2124 Farm Bureau Circular No. 6 



more nitrogen was gained by the plant when inoculated. The cultures 

 were successfiilly used on hairy vetch, field peas, and alfalfa. 



On account of the success of farmers in other parts of the State with 

 the culture of hairy vetch in oat fields and the meadows following, several 

 demonstrations of this crop have been made with fair success. 



Special effort was made to establish demonstrations in the fertilizing 

 of potatoes, and in the selection of seed tubers by the tuber unit and 

 hill methods of impro\'ing the stock. Five farmers undertook to carry 

 out the terms of the fertilizer demonstration. Four of the demonstrations 

 were completed successfully, and the fifth was seriously damaged by rot 

 before digging time. The average results from the four showed that 

 the cost of the crop increase due to fertilizing was 12.6 cents a bushel 

 for acid phosphate, 16.4 cents a bushel for home mixed fertilizer, and 

 18.5 cents a bushel for ready mixed fertilizer of the grower's own choosing. 

 For fairly fertile soil the efficiency of the acid phosphate used alone was 

 established. For poorer soil the complete fertilizers were more efficient. 

 An effort was made to have persons interested see these results in the 

 field. At one of these gatherings the yields and the costs of treatment 

 were figured out for the most instructive of these demonstrations. 



There were two experiments with sulfate of ammonia as a source of 

 nitrogen in potato fertilizers. The results indicated that it paid to add 

 the sulfate to the potato fertilizer containing phosphorus and potash. 



Tuber unit potato breeding was carried on by three farmers who 

 demonstrated the variable producing power of tubers from the same 

 stock. The product of separate tubers served as illustrative material 

 for one fair. 



agricultural contests 



Contests among the boys and girls in the rural schools have been 

 encouraged through prizes offered by the farm improvement association 

 and through the cooperation of three district superintendents of schools. 

 One hundred and seven boys and girls have grown potatoes or com or 

 flowers or garden vegetables, or have kept hens as club work with con- 

 siderable success. Where the parents and the teachers have been 

 genuinely interested in this club work, the best results have been seen. 



Two county-wide contests were brought to a close at the annual meet- 

 ing of the farm improvement association. The profitable potato growing 

 contest for boys between the ages of fifteen and eighteen years attracted 

 three entries. The prize offered was an educational trip to Washington, 

 D. C, and it was won by Amos G. Carroll, who grew a quarter acre of 

 late potatoes on one of the hilltops in the town of Colesville at a cost 

 of $12.25 and with a net profit of $20.38. His yield was at the rate of 

 262 bushels per acre. Each of the three contestants demonstrated the 

 possibilities of potato culture on the porous hilltop soils. 



In order to stimulate greater interest in growing apples, a contest in 

 profitable apple orcharding, open to any farmer in the county, was 

 inaugurated. The silver trophy, which must be won twice by the same 

 person before it can become his property, was donated by six Binghamton 

 business firms dealing in spraying materials. Eight farmers entered 

 the contest. Four contestants finished the race and made exhibits of 

 fruit and cost accounts at the annual meeting of the farm improvement 



