The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1939-01-19

pOuIluS. 1Il1S ulouC q ooNAA6o Va
1924 per man.
But the question, these men had
to face was: Were seed that could
be bought locally for &c pei
pound as good seed as the certl-
fed seed they did get for GA?
Several of the men who bought
and seeded these certified seed
expressed themselves as being
we'll pleased with the results OBJ
tanned, stand secured, etc.
Corn variety demonstrations
have been conducted on the
farms of John Knox and Walter
Pennington.
Mr. Pennington grew, last sea-
son, five different varieties be-
sides his own corn in a plot of
uniform soil type.
These varieties in addition to
his own, were Jarvis Prolific, In
dian Chief, Biggs SWannonoa,
Wilkes County White, and Cocks
Prolific.
Four rows of each variety were
grown in the plot but only one
row at a place so that if there
were any differences in soil, this
would be mainly overcome by
having rows of each variety dis
tributed we'll over the entire plot.
The rows were 1856 feet long.
Four rows of this length make
1-20 of an acre.
Wilkes County White yielded
highest with a per acre yield of
77.6 bushels of shelled corn.
Mr.. Pennington says he belieV-
es some of the varieties promise
to do we'll in Ashe County when
properly acclimated.
BEES
Two demonstration farmers,
Mr.. J. r. Phipps and Mr.. Walter
Pennington. purchased modern
ten -frame hives bodies and sup
crs for their bees. Mr.. Penning
ton transferred four colonies
from old boxes to these new hiV-
IS. Mr.. Phipps bought five pack
ages of bees to place in the new
hives.
Mr.. c. L. Sans, Extension Api-
artist of State College visited AShe
County in the early part of May,
1888. At this time several farm
visits were made and interesting
discussions held on bee diseases,
transferring bees, etc.
DAIRYING
Due to the fact that Ashe Coun-
ty offers great opportunity for
dairy production and due to the
fact that farmers are becoming
more and more interested in good
breeds of dairy cattle, much time
has been spent and a great deal
of progress made during 1888 to-
ward the Improvement of dairy
herds, the ultimate aim being to
develop herds to higher produc-
ton with a corresponding in
crease in the economy of that
production and appearances with
the fundamental principals, bull
ing, feeding, and breeding, being
kept we'll in mind.
The dairy farmers of Ashe
County were given the oppor-
tunity to study and discuss soil
conservation and pasture i'm
provements at meetings of the
Dairymen's Association through
out the year.
Six Ashe County farmers en-
ployed a trained tester to test
their cows for butter fat. The
tester spends one day a month
on each farm and while there
gets complete record of the
amount of mix and butter fat
produced by each cow in the
herd, the amount and kind of
feed consumed, cost of feed, gross
income, and income over cost of
feed. Using these records, the
farmer and tester figure out bet
ter methods of feeding, care and
management. Marked improve
ment in the dairy herds has been
noted on these farms and the
testing has been instrumental in
building up the herds of the
members to a much higher level
of production and economy than
that obtained by the average
dairy herd.
DAIRYING
A big field day for dairymen
and farmers was held in June,
1888, at the Rich Hill Farm To-
Gated at Clifton and owned by
G. B Price. under the SPONSOR