2176 Farm Bureau Circular No. 6 



themselves with the work. Granges, agricultural fair associations, and 

 boards of trade are assisting financially in a limited way, but more par- 

 ticularly are they cooperating in the various localities to arouse the in- 

 terest of the farmers in the assistance that the farm bureau can give. Only 

 as organizations and individuals ready to cooperate in the work are found, 

 can the best results be secured. 



C. S. Phelps, 

 Farm Bureau Manager of St. Lawrence County. 



TOMPKINS COUNTY 



Farm bureau work was begim in Tompkins County December i, 1913, 

 under an arrangement that called for two-thirds of the manager's time 

 to be spent doing county work and one-third assisting the State Director 

 of Farm Bureaus. About March i, M. C. Wilson was secured as assistant 

 in order that the manager might be free to give more of his time to State 

 work. On November i the full services of V. B. Blatchley were engaged, 

 and the former manager became Assistant State Director. 



At its inception practically all the local support, both moral and financial, 

 that the bureau received, came from the Tompkins County Breeders' 

 Association. It was but natxiral, therefore, that a good deal of work should 

 be done to assist this organization to carry out its aims. 



This work has consisted during the past year of editing and publishing 

 the Tompkins County Breeders' Journal, each month, the development 

 of the sales and purchasing department of the association from a total 

 annual business of about $100 to nearly $8000, and a general stimulation of 

 the movement to improve live stock in Tompkins County, which has re- 

 sulted in increased membership in the breeders' association and in a con- 

 siderable increase in the nimiber of pure-bred animals kept in the county. 



Orcharding has been profitable in Tompkins County for those men who 

 have gone at it in the right way. Drawing a lesson from their expe- 

 rience, 75 acres of apple trees on 30 farms were pruned and sprayed 

 under the direction of the manager of the bureau. The apples from these 

 orchards brought fancy prices in the market in Ithaca when offered for 

 sale. 



An apple day held in cooperation with the Ithaca Business Men's As- 

 sociation was voted a success by both consumer and producer. 



Probably more far-reaching in its ultimate effect on the agriculture of 

 the county than either of the two lines of work inentioned was the campaign 

 for cheaper lime. Briefly this resulted in the establisliment of three new 

 and lower freight rates, practically direct sale to fanners, and the proposed 

 establishment of a new source of supply at Union Springs . The devel- 

 opment of the last proposition has, however, been delayed by existing 

 financial conditions. 



The three major lines of work have been outlined. Of less importance 

 as regards time spent on them, at least, were (i) the holding of a boys' 

 potato-growing contest in Dryden and three stock-judging contests at the 

 local fairs; (2) a series of mustard-spraying demonstrations; (3) a number 

 of demonstrations on the control of oat smut and stinking smut in wheat; 

 (4) the laying out of drainage systems on ten farms; (5) the control of the 

 army worm; (6) the making of several plans for farm buildings; (7) in- 



