Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-02-05
THE COUNTY AGENT.
Gleanings From the Office of the
County Agent of Winneshiek.
Start i'm Alfalfa This Year.

This is the year for you to get
started in alfalfa. You have been
talking about it year after year, but
have had one excuse after another
and have kept putting it off.
1t is not as hard to get started, the
fact of the matter is, it catches quite
as easily as red clover and when it is
established it will last several years
where red clover only lasts for two
years.
Many of our soils are sour and
will need to be sweetened with an
application of limestone. Many of
our fields, however, will do fairly
we'll as starter without lining. We
hope to do a great deal during the
coming year in the introduction of
ground limestone.
With the price of alfalfa ranging
from IS to $12 per bushel, and
clover from twenty to twenty-five per
bushel, or three times as high, we
have a splendid opportunity as far
as costs are concerned for trying out
alfalfa.
Choose a good piece of well drain
ed ground, and plan to seed it to
alfalfa. Use about twenty pounds to
the acre with barley as a nurse crop.
Oats will do, but should not be sown
to exceed one bushel per acre. 1t
may be necessary to cut the oat crop
Tor hay in order to save the alfalfa
from drying up.
Buchanan County Lines.
Seventy loads of limestone used
on Buchanan county soils during
1917 increased the yield of clover
and corn on thousands of acres. Ac-
cording to the county agent, the far
mers in that county will apply at
least 100 car loads of limestone DUR
ing 1919.
The county agent believes that the
use of limestone on the soils of Iowa
drift era is beyond the experimental
stage. Thru his efforts a crusher is
being secured and the limestone
found around in the numerous quar-
ries of Buchanan county will be
made suitable for application to the
soil.
While Winneshiek county soil may
not need lining quite to the extent
that Buchanan county does, never
theless we need lot of it. During
the past year We did some prelimin-
airy work, but because of the labor
shortage everywhere, nothing def.
mite was accomplished. We have 10.
Gated, many localities where lime
stone is available and hope durine
the coming year to secure grinding
outfits. The limestone resources o.
Winneshiek county should be made
use OF. They will be utilized.
Prune Farm Orchards Now.
Saw and shears are all that is re,
quired to do a good job.
Now, while the weather is warm
is a good time to get out and prune
the farm orchard. AS long as it is
warm enough to get out and work, il
is warm enough to prune.
Pay especial attention to dead
wood and crossed branches. Watch
for diseases and cut them out In
all cases, disinfect the tools after
each cut, using little kerosene,
which has been found to be just as
effective as more common poisons.
All the tools necessary are saw
and hand shears. The saw, with an
extra blade, and the shears cost only
four dollars and ten cents if bot
thru Iowa Fruit Growers Assn. The
saw is partly like a meat saw, but
it has a swivel blade, enabling the
operator to get into tight places to
make better cuts.
Plan Next Years Crops Now!
Attend the Fruit Growers Con-
vention at DEBORAH Feb. 9Th and 7th.
Small demonstrations will be ar
ranged for in different parts OF the
county during March. If you would
like to have a demonstration at your
orchard call at our Office and talk it
over. We wish to plan these demon
STATIONS for the convenience of all
Interested. IN AI