Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-12-31

as IS per cent OF the helES showed
damage from this fungus. The
yield obtained seems remarkable.
considering the extent of the scab
infection throughout the county.
There will be a generous acreage
sOwn another year If clean seed
can be obtained. The increase il
winter wheat acreage ever nor
NAL Is fully 100 per cent. The farm;
bureau Office has been active in en-
couraging the seeding of more
wheat and has given the matter pu-
bliCity in the monthly bulletin, by
posters and in the city and county
press. Two members tried apply
ing soluble phosphate (acid phos-
phateD to their winter wheat this
fall at seeding time. This should
prove profitable.
The practice of covering fall
wheat with straw is being tried out
extensively throughout the county
this year. This has proven else
where a profitable practice.
Rye.
The county adviser made a trip
20 Michigan the last of August and
purchased for the farmers OF Cor
dOva township 1900 bHshel car
load of Rosen rye. This rye will
be used largely on the sand land
and should show marked increase
in yield over the common rye
grown in that community for years.
A variety test of rye is being made
on our experimental sand plots as
described elsewhere in this report.
Barley.
One carload of Wisconsin ped
igreed barley No. was brought
into the county the past year. This
barley is a four rOwed variety bred
ana developed by the Wisconsin
experiment station and has made
a splendid showing both for yield
and quality.
Legumes.
The work o. the farm bureau
with the Iegumes has been largely
that of encouraging the growing 0t
more clover with especial amph2.
sis laid on using more than one
clover in the rotation leg Ime mix
ture. For example a mixture con-
sisting of 40 per cent red, 80 per
cent alsike, 5 per cent swee;
clover, per cent alfalfa and Is
per cent timothy has proven. a
splendid combination, producing
far more to the acre than any one
clover used singly. Emphasis has
OF course been laid on the import
ance of preceding the legumes
with a good coat of limestone.
We are trying to demonstrate
that the cowpeas and soy beans
have a definite and important role
to play in building up our sand
soils
Threshers' Organization,
This organization was formed
for The purpose of preventing the
waste OF the bread grains. The
thresherman' part in carrying out
the program of this organization
was t6 see to it that his machine
was in the proper repair and ad-
justment, TO provide a canvas for
the front part of the separator to
catch the shattered grains and try
in every possible way to do a
wOrkmanlike job.
The farmers part was to provide
light racks and this with few eA-
ceptions was done In the county
here were $500 bushels of
wheat. $40, 1897 bushels of oats, !
1888 bushels Of barley and 66.481 /
bushels Of rye threshed.
Livestock.
Our work along livestock lines /
has been varied. We have encour- /
aged the use OF pure bred sires ard /
nave formed a Pure Bred Livestock /
Breeders association, superin- /
,ended the distribution of 1,0au |
breeding ewes in the county, or {
yaniZed cooperative livestock ship !
ping associations; organized and /
ca-rieG through q successful pig
,lub; assisted in the assembling /
and shipping of a carload of wooI !
md have been active in animal dis
Ease control.
Ten members of the Rock Island |
Chamber OF Commerce borrowed .
100000 and put it at the disposal
II a committee chosen from the
arm bureau consisting of the
county adviser and five practical
heep men. 1t was the duty of this
committee to purchase 800 breed
ng ewes for distribution in the
county Black face westerns were+
inAlly selected and shipped into
he county, 500 head going to each
nd. Sales were held on oct. 3 and
and these ewes were distributed
N SIS different farms. Pure bred (
bucks Were furnished
t cost to all who wanted them 05
uCks were sOldD The entire tran
action was conducted a. a profit
o no one and after all expenses
re paid a rebate will be give1.
ach man who purchased sheep.
he starting Of these many small
rowth of the sheep industry in
he county in very material way
Pure Breeders Association.
This association consists of 10
harter members, representing ali
arts of the county. s. far no
efnite line of work has been
akel. up, but a meeting viii be
allied soon to outline the work for I
ne coming reason. Boost for bet
ar livestock is the slogan of the
rganization.
Pig Club.
Nineteen boys and one girl fin Ii
shed the pig club work and i
bowed their pigs at the county 1
air The club members were /
wen a special building built OF {
urpose for them by the fair mar j
cement. This exhibit attracted a !
reat deal of attention, and fav- '
rable comment There is no bet
er way 20 attract children to farm 7
Re then by getting them Interested