The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1925-03-26
DEPARTMENT FOR THE AGRiCGIfURiSfS
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believes the soil on his farm is SOU
and will not grow alfalfa, or Nigh
be strengthened by dressing with lime
should have his soil tested.
Mari works faster than GROUND
limestone in correcting the acid con
dltlon in soils. The calcium carbon
ate OF mari is in readily available
form and the results obtained from
applying mari are usually more rap
id than where either ground lime
stone or Stacked lime is used.
/ A soil filled with lime or mari il
a great blessing and practically any
farmer in this county can put lime
or mari on his soil, if a soil test de.
termines the need. It makes alfalfa
and other legumes happy. It gives
alfalfa a good start, hastens matur.
ity, improves quality and increases
yield.
The reason soil upon which alfal.
ia is planted needs plenty of lime is
because alfalfa uses up an extraor.
dinarily large amount of lime. A
ton of alfalfa contains nearly 1OC
pounds of lime. Four tons of alfal-
ia removes 20 times as much lime
calcium-from the soil as the straw
and grain of a 80 bushel wheat crop
With this information any farmer car
understand the truth of the state
ment that "Alfalfa is a lime-hungry
plant"
A natural alfalfa soil is a soil con-
tanning a goodly supply of limestone
carbonates, having a good drainage
Most farmers who have this kind of
soil have no more difficulty growing
alfalfa successfully than they have
growing timothy. While it is true
that all good soils contain lime be-
cause of the fact that lime is neces-
sary to support plant growth, it is
always best to have soil tested for
acid before planting alfalfa.
Seed Potato Stocks Shipped to 20
States-Potato growers of 20 states
are bidding for certified seed grown
in Minnesota. Supplies for the At
lantic seaboard are mostly drawn
from Maine, but Minnesota seed po-
tatoes are being shipped to Florida,
Louisiana and Texas on the south,
and to Washington and Oregon on
the west. Minnesota is also ship
ping heavily to Ohio and Indiana on
the east, and is gradually encroaching
upon territory heretofore supplied by
New Englend grown stock. Among
other states buying Minnesota in
spected potatoes are Alabama, Ari-
iona, Arkansas, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa,
Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebras-
ka, New Mexico, Utah and Wiscon-
sin.
Of the II states producing cert.
fed seed potatoes in 1924, Minneso-
ia, with an aggregate yield of IT,
800 bushels, ranked second. Maine,
of course, was first. According to
federal government figures Minneso-
ia produced SO per cent more seed
potatoes in 1924 than it did in 1923 {.
1t sells vastly more Early Ohio stock
than all the other states put together,
and is the only state which has de-
veloped any business in Burbank
Russets.
, A. G. Tolaas of University Farm,
who is in charge of Minnesota seed
potato certification, says that Cob
blers and Ohios have been selling at
loading points for about $3.50 a
hundredweight, and Bliss Triumphs
at $1.75 to 1925 a hundredweight.
There has been big demand for
Burbank Russets, principally for ship
ment to Washington state, and the
Minnesota output has all been sold
at prices ranging from SITS to So a
hundredweight. About rs per cent
of the Minnesota production has been
or will be sold. One-fourth will be
afos,, 1fo fo, L
Mr.. Tolaas estimates that between
800 and 900 cars will have been sold
before planting time. Not all the
available seed can be accounted for,
for some of it is sold locally and NO
records kept.
Kittson Organizes the First Colt
Club-To Kittson county belongs the
distinction of organizing the frs:
boys and girls club in the new colt
raising project. The club has a
membership of 13 and it's application
for enrolment was received at the
state leaders, office on Friday. the
18th. "The winners at least will not
regard the figures as ominous" says
the state leader. "The junior with the
best colt and record will get free
trip to the next international Live
stock Exposition in Chicago; the
second best will win a free trip to a
boys and girls short course at one
of the of the agricultural stations
The Minnesota Horse Breeders as
ISOLATION is offering the free trips
for the young horse raisers."
Burbank Tomato is Given FRS,
Place-Of all tomatoes the Burbank
is one of the best liked by gardeners
at University Farm. The Burbank
is fully as early as Earliana and is
better for the market because it is
smoother and is not subject to cracks
caused by growth, says B. I. Burrel
of the division of horticulture, Uni.
versity of Minnesota. 1t has beer
under test for four years at Univer
sity Farm and has always made
good. Burbank, the plant wizard Of
California, originated it..
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