HAMPSHIRE COUNTY FARMERS' MONTHLY 



Continued from page 2. column 1 

 average. Corn acreage is 3'r to 59f 

 larger than last year, although Maine 

 sweet corn acreage is but 46% of 1920 

 and the U. S. sweet corn acreage for 

 canning is about 50% of 1920. 



Acreage of Aroostook potaoes is 12% 

 to 15% more than last year, but it is re- 

 ported 7% to 10% less most other places 

 in New England. About average growth 

 has been general, but rain is urgently 

 needed at once in Aroostook and through- 

 out drought areas. U. S. potato acreage 

 101.6% of 1920; condition 83.4 against 

 89. -3 last year; average 86.5. Total area of 

 potatoes in Me., N. .J., N. Y., Pa., Mich., 

 Wis., Minn., 10i%r of 1920; average con- 

 dition 8.3 against the 10-year average of 

 89. Area of Canada potatoes 94% of 

 1920; condition fair to very good; lain 

 "now needed. 



Pi'ospect for Maine apples is yet high- 

 est of any state, being 89% ; the North- 

 west next — Washington 84; Oregon 80; 

 Idaho 75. N. H. and Vt. appear to have 

 around 66% of a crop while Mass., R. I., 

 and Conn., promise around 40% ; N. Y. 

 S4'v ; other competing states much less. 

 U. S. apples .34.9% against 70.7 last year; 

 average 61.6. 



New England peaches continue irregu- 

 lar, but average around 70% of a crop — 

 lightest in Rhode Island, best in Mass. 

 U. S. peaches condition 42.8 ; last year 

 61.8; average 58. Pears less than 

 average crop. Blueberries saved by re- 

 cent rains. 



New England oats with an average 

 condition of 81 are about 10 points below 

 the average and last year, being very 

 short in dry regions with heads only half 

 length, and farmers will cut more than 

 usual for hay. Some good pieces on 

 wetter soils.' U. S. oats, too, are below 

 average, on a condition of 77.6 against 

 84.7 last year and 84.3 the average. 

 Acreage 103.5% of 1920. 



New England tobacco acreage is re- 

 ported the same as last year when Mass. 

 had 10,200 acres and Conn., 24,400. In 

 Mass., the condition is 81 against 87 last 

 year and the average of 92; Conn., 91; 

 last year 90 ; average 92. U. S. tobacco 

 acreage is 1,336,800 against 1,894,400 

 last yeai'. Condition 71.9; last year 84.3; 

 average 82.2. 



V. A. Sanders, Crop Statistician, 



U. S. Bureau of Markets and Crop 

 Estimates, Wakefield, Mass. 



Continued from page 4. <_'olumn 8 

 for the boys. April 25th, our sewing 

 machine came. We were all certainly 

 surprised. 



Last year in the Home Economics Club 

 my average was 92*;^^ and I would like to 

 have it as good this year. I won first 

 prize in every club that I have been in so 

 far and I would like to keep my record 

 up. Hope I can join the canning club 

 this summer. 



GREEN MANURE 



Build Up Poor Soil 



Rye and vetch as a green manure to 

 build up really pooi- land has been advo- 

 cated for years, yet the practice is by no 

 means wide spread. Charles Oertel of 

 South Hadley Falls is getting some really 

 wonderful I'esults by using it consistently. 

 His farm consists of forty acres of as 

 sandy land as can be found in the 

 county, yet the corn crop on it is not 

 only withstanding the drought but also is 

 as tall and as good colored as any of the 

 fields on far better land this year. The 

 result is due largely to his consistent 

 work with rye and vetch as a green 

 manure. 



Several years ago one of the three sons 

 whom Mr. Oertel .sent through the Massa- 

 chusetts Agricultural College got him to 

 try a small piece of rye and vetch. It 

 worked so well that now 15 to 20 acres 

 are seeded with this crop in the corn in 

 August to be turned under the following 

 year. Only four cows are kept on the 

 farm so this method is used to keep up 

 the humus content of the soil. In the 

 center of the farm is a pasture which 

 gives a good check on the results of this 

 green manuring. Originally the pasture 

 was about as good as the results of the 

 farm. To-day the pasture is poor and 

 the .soil has a decided white appearance. 

 On either side where the rye and vetch 

 treatment has been carried on, the soil 

 has a good dark color due to the humus 

 added. 



Mr. Oertel's method is to seed in the 

 corn early in August, using five pecks of 

 rye and one peck of vetch per acre. 

 Common rye is used as it gives a better 

 crop than Rosen rock. One disadvantage 

 has been found in that if the land is plow- 

 ed early enough for corn that the vetch 

 has not reached its full development. In 

 spite of this fact the results surely have 

 been decidedly worth while. A small 

 acreage of rye and vetch is harvested each 

 year for seed. It usually is in about the 

 right pi-oportion for seeding but if not 

 moie rye or more vetch is added to make 

 the mixture right. 



The County Agent would like to get 

 some rye and vetch demonstrations 

 started in other .sections. If we can help 

 you, let us know. 



Continued from page 1, column A 



From the claims made for this plant 

 and from Mr. Searle's experience it seems 

 that it should find a place in the agri- 

 culture of Hampshire County. It is a 

 legume like alfalfa and needs inoculation 

 but it is claimed that it will succeed 

 where alfalfa fails because of land being 

 too wet, too hard, or too poor. It needs 

 lime the same as alfalfa. Those who 

 have the opportunity should visit this 

 field and see just what it is doing so they 

 may judge for themselves whether it will 

 help them. 



W. H. RILEY & CO. 

 PLUMBING and HEATING 



KITCHEN FURNISHINGS 



AfiK.NI'S l(l|{ 



(UcnwdiKl Uannts and Lowe Bros. Paints 



Opp. Post Office XortbBniptcin. Mass. 



Nnrthamptnu 3nstituttmt 

 for ^auinga 



Incorporated 1H42 



Deposits begin to draw interest on the 



first business day of each month 



$1 will open an account 



((9* ^% 4^* 



The world was never in greater need of 



saving and thrift than it is to-day. 



Open that new account or add to 



your old one. 



^% ^% ^^ 



Open 9 A. M. to 3 P. M. 

 Saturdays, 9 A. M. to noon 

 Monday evenings, 6.30 to 8 



pipCT NRTIONRL BWNK 

 I ilNOl NORTHAMPTON 



^^^^ The Bank on the Corner •^■^ 



We make every effort 

 To render a faultless 

 Personal service. 

 May we serve you ? 



\VM. G. H.X.SSETT, President 



F. .\. KNEEL.A.VI). Vice-Pres. and Cashier 



ELHEKT L AK.VOLD, Asst. Cashier 



