The Clayton news. (Clayton, N.M.) 19??-1954, 1918-12-07
REPORT OF UNION COUNTY
AGRICULTURAL AGENTS
s335,OOO saved TO Farmers and stock
men Of Union County Thru Work
of County Agricultural Agents

During the year ending November 80,
more than $335,O00 to farmers and stock
men of Union county has been saved
through the work of the County Agri-
cultural Agents, who are hired by the
United States department of agricul-
ture, the state OF New Mexico, and
Union county, cooperating. Only a
small per cent of the value can be tab
ulated in the form of dollars and cents.
The county agricultural agents have
been active in organizing farmers and
stockmen, in assisting the eradication
of jack rabbits, rodents and predatory
animals in improving the crops and
livestock of the county, in conducting
boys and girls clubs and assisting with
whatever problems arise in the agricul-
tural line to be solved in the county.
During the year the Farmer Stock
man Bureau was organized, the pur-
pose of which is to cooperate with the
county agricultural agents state eX-
tention service and the United States
department of agriculture for solving
the agricultural problems that confront
the farmers and stockmen of Union
county. Eighty-one locals of the Far
-Stockman Bureau were organized
with a total of 700 members A cooper
ating community chairman is located
in each of the 112 communities of the
county; This organization has been a
great assistance in carrying out the
agricultural program of the year.
Through the Farmer-Stockman Bu-
reau, the cooperation of the state
council of defense and the Biological
survey were secured an appropriation
Nf q. a fro inn, ,f fa
and predatory animals in Union county.
The assistance of the Biological survey
specialists was also secured, and three
labor foremen for the season for erad-
ication of prairie dogs. One foreman
for a period of three months was sup
piled by the County commissioners.
The county agricultural agents or
ganized the farmers and stockmen, Sc
cured the appropriation, started the
work and assisted, supervised and
checked up on the work of prairie dog
eradication. 200, 900 acres of land were
covered getting 95 per cent of the
prairie dogs Follow up work was car
ried out on $4,000 acres of this land
with results of 80 per cent of the re-
naming dogs being killed. Through
the protection of crops and range grass
SS0,0G0 was saved to farmers and stock
men of Union county. So per cent of
the infested area of the county was
covered and the work is in good shape
to be carried through to completion
next season. The county agricultural
agents allotted the funds 80 that there
is sufficient left to carry the work
through to completion.
Previously great damage has been
done to seed and young plants as well
as to mature crops through the work
of ground squirrels, field mice and
pocket gophers. The past season poi
S0.s grain was prepared by the county
agents and distributed to farmers at
cost of the materials used. In this way
230 farmers were helped, 97S quarts
of poison grain were distributed and
1892 acres of infested land were COW
cred, saving $t17513 in crops for farm
ers Unanimous praise for this work
has been given by the farmers assisted
and great prospects are ahead for this
work next year.
The eradication of the jack rabbit
pest was started last winter. Several
large rabbit drives were organized. To
our knowledge over 1000 rabbits were
killed in these drives and used for food
and feed. Also gun clubs were organ
lLtu AndN hAAACQ tue .IdDDilo III
numbers, and a poison campaign was
organized With all methods the num-
ber of rabbits was materially decreased
in the communities cooperating and
the damage done by these pests was
greatly reduced
Through the funds appropriated and
the assistance secured a number of
hunters have been busy in Union coun-
~, and calculated from state reports
$4,000 was saved to Union county in
livestock the past season. A much lar
ger force is now at work in the county
and the damage for next season will be
reduced much more.
The county agents organized fifty
six Boys and Girls clubs with a to-
tai membership of $50. Through these
clubs $50 acres of crops were raised
which produced on an average OF SO
per acre more than the average crops
of the county Fifty-hve high Hol-
stein calves were shipped In from wis
consln and were raised by boys and
girls with an average profit to the
children of $40 each. Thirty pigs, ten
sheep and 80 gardens were raised by
club children, and 252 girls did sewing
and cooking work. with the funds
appropriated by the Farmer-Stockman
Bureau, the County Board of Educa-