Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-01-29

Agricultural planning looking
toward the sterilization OF Mon
tana's farm and livestock industry,
was the keynote sounded at the 23d
annual conference Of the Montana
extension service held at Montana
State college recently.
During the one-week gathering farm
leaders of the state, representatives Of
various federal agricultural agencies
and others interested in advancing the
states agricultural industry appeared
on the program in addition to members
Of the Montana agricultural experiment
station staff, members of the faculty
at Montana State college, and extern
sion specialists.
Speakers representing the agricul-
tural conservation program, the farm
security administration, soil cOnSerVa-
ton service and farm credit admins
tration addressed the extension group
on the work of their particular agen-
cies And at discussion sessions it was
pointed out how the efforts Of all or
CARNATIONS can be co-ordinated into
q well-planned program. Sitting in on
the sessions with the extension workers
were representatives of various farm
organizations in Montana.
Federal Land Purchase
In an address on the subject of the
federal land purchase program, Ray
B. Haiglt, land specialist for the land
utilization division of the farm security
administration, pointed out that the
purchase program is designed solely
for the purpose of bringing stability /
to certain agricultural communities. /
1T is not program to bail someone
out of a tough spot, he said.
Under the provisions of the land
purchase act, Haight said, a total of
4 Fn Tod f0T-
the purchase of submarginal lands in
Montana for the two-year period 1888
TO- He explained that this appropria-
ton is for the buying up of sub
marginal lands only and does not in
clude funds for resettlement or other
purposes.
Leon Anderson of the soil conserva-
ton service described methods being
tried out on soil conservation service
projects in Montana for controlling
wind and water erosion. For instance,
he said, one-half of the Culbertson
project has been laid out for contour
ing a system that is proving more
successful than straight strip farming
in that area
Comforting is more successful, he
said, because its irregularity provides
better protection against soil blowing
Straight strip farming is laid out at
right angles to the prevailing wind
and is satisfactory in those areas closer !
TO the mountains. However, that part !
Of the state farther east has no pre- |
vailing wind and an irregular pattern
Of stripping gives better control.
Other Features Described
Other features of the soil conserva-
ton program which Anderson de-
scribed were hedge rows, basin listing
and methods Of handling tillage imple-
nents to prevent blow spots"
On hand to discuss county agricul- !
5ural planning with the extension !
workers was D. c. Mumford of Wash l
ngton, D. c., economist, division of 6
cooperative extension work. He dis {
;lSsed the various approaches to the Il
planning program and reminded the S
sroup that it is type of work that t
must of necessity proceed slowly.
Others attending the conference from d
Washington, d. O., were Miss Barbara a.
IAN Huelen, associate extension spec Ct
alist for the farm credit administra- b
ion; and Miss Susan M. BurSon, fed fl
raj agent for the western region of the W
lome economics service. Both women b
net with the home demonstration al
gents in group sessions for the dis n
ussion Of phases of extension work
ouching upon farm family living
Other speakers on the general pro-
ram included Robert A. Line, dean of u
he school Of business administration ~
Montana State university; A. j. %
orton. executive secretary of the state SC
gricultural conservation committee; ~
1e Tinted states bioIogical s, ,,- W RI
nd A. W. johnson, state supervisor tu
vocational agriculture in high IN
;hools. 10
Speakers from the college faculty and tn
1periment station staff were headed
7 Pres. A. L. Strand and Clyde Nc te
ZEE, director of the Montana agricul- re
lral experiment station. tu
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