8 



THE FARMERS' MONTHLY, JANUARY, 1928 



AGRICULTURE KEEPS 



PACE WITH DECREASING 



POPULATION 



The County Agent attended the annual 

 meeting of the New England Section of 

 the American Society of Agronomy which 

 was held in Boston, Dec. 2 and 3, 1927 



After the banquet on Friday evening 

 Mr. G. E. Baker of the U. S. D. A. pre- 

 sented some very interesting facts and 

 figures relating to agriculture in New 

 England and the whole United States. 



There was a 107r general increase in 

 agricultural production in New England 

 from 1919-1924 with only 77f increase in 

 population. 



There was an increased production per 

 unit of labor of 17'-/; from 1917-1922 in 

 the United States. 



Farm animals have been increasing in 

 the efficiency with which they make use of 

 feeds due to a gradual breeding up of 

 livestock plus an elimination of uneco- 

 nomical producers. Over the country as a 

 whole the increase in the production of 

 animal products has kept up with the in- 

 crease in population on a decrease in the 

 total of animals kept on farms. 



Mr. Baker believes that there will be 

 an increase in the amount of feed which 

 will come East for some years due to the 

 great decrease in the number of horses 

 and mules in the feed producing sections. 

 He staled that there has been a 44'A in- 

 crease in the average yield of potatoes 

 from 1919-19924. 



The tobacco yield declined in the same 

 period. 



There was a 17'/r increase in milk pro- 

 duction per cow in New England from 

 1919-1924 while there has been a gradual 

 decrease in the pasture acreage. 



Feed for farm animals is raised on 907r 

 of the farm acreage in New England. 



Mr. Baker brought out the point that 

 the West may compete with the East in 

 the future by sending fluid milk here in 

 tank cars. Dr. Cance, of the Massachu- 

 setts Agricultural College, stated that 

 two tank cars of fluid milk had come into 

 this state during the period of the recent 

 flood, but at a cost of 12 to 1.5 cents a 

 quart landed in Boston. 



In general, the speaker brought out 

 that New England is far ahead of the 

 rest of the country agriculturally. 



1. Shortage of concentrates in the 

 whole territory due to lack of rail 

 transportation and bad roads. 



2. Difficulty of moving from the farm 

 to .shipping station, due to bad 

 roads and lack of bridges. 



3. Difficulties of rail and truck trans- 

 portation from plant to city. 



4. Loss of barns and hay. 



5. Loss and exposure of cows. 



The tax burden for repair of roads and 

 bridges will be heavy, which will increase 

 cost of milk production in Vermont at a 

 later date. Loss of cows will probably 

 not exceed 1 to 2% of the total ocw popu- 

 lation of the state. The flood aflects bet- 

 ter than 6.57r of Boston's milk supply. 



EFFECT OF FLOOD 



ON MILK PRODUCTION 



It is estimated by Prof. H. P. Young, 

 of the Vermont College of Agriculture 

 that Vermont deliveries of milk will be 

 80% of the normal during this winter. 

 The reduction in deliveries is caused by 

 the following factors in order of import- 



DECATUR OF WAYLAND 

 GROWS 450 BUSHELS 



PER ACRE 



FARM AND HOME???? 



1. What is the world's egg laying re- 

 cord for one year? 



2. When cedars and birches are plenti- 

 ful it indicates what type of soil? 



3. What class of foods furnish the hu- 

 man body with its largest supply of 

 iodine which prevents goitre? 



4. Name four main types of draft 

 horses and tell where they originat- 

 ed. 



5. What is the main object in pruning 

 fruit trees that are bearing fruit? 



6. What is the average number of times 

 per week that the American family 

 serves meat? 



7. Name in order the four most popular 

 kinds of meat. 



8. In what country did the potato or- 

 iginate? 



9. Why is it not correct to apply 

 thoroughbred to cattle, hogs, or 

 sheep? 



10. What common vegetable used to be 

 called "sparrowgrass"? 



In spite of all the obstacles that the 

 weather provided, and there were many, 

 there are nine growers in Massachusetts 

 who will be wearing medals presented by 

 the Massachusetts Agricultural College. 

 These medals signify that the possessor 

 has raised 300 bushels or more of pota- 

 toes on a measured acre of land during 

 the past season. 



Mr. .loseph Decatur of Wayland is high 

 scorer with 450 bushels per acre. Auto- 

 matically he becomes president of the 300 

 bushel club and receives one of the prizes 

 awarded by the State Department of 

 Agricultural. C. .J. Barnes of Bedford is 

 second with 427 bushels per acre and 

 Bradfoi'd and Wilson of Spencer are third 

 with 384 bushels per acre. These growers 

 also receive prizes from the State De- 

 partment in addition to medals awarded 

 by the college. 



Below is a list of the winners with 

 yields they obtained. They are scattered 

 across the state so there is no indication 

 that one locality was favored any more 

 than another by the kind of weather that 

 was handed out this year. 



Yield 

 Name Address bu. per acre 



1. -loseph Decatur, Wayland 4.50.3 



2. C. -J. Barnes, Bedford 427 



3. Bradford & Wilson, Spencer 348 



4. Pelissier Bros., Hadley 369 



5. R. Sears & Son, Cummington 356 



6. Arlin Cole, Chesterfield 352 



7. John G. Ellis, Lee 342 



8. Ervin L. Maynard, Rutland 326 



9. Wm. Baker, Chesterfield 320 



You have labor saving 



machinery on the farm. 



WHY NOT GET YOUR WIFE LABOR SAVING 

 DEVICES FOR THE KITCHEN? 



HOW ABOUT AN ELECTRIC TOASTER OR PERCOLATOR? 

 Such conveniences help to make house work easier. 



That Good Hardware Store 



Tel. 11 Foster-Farrar Co. iSng" 



162 Main Street Northampton, Mass. 



Vi: 



