Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1917-10-17
should see soy beans planted in every
field of silage corn.

nelO OF Stage corn.
Power Sprayers. Five new power
| sprayers have been used in the count
ty this year. This type of machinery
is demonstrating it's all-around use
fulness more and more. It's value as
a labor-saving machine in these times
is incalculable in comparison with Or
binary hand sprayers. One farmer
who raised about three acres of po-
tatoes this year was heard to remark,
cit took me an hour to spray my po-
tatoes when I used my neighbors' pow
er sprayer and two days when [ did
it with my hand sprayer." He would
have saved several days valuable la
Dor on that potato piece had he been
equipped with power sprayer.
Demonstrations in the spraying Of
potatoes have shown the value of Dor
deaux mixture. Many who. sprayed
carelessly or only once Or twice re-
ceived but little benefit but those who
kept the plants we'll covered were re-
warded with an increased yield. One
demonstration showed an increase Of
over SO per cent due to spraying.
Another important item to consid-
er is the adaptability of the power
sprayer for use in orchards as we'll
as fields of potatoes and other hoed
crops, and also for use in spraying
grain for the eradication of kale.
Several demonstrations were carried
out with excellent results. One very
striking demonstration was carried
out under somewhat adverse circum-
too heavy to spray, the day was
cloudy and the small group of farm
ers who gathered little believed the
sprinkling that was given the kale
would have any effect. Upon a visit
to the field three weeks later, hardly
a kale blossom could be seen while
at the time Of spraying the ground
was matted with small kale plants.
Another year will doubtless see many
more acres sprayed for kale than this
year.
Lime Demonstrations. AS was re-
ported last year, lime is showing good
results where it has been applied to
sour soils. While this is not a direct
fertilizer, it is Of great value in Sc
curing better grade of roughage on
orr Orleans county farms. Practical
ly all legumes grow better in a sweet
soil and by the addition of lime to
many of our soils, clover does not
run out" so to speak, as it used to.
The numerous requests for soil
samples to be taken indicate that a
large amount Of lime will be applied
this fall.
Farm Management surveys of the
same type as-were made the two pre-
vious years were taken in the winter.
A comparison of results for a three
year period were showed considera-
bic increase in labor income. While
all of this increase cannot be laid to
the results of the survey yet the trend
is in the right direction and much
more attention than hitherto is being
given by farmers to the keeping of
better farm accounts. A considerable
number Of farm account books have
been placed in the county and it is
hoped that this coming winter will see
a large number Of farmers starting q
simple system of farm accounts.
Plans are on foot at the present time
to hold two or three farm manage
ment schools of a couple Of days in
length in as many different commune
ties in the county and any group of
farmers who are particularly inter-
ested in this phase Of their business
should make their Wants known.
Local Meetings were held during
the past, winter the same as usual.
Office hours were held in a number of
the towns so that any farmers who so
desired might drop in and talk over
their problems with the county agent.
Shortly after war was declared in the
spring it was deemed wise to run a
series of food production meetings to
acqualnt the people with the great
necessity Of each farmer doing all in
his power to increase his production.
The committee of public safety COOP
h. 10
bespoke the interest which was mani
fest in this line of work.
An extension school was held in
greensboro during the early part of
January with considerable show of
interest on the part of those attend
ing. Plans are already under way
Tor at least two extension schools this
coming winter besides the proposed
farm management schools.
Cooperative Buying and Selling re-
celved fresh impetus this past year
when the Farmers Exchange formal
ly incorporated under the laws of
Vermont and began doing business as
a separate organization. Its growth |
In membership during the ten months |
of its existence showed the powerful |
backing that is behind the organiza-
ton. The Exchange as business
proposition IN this county is here to |
stay. Farmers are giving less heed |
than formerly to the comments of |
those whose interests are other than
agricultural and are sticking by the |
Tremendous possibili- |
ties are before it both in buying and
selling. The amount of business which
it may handle is limited only by the
number of farmers in the county.
A little over a month ago Is farm
ers gathered in Newport and organ
lied the Orleans County National
Farm Loan association with the ag-
gregate amount which these men
wished to borrow from the Federal
bank at Springfield totalling little
ess than 100000. Since that time
eleven new members have been admit
ted and as many more farmers wish
to join in the near future. This or