The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent., 1921-12-23
REPORT OF AGENT OF YELLOW.
STONE COUNTY PROVES
BUREAUS VALUE
Fought for the Eradication Of Goph.
ers and Grasshoppers; Brought
About Organization of Poultry and
Dairy Associations; Secured Seed
Loans for Farmers.

Instituted during the year as part
Of the farm bureau extension service
work in the county.
A system of federal, state and local
aid in solving the problems of the
farmer has grown up in this, as we'll
as other counties. in which the fed
eral and state departments of agri-
culture, the extension department OF
the state college, all cooperate with
the American Farm Bureau and its
state and local subdivisions. The
county authorities also assist with
financial aid and in other ways.
The unit of the farm bureau work
is the community organization which
functions through elected committee
men working on special activities.
Each community decides upon the
activities or projects which are most
needed in that locality. Seven farm
communities in Yellowstone county
had a regular program of work in
the last year. Sixteen communities
co-operated on emergency problems.
Four new communities will proba bly,
be organized for definite farm bu-
reau work during the next year.
County Has $40 Members
There are SIG farm bureau men,
bers in the county.
Some of the outstanding features
of the farm bureau work during the
year were the fight for grasshopper
and gopher control, the Yellowstone
county fair exhibit, the formation OF
poultry association and dairy as
sociation, reorganization OF drainage
districts, securing of government seed
loans for farmers, exhibiting educa-
tional motion picture views in rural
communities and crop and tillage
demonstrations.
A large part of the county agents
time in the early summer was taken
up in the campaign for grasshopper
control More than 1000 farmers
co-operated, 1870 acres were treat
ed with poison mash and a saving to
the farmers Of $6,417 was effected
through cooperative purchases of
supplies. There were 1856 tons of
grasshopper bait. mixed, and dis
tributed by farmers in the communi-
ties affected. The county commits
sioners created an insect pest district
and every effort was made to stop
the ravages of the pest. The Sec
tiOns covered were freed of the pests
although the drought conditions null
lifted the work in large measure as
far as crops were concerned.
During the summer, the county
agent put in 48 days. collecting, pre-
pairing and exhibiting the collective
agricultural exhibits of farmers in
the county at the state, Midland En-
pire and community fairs. A county
club fair was held at Ballantine prior
to the state fair and the products
later displayed at the other fairs. A
farm bureau community picnic was
held at Huntley with an attendance
of $50.
Assistance was given in the organi-
cation of poultry association with
"A members and dairy association
with 26 members. Another livestock
project was the vaccinating of els
cattle for blackleg. Steps we're taken
toward the organization of livestock
shipping associations and purebred
bull associations, but owing to fin
ancial conditions, they were tempor-
arily abandoned.
Organized Drain Districts
The drainage laws of the state
were changed by the legislature last
winter as a direct result of efforts
put forth by the Billings Commercial
club and the Yellowstone farm bu-
reau. Three drainage districts with
an acreage of $3.50 are being organ
ized or reorganized as a result of the
new state drainage law. An attempt
was made to organize one large drain
age district west of Billings but prov
ed futile.
Seed Loans Secured
Government seed loans were secur-
ed by 81 farmers, $4,000 being loan
ed in the county. Farm account
schools We're held in a number of
communities. Wheat demonstrations
held in the county proved that Kan
red and karkov wheat are superior
dryland producers in this county and
a large number of farmers have Sc
cured these varieties. Roughing of
potato fields was demonstrated and
many farmers next year will follow
this method. The latest summer fall
low methods were demonstrated on
$50 acres this year. Results of ex-
pertinent in two fields in 1920 show
ed S5 bushels to the acre on summer
fallow and five bushels on an ada
cent field not summer fallowed. Two
sugar beet meetings we're held with
an attendance of 435 to show the
value of crop rotations.
There were II boys and girls
clubs organized in the county in