The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-02-21
KANSAS STATE AGRICULTURAL
COLLEGE

Manhattan, Kans-, February IS
The United States department OF ag-
riculture is cooperating with the
Kansas State Agricultural college in
statewide campaign to prevent los
ses from smuts IN cereals. The ex-
tension division and the office of plant
pathology of the department of bot
any are handling the situation for
this state. The government will send
five or six men who viii give demon
STATIONS in every county IN the state
that is growing wheat or barley
The extension division of the col
lege has outlined the various meeting
places where the demonstration will
be held and L. Z. Melchers, acting
head of the department of botany will
instruct the men in regard to the met
DDS recommended for this state. The
campaign will be waged IN practic-
ally every state IN the union where
cereals are being shown, so that the
annual loss of millions of dollars
should be materially reduced.
A new method for treating oats to
prevent smut known as the dry for
maldehyde method, is being recon-
;nended in this state for the first time
this year. 1t is more simple than
former methods, and a greater num-
Der OF bushels of seed can be treated
IN the same length of time. The de-
-artment of botany viii furnish di-
rections for treatment to prevent
smuts upon request.
Kansas leads all other states in the
number of agricultural agents ap-
pointed since August, 1917, when an
emergency appropriation was made to
the United States Department of
Agriculture for placing a county
Il =
/ states, according to a letter received
/ from the United tSates department of
| agriculture by Edward G. johnson,
| dean OF college extension, in the Kan
sas State Agricultural college.
IWenty-four emergency agricultur-
4 NJ agents, eight assistant county
/ agents, and eighteen emergency home
/ demonstration agents have been ap-
/ pointed IN Kansas since August and
] re now on the job. Five assistant
! 1nty agent leaders also have been
/ appointed Approximately 80 coun-
/ ties are now supplied with the county
gents or with emergency agents.
/ Those counties having emergency
| agents are rapidly organizing farm
| bureaus so that the work may be
/ -1ade permanent
H Umberger is county agent lea
- and Miss Frances l. Brown is
/ 'eader of the emergency home demon
fstration agents. Both leaders are sta
/ toned at the Kansas State Agricul-
tural college
Measures to prevent soil blowing
should be taken soon by Kansas farm
ers. points out r. /. Throckmorton. as
sOciate professor of agronomy in the
Kansas State Agricultural College.
Blowing, particularly in the West
ern part OF the state, is likely to be
! serious because of the small veee-
/ tative growth and the loosening of the
o. by alternate freeing and thawinp.
- surface will begin moving first
! md If not stopped the wheat will be
carried out
Light application of straw or man
ure will prove beneficial for small
! 1reas especially likely to be affected.
is desirable to apply this materiaI
/ before the blowing begins
/ Cultlvating strips three or four
! feet wide at intervals of two or three
rods across Will prevent blowing in
most cases. These strips should be
/ I right angles to the prevailing di-
/ rectiOn of the wind An ordinary
( corn cuitlvator or an alfalfa renova-
tor IS a satisfactory implement to use
/ IN doing this work The surface
should be left rough. If pulverized
TO dust the loosened soil will blow
readily. This would increase the diff
ficulty instead of bringing about the
/ desired beneficial effect.
If the blowing becomes so severe
that the cultivated strips will not stop
1t lister must be used. The inter
walls between the listed strips will de
pend upon the individual case. Strips
OF two burrows each and two to three
rods apart, will ordinarily be suffi-
| cient.
DR.. r. R. Dykstra, professor of
surgery in the department of veteri-
nary medicine, has been appointed
veterinarian of the Kansas State
Doard of Agriculture for the year
1918. The position is an honorary
one awarded to men of distinguished
ability in veterinary medicine.
Grandmother's Rules.
! Somebody's grandmother has be
RI Erar- II