The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1926-07-29
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DEPARTMENT FOR THE AGRICIJL TURlSTS


Gently been with the United States
Department of Agriculture in field
work at Wichita, Kansas, has beer
employed.
Fifty-two Counties in Ton Lite,
Race-Fiftyltwo counties are repre-
sented in the ton-litter pig contest
under the direction of H. G.. Zavoral
livestock specialist of the agricultur.
al extensive service, University Of
Minnesota. Two hundred and ter
filters have been entered, reports Mr.
Zavoral.
This is somewhat smaller list thar
that Of last year. The difference, Mr.
Zavoral says, has been caused by the
fact that a considerable number OF
farmers who were planning to enter
litters failed to save enough pigs in
their March borrowings to give them
a chance to win. The reason fol
some losses this spring was lack Of
warm hog houses to protest the breed
ing animals and young pigs from the
weather.
Farmers who narrowed and weaned
satisfactory filters are reported to be
doing we'll with them. Many oil
them have already passed the 1000
pound mark.
Best Time to Cut Alfalfa, a prob.
lem-Just what is the best time to
cut alfalfa for hay, all things con.
sidered, is a problem which farmers
and agricultural experiment station
workers have not definitely solved, &C.
cording to A. c.. Army, field crops
specialist of the Minnesota Agricul.
tural Experiment Station in a tall
before group of scientists at the
Minnesota station few days ago.
About one thing, however, Mr..
Army was emphatic, and that was that
Alfalfa should be cut very soon at.
ter it lodges, as it does generally in
Minnesota. The reason for this is
that when the crop lodges the leaves
underneath turn yellow and fall of
and the hay produced is decidedly in.
ferior. In 1924 alfalfa cut before
lodging retained so per cent Of its
leaves, while alfalfa cut after lodg-
ing retained only "a per cent.
Mr.. Army, therefore, advises the
immediate cutting Of alfalfa that has
lodged, even if it is only in the bud
stage.
-
Diseases Prove Check to Head Let.
tuce Crop-The growing of head
lettuce on the older soils in the north
eastern part of Minnesota has been
checked to some extent by destruc.
tive diseases, owing to the fact that
crop rotation has not always been
practiced.
The foregoing fact appears in 9
bulletin on Diseases of Head Let
tuce in Minnesota" by J. G. Leach
and H. C.. Gilbert of the Minnesota
Agricultural Experiment Station. In
fact, the bulletin has been issued as
an aid to growers in preventing let
tuce diseases.
One of the most destructive of the
diseases is .''drop." This disease kills
kills plants at any stage of growth,
but most frequently after the heads
have begun to form. 1t is virulent
disease which persists in the soil ano
continuous cropping simply spreads
the infection.
The best way to avoid losses is to
prevent the disease from developing
and multiplying in the soil. The prac-
tice of dumping diseased heads and
culls into drainage burrows or of leav-
ing diseased plants in the fields to be
plowed under is fatal. Fields of let.
tuce should be inspected often and
diseased plants should be carefully re.
moved and destroyed or treated with
ooroa ctrorc f,,,, ~; o;Jo lilo ooyno,. e,,1
phate or formaldehyde. Crop rota,
ton is advised as means of keeping
the soil free from the disease. Other
diseases mentioned in the bulletin are
gray mold, tip-burn, and downy mil
dew.
This is Culling Time for the Poul
tryman - Poultrymen and poultry
women are being advised by the poul
try specialists of the extension di
vision, Minnesota College of Agricul
ture, that this is the time of year tt
Gull their focks-to remove the bird!
likely to prove Indifferent of poor egg
producers.
Miss Cora Cooke, who is giving ex
tension instruction in poultry man
agement among women, reports ;
large number of groups actively in
terested in culling activities. Thes,
groups work under the direction o.
local leaders who receive guidance
and suggestions from Miss Cooke
Blue Earth county alone has 80 sucl
| groups and there are from IL to 1,
groups in other counties.
Culled birds are usually killed an,
canned for winter table supplies. TIL,
cold pack method is advised as TIT
best and safest for canning meats.