two Of the agricultural meetings
held in the county during 1915, and
were personally responsible for these
meetings, paying the expenses of the
same in full or in part.
The County Agent has not assisted
in the purchase of as many pure bred
sires this year as in 1914. The work
was not we'll grounded in 1914, and
many farmers were induced to buy
inferior sires for the sake of the pedi-
gree alone. During 1915 therefore,
the County Agent in talking at meet
ings and to individuals was very care
full to emphasize the Importance of |
the individual as well as the pedigree.
He has found that it is better to help
a farmer to buy sire, than to buy
one for him, and if he is not willing
to buy a good one, it is better not to
encourage him in buying at all, as the
poor bred is hindrance to the cam
paign for the use of pure bred sires.
in the county this year as far as ripe
was obtained except on one farm near
Williston. A good deal of fodder was
obtained wherever corn was planted
in the right shape and the right kind
of seed used. The best corn was along
the river on the lighter land, where
it was warmer. One farmer hogged
off fifty acres successfully. This was
the Gehu flint variety. It is the opin-
ion of the Field Agent that the
acreage of corn in the county in 1916
will be about the same as in 1915.
Many will not plant because they are
easily discouraged, but those who are
in livestock to stay will need more
corn next year than last. and this will
make up the acreage. It will be the
aim of the Field Agent to work hard
to keep up the acreage. No seed corn
was saved in the county, but two
hundred bushels have been purchased
to sell at cost to the farmers who are .
most interested in corn growing
The alfalfa acreage increased satis- ,
Grimm alfalfa in rows was seeded. It
was impossible for the Field Agent {
10 get around to all the farmers who !
we're seeding alfalfa. but he assisted