River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1925-12-31
REPORT OF COUNTY AGRICULTURAL


ton.
REPORT OF COUNTY AGRICULTURAL
AGENT
To the Honorable Board of Supervisors Of
Pierce County, Wis.
Mir. Chairman, Gentlemen:
/ shall try to in my sixth annual report
70 the County Board give you an idea Of
the plans outlined and the work accom-
plished through the County Agricultural
Agents Office during the past year | have
through maps, charts and pictures hanging
in this room, tried to visualize some of the
work accomplished and how it is distributed
throughout the county.
The Agricultural Committee consisting of
the chairman of the County Board, George
Wild, Christ Howe, A. II. Younggren. Co
Supt. of Schools and E. L. Luther, assistant
leader of County Agents, outlined at a COM
mlttee meeting last fan the following prof.
ects for me to work on.
l. Sweet Glover for Pasture.
2 Alfalfa for hay.
g. Boys and Girls Club Work
d. Poultry eggs and butter marketing
Other projects worked on are Son I'M
provement, Live Stock, Home Economics
orchard and poultry work.
Sweet Glover for Pastures. This project
is a new one and believe very important
one. find that our pastures during the
months of July and August are very poor
usually ON account of dry weather, Past
experiences in Illinois have shown that
Sweet Glover has given abundant pasture
during the entire summer and all live stock
thrive very well on the same I have re-
ceived favorable reports from several farm
ers in the county who have used Sweet
Glover for pastures the past two years and
with all these favorable reports on hand.
l feel safe in recommending to other farm
ers in the county the use of this crop for
pasture. This project was carefully dis
-ussed at different meetings and institutes
and many orders were placed for Sweet
Glover seed which was sown last spring in
I'll parts of the county. Enough biennial
white Sweet Glover seed was ordered direct
from growers in the West. and distributed
hrn rob Al n ole -
this crop, This acreage viii thoroughly
demonstrate next summer the value of
Sweet Clover for pasture.
Alfalfa for Hay. Alfalfa for hay has al
ready demonstrated its real value as a feed
for live stock in this section Of the State.
The acreage having increased in Pierce
1000 acres in 1925, We now hear of only
few failures lin growing this crop showing
that most farmers understand the needs Of
the plant and are supplying them. Every
where we hear reports OF the fine crops of
alfalfa hay farmers have harvested the past
season. This means valuable feed stored
away in the harms for live stock this COM
cents that would have to be spent for pur-
chasing high priced feed.
Seventeen thousand pounds Of alfalfa seed
purchased from grocers in the west was OF
the Grimm variety, 250e lbs. OF the South
Dakota No. H. This all distributed
through dealers at considerable saving to
the farmers. The reason for using the
South Dakota No. IL variety is that mum
Der of farmers want to keep their fields OF
alfalfa for only a couple of seasons and
then pillow 1t up, In this way they work
il in with their regular rotation of crops
This seed is not as expensive as the Grimm
and is harder than the common. 1t has
been proven by several farmers that 1t is
not good practice TO remove the third CROP
of alfalfa after September 18th, II
moves from that plant the food that is
necessary to start IL in the spring. few
farmers raising their own seed but the
success of this crop depends entirely upon
weather conditions.
other Crops Co-operated with the Agron-
onay Dept, at Madison in planting demon
stration plot on different varieties of soy
beans, alone and with corn The Illinois
and Wisconsin grown Manchu proved best
for hay and with corn for silage. The early
varieties, such as the Manderin. Ito San and
Early Black were all right for seed and
hog pasture. Seventy five bushel of seys were
distributed through dealers last spring.
Aided in getting acreage for seed peas
grown for a cash crop in vicinity of Ellis
worth and BeldenvIe.
Co-operated with the Agronomy Depart
ment in planting 20 plots of flax alone and
proved again that flax with either oats or
wheat resulted in a better crop of both
grains than when planted alone in which
case weeds were given better chance to
grow
| Two one acre plots on corn using three
different kinds of fertilizer were put in, but
/ on account of hail storms striking these
| lots We were not able to get results. On
| two other fields where commercial fertil-
| tzer, 2-12-2 was used, very good results
were obtained When one of these plots was
| husked and weighed up, found in
| crease of 16 bushels per acre where the
| fertilizer was applied. In all eases where
| commercial fertilizer was used corn, IL
| ripened from 10 to IA days earlier than
| where none used. This shows that soils
! + Pierce County respond to commercial fer
! ttlizer especially on corn. Where alfalfa
| received a top dressing of acid phosphate
at the rate of ESQ lbs. per acre a more uni
| form and rank growth was observed. Three
carloads of fertilizer were shipped into the
county and distributed through local dealers.
Good pictures showing results of fertilizer
ON corn are shown among others that /
have on exhibit,
| Made up and distributed a seed corn poster
last spring urging all corn growers to test
their seed corn before planting. Tested 81
samples of seed corn for farmers IN my
ONCE. Sold 100 bushels of seed corn for
Inspected four fields of alfalfa for seed,
and four grain fields.
Judged Garden Exhibit at Beldenvile
Community Fair.
Soil Improvement Tested SO samples Of
soil for acidity Twenty-one samples OF
limestone we're sent in for analysis for cal
cium carbonate equivalent. 1900 tons OF
limestone used by farmers In the county
all except 40 tons being crushed in the
county. One thousand tons signed up for
in vicinity OF Plum City and part of this
already crushed.
Held meeting for purpose OF explaining
reports to nine farmers who had private
farm soil analysis made in fall of 1924
Twelve farms were sampled this fall for pri-
waite analysis, One hundred thrty-fve pri-
vate farm soil analysis have been made in
this county since 1920,
Boys and Girls Club Work. Consider
able time spent on this project this
year. AS this work is growing so rapidly Ii
is necessary that some one spend some time
directing II. Results obtained so far are
so outstanding that IL is essential that some
one spend time IL, and as we have nc
club leader here, this demand for leader
ship comes to this Office Thirteen meetings
were held in the county last May az which
300 boys and girls enrolled In Club Work
entering various projects, Calf Club ga
Pig Is; Lamb, I6; Poultry, S. Corn. IS
Apple. ~; Garden, so; Potato. IS; Sewing
81 Canning IS.
In order that these boys and girls might
have some supervision ~ clubs were organ
lied in which the boys and girls elected
their own president, vice. president secre-
tary and treasurer. They held meetings
once month. / attended SO Of these meet
ings. Nine club had local leaders. two be-
ing parents, 2 COW testers, teachers and
three advanced club members.
Another new feature Of club Work thit
year was holding the district Leadership
Camp, which was held on the Red Cedar
River north OF MenomOnie the second week
lin July. This camp was attended BY 81
boys and girls from Pierce Pepin. Buffalo
Eau Claire, Dunn and st. CroiN Counties
Pierce was represented by 2T members ii
this camp the boys and girls received IN.
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