The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-01-21
PROGRESS IS EXCELLENT
Great Work Done BY Farm
Bureau AuxiIiaries :.
REPORT FROM BALMER
Organizations Are ofLarge Ser
vice To the Agricultural
Interests

Excellent results are shown by
seventy, four Organizations affiliated
win the Minnesota Farm Bureau
federation in report just issued by
F. p: Balmer, state leader. These
auXlllarles have a membership Of
$4,000. Statements from county
agents throw light on the progress
that has been made.
In forty six counties, through farm
bureau service, products valued at
$l,7O1,53 were sold or exchanged.
In thirty five counties, 1876 CO. oper-
ative organizations formed with the
assistance of the county bureaus and
the county agents, saved the farmers
$1,S25,000.
In fifty-two counties, the volume Of
business handled by S19 CO. operative
enterprises amounted to $4O,665,000,
with a saving of s1,6O0,0Q0 to the
farmers who used their facilities.
Drainage System. Planned
More than $50 drainage systems
were planned and adopted involving
I7,37S acres. As a result of 240 soil
acidity tests GIG tons of limestone
nine counts 7S4 farmers co-operated
In treating 31,051 bushels of seed
wheat. LAB CO. operated in treating
1892 bushels of seed oats; 1920 CO.
operated in treating seed potatoes for
disease control, with the planting of
26,378 acres involved; In seventy
two counties, 1,026 farmers CO. oper-
ated in growing 4,462 additional acres
OF alfalfa, and in fifty-seven counties,
ages of sweet clover, gaining 6,400
acres.
Farmers were aided in securing
$3.50 bushels OF improved seed wheat,
the report showed, while 266 were
aided in securing $3.50 bushels of i'm
proved seed oats, 643' in securing
1881 bushels of improved seed rye,
and Lis farmers in securing $4,000
bushels of improved seed potatoes.
Stock Raising Encouraged
Purebred stock received AN i'm
petus through the efforts of the
bureau with the obtaining Of 1920
registered bulls in seventeen one count
les, 1885 cows in fifty nine counties,
1,491 high grade cows in forty six
counties and 1,607 boars in sixty one
counties. Other livestock work also
received attention. In 27 counties 619
cows .werei discarded as improbable
as a result of cow testing association
work, twenty nine associations being
in operation with 10042 COWS under
test. In fiftys counties 1,240 farm
ers were assisted in balancing rations
for livestock and in forty nine coun-
ties, 1.201 silos were erected.
mails were tested for tuberculosis. In
thirty two counties 25,924 hogs were
vaccinated for hog cholera control.
In forty seven counties 2,01S farm
account books were distributed. In
twenty counties 245 farmers CO. oper
ated in completing livestock feed
cost records. In thirty one counties
1921 farmers were assisted with in
come tax reports. In seventy four
supplied by the county agents or
farm bureaus.
In sixty eight counties it is report
ed . that approximately twenty five
percent of the cooperative organic
atoms formed have been organized
the present year or preceding years
through the assistance Of county agent
or Farm Bureau work.
with Hu 45s authorizations was en ip forts
nine counties, 4,637 flocks containing
55,261 birds being gone over and 49,
1853 culled out as nonlayers. This
resulted in the modification of poultry
pratices on 1921 farms.
In eighteen counties, thirty four
water supply systems for farm homes
were planned and installed installed also
TENS, ninety three lighting systems.
In twenty four counties plans for the
reconstruction and remodelling of
fifty seven farm homes were fur.
nished.
In twenty five counties plans for
the improvement of home grounds
were made in eighty nine cases. In
fifteen counties labor saving>machine-
ry was introduced in 100 homes. In
nineteen counties, seventy six house
hold laborers were furnished.
In fifteen counties 528 homes were
aided in reference to gardening In
eighty two counties operating,
1888 farm visits were made by coun-
lions occurred. A grand total of 6.063
meetings were conducted in the year.
attended by 389,864 persons.