The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-06-12

LAS flumeS Used to. Kill Pocket
Cophers.F. L. Washburn and C. E.
Nickel, entomologists with the Uni
versity department Of agriculture,
are testing out calcium cynide in
field experiments to eradicate the
pocket gopher. The mounds of the
gopher are "doctored" with the cal
cium cyanide which, on contact with
moisture, throws. off hydrocanic acid
gas, deadly fumigant which enters
the burrows of the pest. The expert
ments are being carried on in two
fields, one of sandy soil and one of
clay, near Lake Johanna in Ramsey
county.
u. Farm Course for Agriculture
Teachers-The 18th annual summer
intensive professional training course
for teachers of agriculture will be
held at University Farm June 16 to
81. A bulletin of the department of
agricultural education says that spec
ial emphasis will be given to curricu-
lum construction. The program has
been so arranged that opportunity
will be had for thorough discussion
of the principles of selection, analy-
sis, and presentation of curricular
materials. Arrangements have also
been made with the livestock men of
{ the university for the first annual
livestock judging contest for teach
ers of agriculture. This will be held
Monday forenoon, June 16. Head
quarters for those attending the
course will be rooms 200 and 211 in
the Administration building. Every
teacher attending should register the
first day.
Craft Alfalfa Farm to Be Visited
June 18-Sandy land farmers and
all others interested are invited to
take part in pilgrimage to the j. H.
Craft farm near Zimmerman, Sher-
burne county, Wednesday, June >18,
for the purpose of studying practices
whereby wind-blown sand farm has
been converted by means of alfalfa
into a profitable dairy farm enter
prise. Andrew Boss and A. C. Army
will lead small delegation of Uni
versity men to the farm to take part
in the demonstration. A picnic din
ner in the grove ON the farm will be
enjoyed by the visitors at noon. Then
will follow a short program of prac-
teal talks and visit to the alfalfa
fields. Opportunity will be given to
inspect annual seedlings from 1914 to
1923 on the SO acres af alfalfa
which Mr.. Craft has growing. The
farm is two miles straight west of
the brick schoolhouse District No.
50) on the state trunk highway No.
10 (Scenic highway between Elk
River and Princeton.
Milking Shorthorns Make Good
Returns-Sixteen head of Milking
Shorthorn baby beeves, under feed
since November % at the Southeast
ern Experiment Station at Weseca,
gained an average total weight of 436
pounds, or an average daily gain of
2.42 pounds, according to R. E.
Hodgson, superintendent of the sta
ton.
Mr.. Hodgson's report was a fea-
ture of the annual meeting and picnic
of the Southern Minnesota Milking
Shorthorn association which was held
at the station in order to give MEM
bers opportunity to inspect the cat
lie and study he feeding .demonstra-
tons conducted through the winter.
One hundred fifty persons, including
Andrew Boss, vice director of the
Minnesota Experiment Station at
University Farm; w. H. Peters, head
of the animal husbandry division,
and other university men were pres
ent. j. S. Montgomery, manager of
the Central Cooperative Commits
sion company, told the farmers that
the baby beeves would bring the top
price, which was then 9 cents a
pound, on the South ST. Paul market
The 16 young cattle fed out for
baby beef received ration of corn
silage, alfalfa hay, ground corn,
ground oats, and one-half pound of
Oilmeal per head per day. The total
feed cost per animal was $40.41. The
final average weight was 991 pounds
According to Mr.. Hodgson's pre-
pared report, dams of IL of the
steers made an average butterfat
production record of 305 pounds last
year. These dams are still a part of
the herd at Waseca. cit may seem
peculiar" says Superintendent Hodg-
son, "but as rule the heaviest pro-
ducing cows have produced the
smoothest, blockiest steers. The cows
in the herd at present will weigh at
maturity from 1920 to 400 pounds |
and will put on flesh very easily
when dry"
r.
This Oak Tree Killer Needs At
tention Now-The oak tree borer is
killing many trees on city and urban
lawns in Minnesota. THIS is a pest
which works between the bark and |
the wood and damages or kills the
tree outright by girding it. A. CD
Ruggles, of University Farm. sta
ton entomologist, says the beetles
are now emerging from the pupa |
stage and will lay their eggs for the
next generation on the tree bark ex-
posed to the sun. Spraying of tree
trunks occasionally from now until |
the middle of July with whitewash or
lime sulphur will help to prevent the
laying of eggs. All oak trees now
infested or killed by the borer
should be cut down and burned to
the last scrap, says Mr.. Ruggles.
g.
Corn Clubs Treble Membership in
Year-Six hundred farm boys and
girls have joined corn clubs this
year, or three times as many as affili-
ated with such clubs last year, &C
cording to T. A. Erickson, of Univer-
fifty Farm, state leader of junior
club work. Prizes will be given IN
two contests, the single acre ard
IL - - L IL