River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1923-12-27

Report OF County Clerk and County Treasurer
was read and referred to the Finances Committee.
County Agricultural Agent read his report
WHICH was referred TO Committee on Education
To the Honorable Board OF Supervisors OF Pierce
County, Wisconsin.
Mr. Chairman, Gentlemen:
In the following report shall endeavor 10 oive
you an idea OF the work that has been ACCOMPLISHED
thru the County Agricultural Agents Office the
past year.
Comparison OF our statistics show that more
people are making use of this office each wear
Because OF this hearty cooperation more WORK
Is being accomplished as will be shown in this
report and is shown by the charts displayed in this
room.
The Agricultural Committee consisting OF the
chairman 1,, o. the county Board. Mr.. Severance
Supt. OF Schools and Z. L. Luther Assistant
Leader OF County Agents. outlined at the Committee
meeting last spring the following projects for me
to work on:
l. Soils, fertilizer and lime.
2. Crops, chiefly alfalfa.
g. Livestock.
4. Marketing
5. Womens Work.
6. Boys and Girls Club Work
7. Orchards.
Soil Work: The soil problems OF Pierce
County not very serious and what we do have
are being looked after carefully. The Federal
Soil Survey OF the entire county, startedd in 1912
was completed this fall. The map showing the
topography and different types of soil in each
township and explanation of this will be put in
bulletin form and distributed free to people desiring
the same. This bulletin will be available in about
a year. Last individual soil surveys were made
of 90 farms. Four meetings were held last winter
for the benefit of the of these farms to explain
the reports, and recommendations were made
The ANALYSIS showed that there were farms lou, in
phosphorus and in need of limestone for growing
alfalfa. Orders were received at these meetings
for limestone and commercial fertilizer. Where
commercial fertilizer was used we found better
quality OF grain and eorn and 1t fastened maturity
number of farmers have purchased fertilizer
attachments for their corn planters and make a
regular practice OF applying some each year to
their corn. Others have found that an application
OF 100 pounds of acid phosphate per acre where
grain was proved profitable. About two acres
on the VIM. Stern farm, town of Oak Grove were
fortified and when visited on July 10, the day of
the field trip there was very marked difference in
both the height of the straw and the maturity
The unfertilized ripened prematurely and looked
chaffy where the fortified showed uniform color
and ripenlng normally. The yield per acre on the
fortified portion 448 bu.; the unfertilized
portion 81. 8 per acre In all IS tons OF commercial
fertilizer used.
This year IS farms had individual soil SURVEYS
made and reports will be given this winter. Pierce
County had the largest number of individual
farm surveys made last year OF any county in the
state and tor this reason special rate was given
to the farmer
Fifty samples Of soil have been tested at
this office for acidity Thru the cooperation OF
cow testers in this county we have over 500
samples in the Office at the present time to be tested
for acidity. The object OF testing these samples
is to find out whether not the helds need lime
stone for growing alfalfa successfully.
Seventeen carloads. or SOS tons OF limestone
were shipped in last year from the ]. L. Shelly Co.
ST. Paul This was delivered to most parts of the
county at not over Sis per ton. By getting
limestone from this company we were able to save
SSo250. A conference was held with the company
this summer and finer grade OF limestone at the
same price can be obtained. This product can also
be gotten from two crushers one working in the
vicinity of Martell, and the other near Elmwood
hope that local crushers will be started in Other
parts of the country good limestone IS available
in most sections.
In 1921. this county used 140 tons of limestone
| in 1922, IFS tons; in 1928, SOS tons.
Crops: Under the project of Crops, alfalfa
and soybeans are the two that have received tho
most attention. Pierce County has at the present
time the largest acreage Of alfalfa of any county il
| the northwest. The acreage has increased almost
9 times since 1920 when there were 21o acres
| In 1921 there were 353 acres; in 1922, sos acres
and in 1923 1909 acres. This large acreage d
alfalfa is a valuable asset to the county. Or
account OF the rich SOIL the large amount of lime
stone, and success with which alfalfa is growing
at the present time, the acreage will undoubtedly
reach the 1000 acre mark next spring. We hav,
been fortunate in getting pure Grimm alfalfa SEED
from South Dakota, which has been furnished t
| farmers at a very reasonable price. We know thi
to be pure Grimm seed as / have visited the field
| from which the seed was obtained the last twG
years. have complete pedigree of the fields.
The alfalfa has been an outstanding hay croI
the past year. Every farmer growing this croI
has plenty of good hay for his livestock thiswinter
The new seeding OF alfalfa has come thru in fn'