Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-31

AGRICULTURAL ASSoCIAiloN

adequate to maintain the stand ana
make a splendid lot OF hay and pas
ture.
So, Beans.
Another legume that Is destined to
take a larger place In our farm prac-
tice Is the SOY bean There were more
than two thousand six hundred acres
OF soy beans planted in the county last
season. The most OF these being
planted in the hill with the corn for
hogging purposes. No noticeable de-
crease in yield of corn has been OBJ
served as a result of the practice and
large amount OF valuable protein
| feed has been made available. One
member with combination OF corn,
soy beans and rape produced s35
pounds of pork per acre. AS hay
crop the beans will hardly prove OF
sufficient value to supplant either al
faifa or red clover. but for hoggins
purposes with corn them seem to be
ideal. Members who planted the
beans with corn intending to put the
mixture In the silo were somewhat
| disappointed, because Of the beans
| lodging making it impossible to har-
/ vest them with the corn binder. In
season of normal rainfall this con-
ditton would not obtain as the beans
would stand erect. The area planted
to beans will be largely increased
another season.
| Alfalfa.
Judging from the amount of seed
I loo he
acreage in the county was increased
by $50 last season. This is only a
small beginning but the tendency is
strongly towards an increase of this
splendid crop. Our observation has
been that both spring and fall seed
ing have proven satisfactory. The
main considerations seem TO be in pro
viding an acid free medium in which
the young plants may develop. II
this county it means an application OF
from three TO five tons per acre Of
ground limestone.
The hardy Grimm variety has at
tracted considerable attention and We
have this seed for number of the
members. Personally, it seems to Us
to be we'll worth the additional So pei
acre in seed cost because of its ex-
IRENE hardness. Last winter prac
tieally IS per cent of our alfalfa was
killed out and naturally our people
are getting interested in something
more resistant to unfavorable wealth
er conditions One of our member:
is successfully using alfalfa as rota
ton legume to take the place of rec
clover.
Catch Crops.
There has been a more general ust
made of catch crops this year thar
ever before on account 81 the scarcity
Of hay. Millet, sudan. millet and so!
beans in combination, rape and oati
. and rape alone have all been used
Rape sowed in the corn at the las
cultivation has proven a profitable
practice and one that Is bound to in
crease l never before saw SO mucl
splendid feed as was obtained by thi
, method and at so small a cost.
Il Sweet Glover.
| This legume is used only in a lin
) tied way for pasture purposes. 1t will
: be used in a small way this year il
5 pasture mixture. There seems to b
:! no great enthusiasm relative to til
r crop.
Livestock.
4 While Rock Island county is essen
RI TALLY live stock county, yet Their
: are few pure bred herds. There ar
/ enough herds and sufficient Interest
t however, to make the organizing of
e pure bred live stock breeders associa
/ ton profitable This step will b
Y taken this winter.
ell The work along live stock lines ha