The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1925-02-19

| pay return OF about $751;.
A Hay Crop In Seven Letters That
Spells Money for the Farmer-That
many of the ills that the Minnesota
farmer has experienced in recent
years might have been mitigated by
a change in crops, is the belief ex-
pressed by the Blue Valley Creamery
Institute in a statement concerning
alfalfa on the dairy or general stock
farm. The statement concludes with
a plea for increased alfalfa acreage
as means for making the farmer
more prosperous.
"Of the estimated siXty-odd mil
lions of acres in tame hay last year,
only a little over ten millions were
in alfalfa" says the Institutes state
ment, although alfalfa is known to
produce twice as much per acre as
other hay crops. While it takes a
little more effort to grow alfalfa, its
requirements are not exacting, and
only where some other legume can
be grown with extreme ease and made
to produce large yields is the onis-
on the dairy or live stock farm justi-
fable.
"Alfalfa is a money maker. Re-
cent studies of farms growing alfalfa
showed them to have almost double
the net profit shown by non-alfalfa
raising farms. AS a breakfast food
and evening ration for cattle it has
no equal, and as a resistant to drouth,
| soil enricher and weed eradicator
it is the peer of all hays. In spite
OF these advantages, however, the
last census showed that while seven
out of every ten farms and dairy
cows, less than one in ten was grow
ing alfalfa. Even Wisconsin, the
distinctive dairy state, while report
ing cows on 80 per cent of its farms,
counted only z per cent growing al
falfa. In Minnesota alfalfa for hay
and corn for grain and silage make
combination that is sure to lower
production costs, build fertility and
increase profits".
DARTS" Necessary to Make Dress
Fit Well-The extreme simplicity of
the mid-season frocks is a delight to
the lover of the plain tailored effect.
Whether the frock is for sports wear
or for afternoon wear, it gives the
impression of the simple little thing
that anyone could make. In this
idea, however, there is snare for the
dressmaker who has not learned the
fine points of cutting and fitting and
has not the knowledge of suiting
these simple lines to the figure.
To suggest simple, straight up
and-down dress made at home is to
suggest to the average woman, a
straight affair that starts out straight,
but ends by sagging down at the side
seams and dragging a wrinkle under
the arm. One reason for this is be-
cause the home dressmaker has failed
to put little dart in the front
breadth of the dress under the arm.
Strange as it may seem, few pat
terms provide this dart for the figure
that is not perfectly flat and boyish.
For mature figure, it is particul-
arly necessary to use the dart to
make the dress "set" we'll. A dart
at the shoulder is also necessary if
one has an unusually full bust, but
both of these darts must be so clev-
erly put in that no one will suspect
they are there.-Nora M. Mott, ex-
ISHolOh opSCldlloC III OulNSI-
sity of Minnesota.
Single Ear Testing of Seed Corn
Urged-Single ear testing of seed
corn in the modified rag doll germin-
ator is recommended by A. H. Larson,
seed analyst, and by farm crops men
at University Farm. Directions for
making and using this germinator
and reading the tests are given in
Special Bulletin No. SO, "Corn Rails
ing in Minnesota" which will be sent
free on request to the Division of
Publications, University Farm, St. |
Paul.
Mr.. Larson and his assistants re-
Gently completed tests of 100 sam
Piles of corn which is being consider
ed by growers for use as seed. The |
termination percentages of these |
samples ranged from 0 to 100, a |
large part testing IS to "a per cent.
In normal years it is desirable that |
seed corn show terminating ability of
about 95 per cent. In an off year,
like 1924, seed corn ought to show
termination of better than So per
cent.
AS the new corn contains more than
the normal quantity of moisture, Mr..
Larson says there is danger that the
seed will deteriorate to some extent
between this time and planting. He
holds it is none too early to begin in
dividual ear tests and that they are of
special Importance this year.
Chapman Will Speak on Poultry
= Poultry Housing and
Care" will be the subject of a radio
talk which N. E. Chapman of the ag-
ricultural extension service of the
will give a WCCQ radio
station from to 8:15 Monday eve
ming, February %. Following Mr..
Chapman representative of Min
neapolis seed house will speak on
Good Seed and Good Crops" On the
evening of Thursday, February 26, a
of the state senate and a
of the house will discuss
Agricultural Legislation.
Knockout Blow for Blackleg of
Potato-Potato blackleg, one of the
most destructive of tuber diseases in
can be controlled by
5uber diseases in Minnesota, can be
by treating the seed pieces
Il u 4 Il