Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-01-19
Farm Demonstration Notes,

January and February are the bes
months for the winter pruning of orchards
both for taking out an excess of wood O
for cutting out hold-over blight. Any on,
in the county wishing assistance in thei
orchards, should communicate at once will
the County Agent.
L. X. Moffett, tester for the Germantown
Gaithersbure Cow Testing Association
last week returned from spending tn,
holidays with his parents in Lancaste
county, Penn. This week he begins thu
records for the seventh month of the
years work. The members of the asso,
citation are well pleased with Mr.. Moffett'
work and with the results obtained with
the tests We hope soon to publish some
of the records made.
County Agent Van Heosen, assisted by
Prof 5. B. Shaw. of the Agricultural Ex-
tension Service. has been doing work this
week in the orchards of P. G. Lyon, Bright
on; P. L. Snyder, Travilah; and Tarlton
Brooke, Oakdale.
The State Experiment Station has this
week shipped pure-bred Guernsey bull
calf from the station herd to Mr.. John F.
Hargett, of Boyd
In spite of the cold wind an interesting
pruning demonstration was held in the
orchard of Mrs. Mary Boland, near Ger
mantown, number of the neighbors being
present The orchard consists of about
us trees of excellent varieties. Prof. S.
b. Shaw, of the Agricultural College, con-
Quoted the demonstration. The pruning
and spraying of this orchard will be done
by Mr.. Will Green. under the direction of
the County Agent.
Pear blight, which causes so much dam
age to apple trees. especially young ones,
every summer, can be controlled more sue
cessfully this time of year than at any
other time. Improper pruning. however,
may do more harm than good, as the in
lection may be spread throughout a tree,
or from tree to tree. by the implement
used. If you have valuable young trees
which are affected, and you are not famil-
lar with the proper method of removing
the diseased parts, the County Agent will
be glad to visit your orchard on request.
BOYS AGRICULTURAL CLUBS.
The Boys Club work. which attracted
Statewide attention last fall on account
of the Home State Tour, promises to de-
velop into an important and permanent
part of the school program of the county.
On page of the last Annual Report of the
Public Schools of Montgomery County" oc-
ours this paragraph;
Agricultural Course.-But two schools
carry this work at the present time. These
are Sandy Spring and Brookeville High
Schools. One teacher is employed for the
two schools The question has been raised
about other schools. notably Rockville and
Gaithersburg, having the Agricultural De-
partment, owing to the number of pupils
coming to these schools from rural sec
tons of the county. and consequently their
natural interest in and desire for such
work
1t is evident. therefore, that there is not
only demand on the part of the patrons Of
the county that agriculture be given place
On the program of more of our schools.
but that the Board of Education favOrs
such step. Both Superintendent Bur-
lette and Mr.. Broome are heartily in favor
Of providing some agricultural instruction
n more Of the larger schools of the county.
rhe principals of these schools. at their
meeting last Friday. also expressed them
elves as strongly in favor of the plan.
AS first step in the desired direction.
he Boys Club work for 1917 will be made
In integral part of the regular school pro-
IRAN, the principal Of the school being the
eader of the club. and the County Demon
'tration Agent cooperating in a supervi
Iory capacity. The clubs will meet once
/ month during a regular school period. at
which regular and uniform program will
De followed. The regular home projects
Of the clubs will be carried on as usual, and
a plan will be worked out later giving
ZONE school credit for the work done, bas-
ng the credits on the carefully kept records
If the home project work.
Since deciding to take up this work in
county. word has come that
he same plan has been adopted in Gar
'ett. Washington and Frederick counties
Several other counties are expected to fall
n line soon. The work will be taken up
n not more than ten schools in the county
his year. the organization Of which will
be begun at once.