St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1917-02-07
ANNUAL REPORT FOR YEAR
ENDING FEB. 1, 1917.

The main part of the work during
the past year has been demonstration
work Demonstrations have been
carried on with oats-treating them
for smut and spraying to eradicate
kale: hay, topdressing meadows with
chemicals; alfalfa; lime; and soy
beans in corn.
OatS-Trcating for Smut.
Purpose: To control smut in, oats,
thereby increasing the yield. Three
demonstrations were carried on. The
seed oats were treated with sou-
ton of formaldehyde, diluted at the
rate of one-half pint formaldehyde to
25 gallons water. One gallon of the
solution was used to the bushel, the
oats being placed on clean floor and
then shoveled over as the solution
was sprinkled over them. The oats
were then mixed thoroughly, shOVeled
into a pile and covered with a blan-
ket. They We're left overnight, and in
the morning We're dry enough to SOW.
Two bushels and three pecks were
used to the acre. Gone peck was al
lowed for the swelling) The drill
was treated to prevent re-infection.
A check was left in each case. Thr-
ty-eight acres were sown to treated
seed on the three demonstrations. A
check of about an acre was left in
each case. These demonstrations
were carefully labeled, and we waited
for results. However, We We're I'M
able to find smutted head in any of
the fields, either OF the treated plots
or the untreated plots.
Oats-SDrayino With Iron Sulphite to
Eradicate Kalc.
Purpose: To eradicate the kale,
thereby increasing the yield of oats
and securing a better catch Of grass.
Six demonstrations were carried on.
A power sprayer belonging to the as
ISOLATION was used Twenty acres
were sprayed in the six fields. A 20
per cent solution of iron sulphite was
used 600 pounds to so gallons water)
and applied so that an acre received
100 pounds of iron sulphite:: A check
was left in each case. The kale was
sprayed when it was in the fourth
leaf.
On the first three demonstration
fields the kale was absolutely eradi-
Gated on the sprayed plots, while the
check plots were yellow when the kale
was O"li. VII lilC OIliCI LII &C WILL
onstration fields the kale was 4 little
too large and the effects were not as
satisfactory. although the results were
very apparent Two of these demon
STATIONS were in d town that had
never had demonstration before and
caused considerable favorable COM
/ ment. Not counting the advantage OF
! having the oats free from kale or the
| better catch, the average increase in
! yield of the sprayed plots over tho
/ unsprayed was ten bushels. This
would mean profit of four dollars
per acre over the cost of spraying.
Soy Beans in Corn.
Purpose: To improve the protein
content of corn silage and to increase
the fertility of the soil.
Thirty demonstrations We're carried
on with this crop. Ninety-two acre
were planted with soy beans. Oh
each demonstration field a small plo
was planted with clear soy beans tt
make q showing. A small plot wa
planted with corn and uninoculatet
with soy beans. The remainder wa
planted with corn and soy beans in
oculated at the rate of four quarts o
soy beans and eight to twelve quart
of corn per acre. Most of these dem
onstrations were ali labeled. Abou
, half of these demonstrations cam
, through all right. The others di
not amount to much. Very little diff
ference was noticed between the in
. oculated and uninoculated beans i
the growth they made. However, tn
roots showed very clearly which ha
been inoculated. Liquid culture fror
the department was used in eac
case. The average yield of soy bean
in the corn was one ton to the acr,
With but few exceptions, every farm
err that grew soy beans this Scaso
will grow them another year. which
d sure indication of the success of tn
crop.
Lime.
Purpose: To demonstrate the NaiG
| of lime to ncutralizc acid soils ali
improve the physical condition. I'll
project was taken up only after lool
ing over a great many farms lii;
! seemed TO be unable to grow Glove
and after large number of sampl,
of soil had been tested for acidit
The average of nearly a hundre