Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1922-06-08
SIDELIGHTS ON
COUNTY PROGRESS
WORK OF AGRICULTURAL
CHARACTER is
RELATED

County Has LuG JUL
on the run. w. j. Rogan, county ag-
ricultural agent, estimates that more
than zoo pure bred sires have been
brought into the county since last
summer.
Live stock improvement is the big
aim of Marathon county farmers"
says Mr.. Rogan. Special stress is
being laid on the pure bred sire. /
would not attempt TO estimate the
number of pure bred bulls which
have been bought recently by dairy
farmers in this district. Every day
reports come to me telling of another
purchase 1t is probably safe to say
that more than 200 pure bred sircs
have been bought in the past nine
months"
The development of the leading
dairy breeds is being pushed by sales
at which better stock is being sold to
the farmers of the county. Two such
sales have been held this spring and
more are scheduled. The county
agent has assisted in the disposal Of
twenty-four carloads of cattle to out
of-state buyers in the past eight
months. Two carloads to the state Of
New Jersey comprised the most recent
shipment from Marathon county
breeders.
Pure Bred Grains Doomed
Scrubs of all kinds are taboo in
Marathon including scrub grains. To
promote pure bred production two
clubs have ben organiZed-the Edgar
Grain Growers association and the
Wausau Grain Growers association.
Both are going strong.
Wisconsin Pedigree, No. Z, Is the
variety of oats most popular among
Marathon farmers. They also grow
some winter wheat, a little spring
wheat and considerable rye. Cold re-
sistant corn, new strain developed
by the Wisconsin Agricultural Elk
pertinent station, is growing in favor
among northern Wisconsin farmers.
A couple hundred bushels were grown
on Marathon county farms last year.
the seed from which has been distrib-
uted about the county for planting
this spring.
Cow testing associations are pro-
crossing at a rapid rate and promise
to put Marathon among the leading
counties of the state. Six associa-
tions are going ahead full force. They
are the Wausau-M Marathon, Edgar
Marathon, Colby, Tri-Coun-
ty, Stratford, McMillanMarshfiel or
CARNATIONS. Four more associations
are being recognized and will be op-
Grating soon.
Fighting tuberculosis
The county is expecting to Ego over
the top shortly in the night against
bovine tuberculosis. More than half
the necessary number of farmers have
already signed up. About 1000 farm
er signatures are necessary in Mara
thon county to start countrywide
cleanup. There are more than 100,-
600 cattle to be tested.
The campaign has been under way
for Just about four months, and hun
dreds of petitions have been circu-
lated among the 5000 Marathon farm
ers by the county agricultural repre-
sentative and his coworkers.
To aid in the fight against bovine
tuberculosis, the county board has ap-
propriated an indemnity fund of &c. |
500 to help take care of that part of
the loss which the farmer would or
'dinarily have to pay. After the COM
pletfon OF the county cleanup, the |
sum will be apportioned out accord |
ing to the number of reactors found. |
Marathon was one of the first coun |
ties in America to start the neighbor-
hood club movement. A total of sew
enteen of these local farmers clubs
are now in successful operation, or
this number nine are of Holstein |
breeders and eight are of Guernsey
men.
Because of its activity in neighbor
hood club movement, Marathon is con-
sidered one of the leading counties of
the state in this line of community
organization.
To increase the consumption of milk
in Marathon county, an extensive milk
campaign is being planned for the
early fall. 1t will be staged under
the direction of the county home dem
onstration agent, Miss Vangel Russell
Cooperative Marketing
Cooperating with the Wisconsin
Cheese Marketing Federation, the
Marathon county agent has assisted
in establishing a new cooperative
warehouse at Wausau. About twenty
two factories are supplying the new
enterprise. Several carloads have al
ready been shipped direct to the con-
sumers direct from the Wausau es-
adjustment.
Over 60 half-acre demonstration
plots have been planted to soy-beans
this spring by Marathon county farm
ers. Every township in the county
has at least one plot within its boun-
daries.
Four varieties are planted-the Ito
San, Manchus, Black Eye Brow and
Early Blacks. Soy bean bacteria Gull
ture has ben distributed through the
county agents Office to farmers
throughout the county. On the light
err soils Mr.. Rogan is recommending
that the soy beans be drilled in. On
the heavier soils he is urging the
farmers to broadcast.
Emergency Hay Crops
Because of the splendid way in
which the clover crop withstood the
winter in the northern section OF the