212 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



B. Live Stock Standardization: 



The program for standardization of breeds of live stock by communities, 

 counties or larger districts, is older and better established than that for 

 standardization of crops, but live stock standardization is only in its 

 infancy. Every agent is working for the elimination of scrub sires and 

 the substitution of pedigreed sires and every year several breeders' as- 

 sociations of community or count}' extent are formed. This j^ear from 

 reports available it is shown there were introduced on the suggestion of 

 the agents, 197 registered bulls, 318 registered cows, 140 registered rams 

 106 registered boars, and that 268 registered sires were transferred from one 

 connnunity to another. In addition to the introduction of pure bred sires 

 which is usually on the basis of standardization of breeds by communities 

 there were formed 39 live stock breeders' associations whose purpose is 

 primarily that of standardization. 



SOILS. 



The soil project in its different aspects has always been a fundamental 

 one and the work has been continued as outlined in previous reports. 

 It includes the supply of humus; use of marl, lime and fertilizers; drainage; 

 land clearing; and work with muck soils. On the suggestion of the agents, 

 as shown in reports available, 458 crop rotation systems and 103 drainage 

 systems were planned and adopted; 4,763 farmers reinforced manure with 

 acid phosphate or ground rock phosphate; 4,682 farmers used chemical fer- 

 tilizers totaling 8,757 tons. 183 marl beds were located, and as a result of 

 demonstrations, the use of marl and lime has become so general that it 

 is practically impossible to give an adequate statistical statement of the 

 amount used. Another interesting fact related to soil demonstrations is 

 the report of 12,038 acres of clover and other legumes plowed under for 

 green manure on suggestion of the agents. In several counties special 

 work, based on results of surveys made by the Department of Soils, is 

 being done in cooperation with that department. This work promises to 

 be of great value to the farmer. 



FARM CROPS. 



Corn: The difficulty of getting good seed corn last year has had a 

 a great influence on all phases of the corn project as well as the question 

 of standardization discussed under that heading. Seed selection and 

 testing have always been important Farm Bureau projects, but the experi- 

 ence of last year has tended to make both of these activities much more 

 general. In accordance with Farm Bureau corn projects, 13,982 farms 

 selected seed, 12,818 tested for germination and 10,297 grew corn for silage. 



Wheat: The treatment of seed wheat for control of smut has been one 

 of the most important wheat projects for this year. 201 demonstrations 

 are reported. Special effort was made to eliminate causes of damage from 

 the treatment such as occurred the previous year. The wheat variety 

 project has been referred to under standardization. The fertihzer project 

 in relation to wheat has been continued, particularly the demonstrations 

 in the use of acid phosphate. 



Oats: The chief oat projects were variety tests referred to under 

 standardization, of which 184 are reported, and smut control demonstra- 



