Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-05-04
Farm Demonstration Notes.

There is slowly but steadily developing
interest in Montgomery county in the Rural
Credit Act A few inquiries have come
into the Demonstration Office regarding
the possibilities and necessary steps to be
taken in negotiating loans. All inquiries
have been referred to Mr.. W. W. Flanagan,
Secretary of the Federal Farm Loan Board,
Washington, D. c., for detailed informa-
ton. The board publishes series of cir
culars which are very informing. The en-
tire set will be sent free to all who ask for
them. The first definite step taken in the
county toward possible organization of
National Farm Loan Association is by
Liberty Grove Grange of Burtonsville. A
meeting will be held in their Grange Hall
on Saturday evening. May 5th. at 1880
o'clock. at which a member of the Farm
Loan Board will be present to discuss the
work of the board and to answer questions.
This meeting is not for the purpose of Or
ganizing local association. but only for
studying the question with the view to
future action if found desirable. All who
are interested will be welcome. whether
CHANGERS or not.
When Mr. John F. Hargett, of Boyd. re-
Gently tested his selected seed corn for
termination he found one ear from which
not single kernel grew. To all outward
appearances the ear was unusually desira-
BILE. being of normal size and shape with
straight rows tightly packed with sound,
deep grains. But not grain had life.
though only the test box was able to dis
cover it. After tipping and butting the
ear there remained by actual count 720
kernels. Had these been planted three in
hill, three and one-half feet apart each
way. the ear would have made 240 hills,
or about one-fifteenth of an acre. Had
the ear been planted il would have cut
the crop short about per cent, no mat :
ter how well the field had been fertilized,
how carefully cultivated, or how favorable
the season. In other words, 13-barrel
crop with this ear would have been a
14-barrel crop with an ear of good germi-
nation. planted in place of it. Surely this
year we cannot afford not to know the
terminating power of the corn we plant.
Guessing is always losing game.
Monday afternoon field demonstration
of the Spaulding deep-tilling machine was
held on the farm of A. D. Trundle. near
Poolesville. Seventeen interested farmers
were present to study its method of hand
ling the soil. This type of pillow has been
in successful operation in many sections
for number of years, but is quite new to
Montgomery county. 1t is a double-disC
pillow. both discs cutting in the same fur.
row, one running deeper than the other
1t will negotiate soil that is so hard that a
mouldboard pillow cannot penetrate it, and
is especially adapted for late spring ant
summer work. Its great advantage, how
ever,i is that instead of simply inverting the
furrow slice as is done by the ordinary
plOw, the Spaulding mixes the subsoi
with the surface soil Because of this fea
tuIe hhore ouoSOH Cdl NC tuTHcu up at Ohs
time than is safe with the ordinary pillow
This deepening of the soil is of grea
benefit during drought Another i'm
portant feature of its work is that no al
pockets are left to hasten the drying on
process
The blowing Monday averaged from 1.
to Ia inches deep. AS part of the fell
was plowed in the usual way, this fell
will give an all-season demonstration o.
the value of this implement. If the result
ing corn crop warrants it. this tool will have
wide field Of usefulness on the heavier
soils of the county. The Experiment Station
loaned the machine for this demonstration