The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1922-04-11

The treatment OF seed potatoes to-
insure good, clean crop Is now a
timely topic for discussion, not only
as to the farmer, but also the town
lotter and the village gardener who
raises few rows for family use. And
not only does proper treatment of the
seed result in better potatoes, but also
in more of them. 1t is well, of course,
to procure certified seed and profit
able to pay the price, but where this
cannot be done the next best thing is
to dip the potatoes, process that
never comes amiss, regardless of the
source of your supply.
This process of dipping is both easy
and inexpensive. Use a solution of
one pint of commercial formalin in 80
gallons of water. Place the tubers in
sacks or baskets for immersion for
from one and a half to two hours.
This is done, of course, before the po-
tatoes are cut. Let them drain and
dry before planting. Several potato
diseases, including the common scab,
are spread by means of infected areas
on the surface of the seed used, as
well as by the disease organisms
clinging to the surface of healthy tu-
bers. When in doubt take shot at
the whole outfit. and thus insure the
crop. This is one of the cases where
an ounce of prevention is worth
pound of cure
School For Stock Shippers
The Kansas City live stock exchange
| building was the scene of a short
course in cooperative live stock ship
ping on April 4 and 5. This is the
first school of the kind coming to
| our notice. Much time was devoted
| to grading cattle, hogs and sheep. with
! instruction from men experienced in
handling each of the respective classes.
Several shipments of live stock were
! followed from the grading pens to the
! packing house. By seeing how the dlf-
/ ferent grades killed out, and by learn
| ing something of the relative demands
! for the different classes of meat, the
ultimate reasons for grading was much
better understood by those who attend
! ed the session. The Kansas and Mis-
Fsouri state stations were responsible
! for the short course, and for the con-
crete instructions given to co-opera-
tive live stock shipping associations.
Live stock has been handled co-opera-
lively at the Kansas City yards for a
number of years. This was also true
of the Omaha yards, long before the
committee of fifteen came into notice.
Program of Soil Building
The present year completes ten
year period of farm bureau work in
some of the northern and western
states. Thousands of demonstrations
of the Importance of the various fac
tors affecting soil fertility, i. e., lime,
tillage, crop rotation, manure, legumes,
drainage and fertilizers. have been
made. They have been of tremendous
value in pointing the way to more prof
table farming, and are creating a de-
sire for comprehensive soil-building
programs.
Farmers are realizing more and
more that soil fertility can never be
reduced to a simple formula. Legumes
for example build up the nitrogen and
organic content of the soil at the ex
pense of the mineral elements which
must be added sooner or later. In
creased yields obtained by the use OF
lime merely accentuate the deficiency
of phosphorus and potassium. LONG
continued use of phosphates has devel
Cpd an urgent need for potash in many
1 soils. Some crops have a high lime
requirement, some are Indifferent to
lime and a few grow best in an acid
soil. These and other similar exam
pies show that only complete. we'll
balanced soil fertility program can ade
: quately meet the requirements of the
future.
Farm Labor Is Abundant
, 1t is not surprising to be told that
"the farm labor supply in Indiana is
now above normal" 1t is given at 101
, per cent against "a per cent in the