Farm Biireau Work in New York State for 1914 2125 



association. The winner of this contest for the first year was Arthur 

 Ransom from the town of Chenango. The ten trees entered by him 

 showed a net profit per tree of $8.96. E. L. Green of the same town 

 entered fifty-one trees of various ages and made a net profit per tree 

 of $4.11. There are many apple orchards that are ehgible to this con- 

 test, and it is expected that the number of entries next season will be 

 much larger. 



An indication of the interest taken in renewing and ]:)ropcrly caring 

 for apple orchards was fotmd when the local dealers in spray pumps 

 and spray materials reported a marked increase in the sale of these articles 

 for 1914. 



MEETINGS 



At meetings in schoolhouses, at farmers' institutes, granges, and |Mcnics, 

 I have made fifty-four addresses, many of them illustrated with stereopticon 

 slides. The total attendance at these meetings has been 3165. These 

 meetings furnish the opportunity to make new acquaintances as well 

 as to give specific instruction. The two fairs held in the county, at 

 which farm bureau exhibits were made, furnished a similar opportunity. 

 An opening held by a farm supply house in Binghamton was utilized in 

 the same manner. 



Rl'RAL ORGANIZATION 



Most important of all the work of this year are the steps taken in 

 organization among farm people. It is a common saying that " farmers 

 won't stick together." It is one of the functions of the farm bureau 

 to find incentives for tying them together in cooperative activities. The 

 building up and the strengthening of this association has been foremost 

 among these projects. In one year we have seen a growth of nearly 

 two hundred per cent. In addition to the social and educational benefits 

 it has been the aim of the association to give personal benefits to its mem- 

 bers by furnishing the opportunity to buy some of the supplies needed 

 on their farms at wholesale prices. Trading among the members them- 

 selves is being facilitated by a farmers' exchange. In the bulletins pub- 

 lished by the association carload prices on lime, feeds, and drain tile 

 have been quoted. The secretary of the association has been authorized 

 to collect orders for fertilizer materials from the members on the basis 

 of prices obtained through cooperation with a county association in 

 another part of the State. Orders for one hundred and twenty-six tons 

 of acid phosphate and eight and one-half tons of sodium nitrate have 

 been taken for spring delivery at convenient points in the county. This 

 feature of the membership privileges will save money for those who use it. 



The Susquehanna Valley Cow-testing Association 



Last spring we discovered that an effort had been made to start a cow- 

 testing association in this county. Believing that the increased efficiency 

 of the dairy cow is the most important problem on many farms, we spent 

 many days of effort in securing the formation of a cow-testing asso- 

 ciation along the valley of the Susquehanna River in the eastern part 

 of the county. Twenty-five members were enrolled, and the association 

 was organized in the autrunn. A tester was hired and began his work 

 on November 11, The county has room for three or four such associa- 



