The Bozeman courier., 1927-12-23
THIRTY COUNTIES
HAVE AG AGENTS
(FrOm Montana State COlregel

w YITH the establishment Of agri
nv cultural extension work in Wi
w bauX county this month, Mon
tana now has 80 counties en-
ploytng agricultural agents. M P. Ostby.
former county agent in Sheridan county.
has been appointed to direct the work
in W1baux county and E. G. Ferguson
former Smtth-Hughes agricultural in
structor and assistant county agent,
takes Mr.. Ostby's place in Sheridan
county.
The decision to employ county agri-
cultural agent in Wibaux county was
made last summer by the board of COM
missioners. Mr.. Ostby came to Sheridan
hve years ago after having served as ex-
tension agent in Minnesota for a period
Of four years. He is a graduate of North
Dakota Agricultural college.
AS county agent Of Sheridan county.
Mr.. Ostby made an outstanding record.
Some Of the projects which were devel-
oped under his direction have contrib
uted greatly toward placing the agricuI-
ture on permanent, efficient basis, re-
sulttng in an increased farm income and
more satisfying farm life.
Special emphasis was placed on the
work OF crop improvement through the
standardization Of varieties of grains and
grasses and the development of a system
OF pure seed production which will insure
a continuous supply of registered and ap-
proved seed. In three years time this
work has been developed to the point
where last year more than 500 farmers
used pure Marquis seed for planting their
wheat fields.
| The work Of improving farming systems
has included the introduction and i'm
! provement Of livestock. While Mr. Ost-
by was county agent, Sheridan county
has become one Of the four modified ac-
credited tuberculosis-free counties of the
| cfo
for tuberculosis and as a result farmers
are entitled to receive a premium Of 1C
cents per hundred pounds for their hogs
on eastern markets
| Dairying has attracted much attention
IN sheridan county in recent years, some
communities reaching a high stage OF
development in this respect. Pllrebrec
bulls are in general use and the county
has relatively high production average
The county also has become known fol
the rapid development Of efficient wheat
harvesting methods.
The establishment of an efficient CO.
operative turkey marketing association
has done much toward stimulating tur-
Key production in Sheridan and neigh
boring counties. The 1927 turkey poo
was sold for As cents a pound for tor
birds, the record price in the state this
year. indicating that improvement in
quality has gone hand in hand with in.
creased production.
Sheridan county also has a highly de.
4 veioped system of All club work as
result Of Mr.. Ostbys efforts. During tn,
past year there were more than 100 Al
club members in the county carrying OF
work in poultry, dairying, beef cattle
hogs, sheep, corn. grrdens, clothing anC
foods.
Mr.. Ferguson, Sheridan's new count,
agent, also is a graduate of the Nortl
Dakota Agricultural college. He has beer
Smith Hughes agricultural instructor il
North Dakota and Montana schools anC
last spring was appointed assistant coun
ty agent. Since then he has worked OF
various projects throughout the state ant
has spent much Of his time in recen
months working with Mr.. Ostby so tha
he is thoroughly familiar with the worl
and conditions in Sheridan county.