Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1922-01-12
COUNTY AGENT
ISBUSY man
Must Be Farming Expert, Diplomatist
Business Man and Social Organizer.


ty Agricultural Agent, such as that of
Mr.. R. A. Peterson, in the County Ag-
riculturai School Building liz this city,
would convince any one that he is one
of the busiest men in the county. His
manifold duties cover a wide range
and the work he is called upon to do
in the course of season, calls for a
diversified training and versatile tai
ents of high order.
Mr.. Peterson welcomed the Reporter
man Saturday in the manner that a
good merchant might and should meet
la good customer. He didn't know who
n was that had stepped in but he treat
ed him as if he was glad to see him.
A request for information brought
forth ready and interesting response.
First, Mr.. Peterson was Interested
in the meetings of the Cheese Produc-
ers' Federation which were to be held
this week, of which there were five, be-
ginning with one Monday Afternoon at
the Meadowdale Factory near Rudolph
which was under the supervision of
Albert and William Peters and Joe
Bandeleau. These meetings were adj
dressed by one of the chief authorities
on the marketing of cheese in the
country. His presence in the county
was secured by the County Agent.
Then, there were the two Farmers
Institutes that are to be held in the
county within the next week, mention
ed in another column of this paper.
While we were talking over these
things telephone call from a farmer
with some good seed corn to sell was
taken care of with Mr.. Peterson's
cheerful promise to help in finding a
market where the seed is needed and
to let the farmer know promptly when
such market is found.
Mr.. Peterson then showed the shell
yes where are stored pamphlets and
publications from the United States
Department of Agriculture and from
the Wisconsin College of Agriculture
covering every conceivable subject
connected with farm life. These are
kept in his office in numbers to permit
their distribution where desired. They
are kept up to date by the frequent ar
rival of new supplies.
Then there was an interesting list
of farmers organizations, which in
Guided several Cow Testing Associa-
tons, each consisting of a group of
farmers who have joined cooperative
ly to employ trained man to test
their cows Individually to find out ex-
Iactly what the production of each is
IN pounds of butter fat, as compared
with the cost of keeping them. Thus
Improbable stock can be found and
disposed of and the building up of a
profitable dairy herd becomes science
instead of guess work.
There are also several community
clubs which the County Agent has or
gained. These correspond to the De-
batting Societies, Spelling Schools, and
Singing Schools of old-time DAYS.
which formerly made farm life pleas
anter socially.
Then there are the organizations
which are formed to promote various
specific branches of the farming in
dustry. There are county Guernsey,
Holsteln and Duroc Jersey Associa-
tons, under which several neighbor-
hood Associations have been organized
with the same name and purpose.
There is County Beekeepers' Asso-
citation, and other similar bodies. all
differed and conducted by farmers and
for the benefit of farmers with the aid
and guidance of the County Agent.
Mr.. Peterson, in handling the situa
ton in his section of Wood County. is
emphasizing the Importance of soy
beans and silos, as help in solving
the feeding problem and increasing
SOIL fertility and productiveness. He
says that the soil in this section, while
unquestionably light and short of e.
lements of fertility, has the advantage
OF being easily worked and handled.
and can be built into profitable farm
property, if properly handled. The
best aids to the increasing of fertility
IN this light soil, he says, are SOW
beans and dairy cattle. The profitable,
winter feeding of dairy cattle is best
managed by means of corn or soy
bean silage. Barnyard fertilizer and
the nitrogen left in the soil by the SOW
bean, or by clover and other legume
crops, are just the elements needed bv.
this soil to make is productive. So he
is emphasizing this feature of the in
dustry.
Finally, Mr.. Peterson states. he is
urging the raising of more hogs. He
says there are some 10000 hogs in the
county, and that there should be more
than twice that many. At that rate
even, the county would be far below
the corn-belt standard where thew
raise more corn, to feed more hogs.
to buy more land, to raise more corn"
ana SO on. But the raising of hogs in
connection with dairy farming is ey-