Milford chronicle., 1923-02-09
ESSAY WINS PIG
Franklin GOrdy Of Laurel Wins Prize
For Writing Best Essay ON Field
Day mt Delaware University.

Day mt Delaware University.
On October 2Srd, 1922, Newark was
the scene of the first Vocational Ag-
ricultural Field Day." in which 222
boys from various high schools of the
State took part. This day was SET
apart so that the agricultural pupils
of the State might observe the eXper-
iments and other work being >cal riet
on at the Delaware Experiment STA
tiOn.
The first point of interest in the
tour at the University grounds was
the Agronomy Plots. In these plots
there were different experiment being
tried in crops, cover crops, fertilizers,
manure, lime and crop rotations. The
crops included corn, soy beans, wheat
and timothy and clover hay. This
makes a good rotation for this sec
tiOn. The corn was followed by rye
and vetch as a cover crop. Each Of
these plots were divided into 16 plots,
containing ITO acre each, and were
fertilized with every possible cOmbi-
nation of fertilizers, manures and
lime.
In the wheat experiments where
wheat was grown continuously the II
year average with 5 tons of manure
yielded 24.1 bushels, while the check
plot yielded only 16 bushels. With a
complete fertilizer the average yield
was 21 bushels. The complete fertil-
izer doubled, yielded "a bushels. In
this experiment it will be seen that
doubling the amount of complete fer
tilizer is not as profitable as using
half of the amount However, there is
no doubt that the use of some fertil-
iZer is more profitable than emitting
it altogether. The profit realized from
manure or fertilizer depends on the
farmers conditions.
In the corn experiments where corn
was grown continuously, a complete
fertilizer increased the yield 35 to 40
bushels per acre over the check plot.
With the same fertilizer when a crop
rotation was practical, the yield was
increased 10 to 20 bushels more than
the continuous crop plot. Lime with
fertilizers as manure increased corn
yield to 10 bushels per acre. Without
fertilizer lime gave negative results.
In the soy bean experiments a COM
plete fertilizer or manure increased
the yield 10 to Is bushels and hay 3-4
to 1 1-2 tons per acre over the check
plot. Lime with muriate of potash or
manure increased soy bean yields
about 1-2 ton per acre with or with
out fertilizers.
One general conclusion in the eX-
periments at the University is that
the fertility of the soil cannot be kept
up by rotation alone. Another is that
rotation increases yield very much.
The next point of interest was the
dairy barns. There, we observed a
fine herd of Holstein cattle. The breed
satisfies the purpose of that commun-
ity better than any other breed. Also
in the keeping of only one breed it
is possible to exchange bulls with a
nearby herd and thus improve the
quality of the stock The barns were
in a sanitary condition, indicating
good dairying management.
When this herd was started it did
not contain any high record animals
but by the proper handling and breed
ing the herd has been greatly improV-
ed. Over a half of the COWS have
made advanced registry records. Two
COWS have made over 500 pounds of
butter and several have made nearly
500 pounds.
In one end of the barn was a first
class bull. The one fault of this bull
was that he was too fat. We were in
formed that this was because he had
been put in such condition for the
State Fair in which he has won first
prize for three years. The breeding
stock should be spare feshed. In
few years experience it has been
proven that it pays to develop the
young stock rather than buy well de-
veloped older stock. The bull should
not be killed as a rule before his off
spring has made some kind of a rec
ord. If his daughter has made a high
milk record and the bull has been
killed it is too late to breed again for
improved stock. This is very good
idea as it is much cheaper to develop
The young stock rather than to buy a
high priced herd to start with.
The next place we visited was the
hog department. Here were three Of |
.he leading breeds, Berkshires, Po-
and Chinas and Duroc Jerseys.
The hog lots are so arranged that /
rape pasture may be supplied all of |
he season which it will grow. This is !
4 very economical way of producing |
pork. A feed house was located in the |
center of the hog lots from which
rack led to all of the hog lots, over
which all of the feed is carried TO the
val ious lots. A miXtl,ce Of 50 lbs. Of
35 lbs. Of peanut meal, 500
lbs of hominy and 150 lbs. Of mid
llings is cd in a sele-feeder. A slop
S also fec in troughs. The water is
supplied by means OF self-feeding de-
ices
The gifts are bred only once the
irst year hut after that they are bred
vice a year. Breeding twice the first
rear has a tendency to stunt the gifts
growth. There are two types of hog
houses in use, the A shaped and the
Owa type. The Towd type is prefer
Lble to the A shaped as it gives more
oom tC work and also more air space,
7he extra expense OF the Iowa type is
,aid for in the convenience it affords
From the hog departments we Wis
ted the poultry department. There~are
wo houses which are connected by a
eed house in the center Yhis makes
very convenient in feeding and