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FARMERS' MONTHLY 



VII. 



NORTHAMPTON, MASS., AUGUST, U.)-_'2 



No. 8 



PROGRESS REPORT OF 



FARM DEMONSTRATIONS 



The number of men who are carrying 

 on demonstrations has increased greatly 

 over previous years. It is also inter- 

 esting to note that practically every man 

 who has signed up to carry on a demon- 

 stration is coming through with it unless 

 there is a good rea.son why it was impos- 

 sible to do so. While it is early to get 

 results on many demonstrations it is of 

 interest to note their progress. 

 Hay Top-dressing 



On practically every demonstration 

 where nitrate of soda with or without acid 

 phosphate was used the increa.se in the 

 hay crop seems to be about double that on 

 the unfertilized area. Where nitrate was 

 used alone and in quantities over 100 lbs. 

 per acre on strong land there seems to be 

 considerable lodging but this is not as 

 noticeable where the nitrate was com- 

 bined with acid phosphate. In fact 

 practically every man who used nitrate 

 this year is sold to the idea. 

 Potato Greening 



Results have been very conflicting to 

 date. Some fields where the seed was 

 greened came up a trifle earlier than the 

 ungreened seed. In many cases this dif- 

 ference was not noticeable after a few 

 weeks. In many cases the greened seed 

 came more uneven than the ungreened. 

 This may have been due to lack of turning 

 the seed so that every sprout had an equal 

 amount of sun. Certified against home 

 seed or selected stock shows considerable 

 variation. In some places all kinds look 

 equally good while in others there is 

 already quite a diff'erence. 



Acid Phosphate vs. Mixed Ooods 

 on Corn 



In these demonstrations where the com- 

 parison was made on manured land there 

 is no apparent difl'erence although even 

 4 — 8 — 4 and 4 — 8 — 7 goods have been 

 used against the acid phosphate. The 

 corn on the majority of demonstrations 

 seen was about 6 inches tall. 

 Scab Control 



Until the recent cloud bursts the plots 

 sprayed with Bordeau.x and those where 

 lime sulphur was used were practically 

 free from scab. The latter part of 

 June the scab showed a little on .some of 

 the lower branches of Mcintosh and 

 Greenings. 



COMMUNITY MARKETS 



Improved from Previous Years 



The Community Markets in Holyoke 

 and Northampton, suppoi-ted mainly by 

 Hampshire County Farmers, are doing a 

 fine business this year. The number of 

 farmers using the markets has increa.sed 

 over last year yet there seems to be a 

 still greater increase in the number of 

 purchasers. Prices have been fair to both 

 producers and consumers and as long as 

 this condition exists the popularity of 

 j the.se markets is bound to increase 



One of the interesting developments 

 last year was the putting of both markets 

 :on a .self sustaining basis. At the be- 

 ginning both markets were subsidized 

 as a war measure. As time went on 

 farmers felt that they were paying for 

 something they were not getting, due to 

 the fact that they received no report of 

 income and expense. The subsidizing 

 parties felt that the farmers were not 

 paying enough for the benefits received. 

 So the parting of the ways came and the 

 markets had to be self-supporting. This 

 has been a fine thing for both markets as 

 is shown by small, yet healthy bank 

 balances and also by the increase in the 

 number of teams patronizing the markets. 



Both markets are carrying more ad- 

 vertising than formerly. These ads show 

 more thought than many in the past and 

 bring to the attention of consumers the 

 ; fact that fresh farm products may be 

 purchased to advantage at the markets. 

 In all cases, the local press has given fine 

 support to markets. 



It seems that in spite of a very un- 

 favorable season the producers are put- 

 ting a greater variety of products on 

 ' their tables than in many years past. 

 While a few producers specialize on 

 fruits, the majority have both fruits and 

 vegetables. In both markets the sale of 

 homemade jams, jellies and canned pro- 

 ducts has greatly increased and it is in- 

 teresting to note the increasing demand 

 for pioducts of this kind. By using a 

 small neat package one woman is building 

 up a fine business at the market for these 

 products. In fact the demand seems to 

 be exceeding the supply. 



One of the most interesting develop- 

 ments has been the raising of the quality 

 of the products offered for sale. Apples 

 j this year are, as a rule, far better than 

 Continued on page 6, column 1 



WILLIAMSBURG POULTRYMEN MEET 



Monahan Outlines l-all Program 



A very successful poultry meeting was 

 ^held at Clayton Rhoades' farm in Wil- 

 liamsburg August 7. In spite of showery 

 weather a good sized crowd was present. 

 Mrs. Rhoades pointed out the successive 

 steps in the building of the plant. At 

 first small coops with attached yards were 

 used for hens with chickens. Last year 

 one 8 X 12 brooder house was built and 

 this year five more were added. Very 

 good success has been attained by using 

 the coal burning brooder stove although 

 some hens are still being used. 



The plant for the laying hens consists 

 of two houses 18 X 24 and one 18 X 48 

 giving room for about 500 birds. These 

 houses have cement foundations and floors 

 and are built according to the Massachu- 

 setts Agricultural College plans. At pre.s- 

 ent there are about 1200 chickens on the 

 farm and from these 500 pullets will be 

 put in the laying hou.ses. 



After inspecting the plant all gathered 

 on the spacious porch to hear Prof. Wm. 

 C. Monahan, Extension Poultry Special- 

 ist at M. A. C. speak on "Fall Poultry 

 Management". The following points were 

 brought out: 



Pullets when moved from the range to 

 the laying house are considerably set 

 back. It is, therefore, advisable to have 

 them in the winter quarters at least by 

 the time they are 24 weeks old. In this 

 way they take a vacation on their own 

 time rather than at the expense of egg 

 production. Provided that hou.ses are 

 right, the pullets should be kept in all the 

 time. In housing pullets those in one pen 

 should be approximately the same age and 

 size. If birds of different ages are put 

 together it is impossible to manage them 

 so as to get maximum production. 



Early hatched pullets often moult in 

 September and egg production drops off 

 and in severe cases nearly stops. There 

 are several causes for this. Pullets are 

 not mature when they begin to lay. The 

 days begin to .shorten and the fast period 

 from evening to morning lengthens. 

 Pullets that have already started to lay 

 continue to do so at the expense of their 

 body weight. After a short time this 

 causes a partial moult starting in the 

 hackle and in bad cases may be noted in 

 the wings. To overcome this moult the 

 Continued ou jiage 2, column 1 



