EXPERIMENT STATION REPORTS. 209 



Observation tours are planned for the purpose of bringing large numbers 

 of farmers to these demonstrations at times in the season when results are 

 most striking. 



Alfalfa growing has been promoted with greater .success probably because 

 of the fact that great quantities of guaranteed hardy variety seed was made 

 available through the Farm Bureau. About 153,000 pounds of Grimm and 

 215,000 pounds of common alfalfa of guaranteed origin was sold to the farmers 

 through the Farm Bureau during the season. Reports from 38 counties show 

 that sweet clover was introduced or culture methods modified on 902 farms 

 involving 7,466 acres. Hubam clover is being introduced this year and 28 

 counties are cooperating with the College in its culture. A strong impetus 

 to the production of higher quality of red clover seed has been general this 

 year by the use of seed of guaranteed origin . In 33 counties soy bean demon- 

 strations were carried out on 285 farms on a total of 1,448 acres. Legume 

 cultures supplied by the Department of Bacteriology at cost through the 

 county agents amounted to approximately 7,000 bottles during the season. 



Statistics from the agents showed that 3,340 farms were influenced to use 

 improved seed oats and 668 farms offered such seed for sale. Twenty-two 

 counties reported barley variety tests and demonstrations. Under the 

 supervision of the Farm Crops department, thirteen counties are conducting 

 ear-to-ear corn demonstrations. Statistics from 28 counties show 49,832 

 farms as planting selected seed corn. 



Rosen rye has become the standard variety of the State. To assure a 

 permanent source of unmixed seed the agents are now cooperating in the 

 distribution of seed raised from head-selected stock. Thirty-five counties 

 reported last season that there were 2,727 farms on which cultural methods 

 relative to wheat were modified involving 44,870 acres. Seed-wheat was 

 treated for smut on 3,275 farms. 



Statistics from 42 counties last season showed that 3,732 farmers treated 

 seed potatoes for disease control involving 13,720 acres; that 1,902 farmers 

 sprayed potatoes on a total of 10,073 acres; that cultural methods were 

 changed on 1,658 other farms including 7,332 acres. 



Potato seed inspection Avas carried out in 16 counties. This season 24 

 counties are starting this work. Last year 269 acres were inspected as com- 

 .pared with 1,100 being offered for inspection this year. 



During the season agents gave assistance with the planting of 411 orchards. 

 Spraying was done on 3,416 farms and pruning on 6,194 farms. 



Insect control: 



Efforts in insect control included work with Hessian fly, army worms, 

 chinch bugs, grape leaf hopper, berry moth, rose chafer, codling moth and 

 leaf hopper and grasshoppers. Grasshopper control work was carried on in 

 16 counties with the financial support of boards of supervisors. The organi- 

 zation for carrying on this work in each county is in the hands of the county 

 agent. Estimates from two counties give amounts saved by grasshopper 

 poisoning as $200,000 and $750,000. Reports show that there were 10,779 

 farms on which insect control methods were followed involving 587,122 acres 

 and that 3,651,603 pounds of poisoned bait were used. 



Live stock : 



The live stock projects include standardization of breeds by communities 



and counties, the elimination of scrub sires and the introduction of pure bred 



bulls and high grade females, the erection of silos, the improvement of feeding 



and care, the control or eradication of disease, and organization work such as 



27 



