El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-08-28

al bank. There are also several score Of
one Of the finest life insurance buildings
taught in an effort to instnl thrift
into the young mind
Conducts Soil Study.
Through the farm bureau is main
tanned a soil laboratory for the pur-
pose of studying valley soil conditions
and giving aid and advice where
needed The principal work Of the
soil expert is determining the kinds
and amount Of aikali in the soils As
water for teaching purposes is more
or less expensive Il is important that
the farmer know the probable amount
necessary and when the operation is
I completed This is accomplished by
soil samples and a careful analysis OF
these samples in the laboratory. This
VIII determine the position and
amount OF salts IN the soil. By hav-
ing this work done and the water ap-
I piication o. KID. by the soil expert the
1 land owner can get teaching water for
7 ten cents the acre foot. which is less
than half the cost OF irrigation water.
During the year samples have been
Z analysed and Communications made
Z on many tracts throughout the county.
resulting IN the reclamation OF about
5000 acres Where work Of this na-
I ture was started in the early spring
many fields OF cotton and other crops
are now growing
There has been no black alkali
tfound in the county It Is the most
Troublesome Of all alkzlies- The white
alkalies prevalent IN this valley are
common table salts, Glauber's salts
and some Epson salts. Where drain
age Is effective these salts can be
washed out within a very short while.
providing the proper precautions are
taken in aDUlwiuE the water
First Livestock Auction
The first auction sale OF livestock
was held IN the county August 5. at
Tsleta- This was a sale OF pure bred
Duroc Jersey hogs It IS evident that
auction sales viii be more common in
disposing OF livestock. It is the best
means OF informing the interested
purchaser and disposing OF the ami
mails TO the man who really wants
them.
The farm bureau IS attemption to
have every dairy herd IN the county
lures list OF tubercular credited
herds. This means the testing OF the
pure bred animals at least twice dur
ing the year.
The actual work OF testing Is being
done by veterinarians OF the United
States bureau OF animal industry in
cooperation with the state sanitary
board This insures the eradication OF
tuberculosis from our pure bred cat
tie, giving them free bill OF health
from the department and allowing
them to pass into any Of the other
states without further testing. This
further means that all animals con-
demmed VIII be paid for by the state
and government Jointly.
In the case OF a pure bred being
condemned. the owner may receive as
much as $4,000, when, II tested in the
~ NHaIH
paid. Work in the county viii prob
ably be finished by the latter part Of
September.
Bureau Places Labor.
While this county is probably more
fortunate than any other in the state
I'm the way OF an adequate labor sup
ply, some difficulty has been expert {
enoed in getting the work done at the
Through the efforts Of the farm
bureau over 800 laborers have been
placed on the farms since the first Of
June. This. has served a double pur-
pose. helping the laborer. as well as
the farmer. The bureau is now con-
sidering a more comprehensive method ]
OF getting the laborer in touch with
the farmer who needs him. This viii
be necessary IN order that cotton pick
ing be done promptly and at the right
time.
would be complete without the men
ton OF cotton The farm bureau has [
devoted much time to this crop. The !
1913 acreage was only slightly over I
1900. On this acreage more than 200 I
bales were grown The average acre /
return was $4,000
Alfalfa, which has always been con
sidered the valleys leading crop, /
made an acre return Of a little less I
than $500. There can be no doubt /
as to the Importance Of cotton and the /
last three years cotton work would /
seem to prove that this crop IS peculi- /
arly adapted to our conditions.
The farm bureau was successful I
this spring IN aiding IN securing and /
the distribution OF the best cotton 1
seed available. As a result, a large I
acreage was planted and El Paso /
county also now has approximately |
$4,000 acres Of growing cotton. Con- 4
servatively estimated this acreage /
should bring to our county farmers no /
less than S1.400,000-
More information IS generally
needed on the methods Of growing /
cotton under our conditions. From 1
this springs experience It is evident
that a more careful consideration OF I
the seed bed is necessary. It Is often
said that crop well planted Is half
injured This is certainly true with
cotton Closer spacing. more frequent
civilizations, and less irrigation when
young seem evident from a careful
crop.
A deep top root IS essential and
when the plant begins to bloom,
water should be applied at more ire
quent intervals in order that the ter
minal buds be kept growing slightly
in advance OF the blooms. Irrigation
should not be practised too late in the
season as this will tend to nroInu--