The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1921-10-28
WHAT THE FARM BUREAU
MEANS TO THE COUNTY
Drive for Membership Next Month
Must Not Fail; Value Too Great.


Must Not Fail; Value Too Great
The value Of the Farm Bureau to
st. Francois county the past year is
hard to estimate accurately, but in
general terms, it runs into thousands
Of dollars.
The Farm Bureau has fostered and
stood back of the development Of the
dairy industry of the county, an in
dustry that is just beginning here. 1t
has great possibilities. Through the
efforts of the Farm Bureau and its
members, three bull clubs have come
into being. These three clubs will
improve the offspring of from 100 to
200 cows per year. This improve
ment will be from % to so per cent.
What value this will be ten years
hence, no one knows. 1t grows as the
years roll on.
Then, there are the purebred COWS
and heifers shipped into the county.
In the past fourteen months, no less
than 76 cows and heifers have been
brought in directly through the eff
forts of the Farm Bureau. Ten years
hence, this herd of rs will have grown
many times over Diaries have be-
gun to spring up and have been found
to be paying propositions. More than
one farmer has said, "The cows are
pulling me through" They are going
to grow, for St. Francois county has
markets where milk, butter and
cream may be sold.
The club work that has been done
is of no small Importance. Two calf
clubs of a total of about 35 members,
have been organized. The boys and
girls belonging to these clubs have
been given instructions in feeding,
care and management of dairy ami
mails. Many of these members will
make the breeders Of purebred live
stock in the county twenty years from
now. They have received an oppor-
tunity through the cooperation Of the
banks to own some stock of their own
which gives them a great interest in
farm life.
Through the efforts of the Farm
Bureau, the breeders of beef cattle in
Madison county have come in direct
touch with the breeders of St. Fran
co.'s county. Some hereford breeding
cattle have already been sold to the
farmers in Madison county while
other sales will no doubt result from
this get-together movement through
the tour made some time ago, where
the breeders of purebred beef and
dairy cattle were visited. .,
For Better Feeding Methods
The Farm Bureau has stood for
scientific feeding of livestock, which
includes the balancing of rations.
Much work has been done, and per-
sona instruction given in aiding farm
ers to work out a balanced ration for
the different classes of livestock. The
use of cottonseed meal for a dairy
feed; of tankage to hogs, and of meat
scraps to the laying hens have meant
much to the farmers. This is work
that the Farm Bureau has been par
ticularly active in.
Selection of Fertilizers
The use of low analysis fertiliz-
er-whereby a great loss occurs-has
been decreasing in the county, due to
the work of the Farm Bureau Per-
sonal aid in selection of fertilizer
with high analysis and that suited to
the field and to the crop, have been
given scores of farmers. The grow
ing of clovers and the use of phos-
pilates have been pushed vigorously
by the Farm Bureau. By this COM
bination, the buying OF hlgh-prlced
fertilizer has been eliminated,
Extension Schools
The Farm Bureau has held Exten-
sion Schools. These schools have
given instructions in care and man.
agement of dairy cattle, and the
pruning and spraying Of trees Prun-
ing demonstrations were held in diff
ferent sections of the county, giving
those interested in this work chance
to learn how to do this work. There
are large number Of farmers in the
county who are now caring for their
orchards by pruning and spraying.
This has largely resulted from the
work of the Farm Bureau. although
it is the result of several years of Ia
Dor.