St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1919-04-12

agents in 1918 produced 25.7 bush
els an acre, while those using ordl-
nary methods produced an estimated
yield of Is bushels. Likewise, the
| farmers who grew cotton according
to the instructions of the agents pro-
duced 87l.7 pounds of seed cotton
to the acre, while other farmers OF
the state made a yield estimated at
534.4 pounds to the acre.
These interesting facts are disclos-
ed in the annual report for 1918 of
w. r. Perkins, State Agent and Di-
rector of Extension, Louisiana State
University, which has just been is
sued.
Corn and cotton, however, are not
| the only crops that show, increase in
production where improved farming
methods were practiced. Increases
also were noted in oats, wheat, al
falfa, leSpedeZa, sorghum, VelVe.
| beans, cowpeaS, peanuts, soy beans,
Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, and
| others.
But the activities of the agents
were by no means confined to assist
| ing in the production of increa sed
|
dred and sixty-fve orchards, contain
ing 72,151 trees, were inspected OF
pruned and sprayed, and 46 orch
ards of ,647 trees were planted
| through the influence of the agents.
In livestock, the farm demon8tra
ton agents were instrumental in in
PRODUCING into the state 40 pure
blood stations, 26 pure blood jacks,
622 brood mares, 167 pure bred dairy
| bulls, 682 pure bred dairy cows or
heifers, SIG grade dairy cows for
breeding, 433 pure blood beef bulls,
2,221 pure blood beef cows or heif-
ers, 1857 grade beef COWS for breed
ing, 1888 pure blood boars, i ,043 pure
blood sows Or gifts, 119 pure bred
rams, 1T pure bred ewes, 2,25S
grade ewes, etc
Other activities of the agents had
to do with the treating of livestock
diseases and pests, conducting fer
| tilizer demonstrations, inducing the
| farmers to build silos where needed,
supplying plans for barns and farm
structures, and other helpful things
| too numerous to mention.
The organization of cooperative
| buying and selling associations
among farmers was one OF the most
| important features of the work OF
the agents The opportunity afford
| ed by these organizations for the buy
| ing of fertilizers and seeds at whole
| sale prices and for the selling of their
various farm products on the best
| markets was taken advantage of by
| The farmers of Louisiana to greater
extent than ever before. Some of
| the larger transactions made through
| he cooperative organizations were
as follows: The selling of 4,450
bushels of Irish potatoes at an in
| rease of $28, 140 over local market
prices; 81 500 pounds of wool at an
increase of 6,420; 0,200 bushels
of sweet potatoes at an increase of
| 81 $40; 6 cars Of cattle at an in
crease of $4,000; and cars Of hogs
at an increase of $4,000; the pur-
chase of 500 bushels of corn at a
saving Of ST, 175; 1862 bushels OF
| oats at a saving of $2,777; 1885 tons
| of fertilizer at saving of ~, 348;
$500 potato sacks at a saving OF
$4,000; and other similar transact
tons without number.
In the course of their work for
the year the parish agents travelled
total of 335,455 miles, made 52,281
visits to individuals, held / APP in
| door meetings, with an approximate
| attendance of 1875 and 623 field
meetings with an attendance of
14.243. They wrote 1880 official
letters, and prepared 872 articles for
| publication. The agents spent 80
per cent of their time in the field
and 20 per cent in the office.-Louisi-
ana State Bulletin.
The parishes adjoining St. Tam
many have Farm Demonstration
| Agents and so do practically all the
parishes in the state, our parish be-
| ing one of the few that does not
have such an agent. Is there not
| room for Improvement in the agriz
culture of our parish? Are our
| farmers so expert they don't need
| help in the production or marketing?
Or are they undeserving of this as
sistance?
Soon the timber will be gone from
| St. Tammany parish, and unless
much better methods come to its
| farmers there is lot else going when
he timber does. This day is not far
distant-only a very few years. II
our people want such assistance as
the above report shows agents have
| been giving in other parishes, they
should ask their police jury fer it
| The Government pays tWo-thirds o.
| the salary of these agents and the
parish would only have to put up
ore third. Call your jurors at9en
ton to this. Let him know you
want it.
A FARMER