HAMPSHIRE COUNTY FARMERS' MONTHLY 



II 



Slri>n^ l*ri*Ki'<>>ii I'rcst'iilcil ;i( AiiiiiimI 



ruiUinued I'lom pagi' lu. c-ulumii 2 

 largest lenders on first mortgages. As 

 cities have developed, these banks have 

 loaned a greater proportion of their 

 money on city property. In the past, 

 many of the men at the head of these 

 institutions were raised on farms. Now 

 an increasing number are city men. It 

 is natural that they should loan their 

 money where they are best acquainted 

 with conditions. Another change regard- 

 ing the financing of mortgages was 

 brought about by the world war. During 

 the war, many people purchased govern- 

 ment bonds for the first time. This drew 

 money from private individuals who here- 

 tofore loaned money on first mortgages. 

 These changes have increased the need 

 of service from the Federal Land Bank. 

 The bulk of the mortgages held are for 

 •34 years. During this time equal .semi- 

 annual payments pay oti' the interest and 

 principal. At the end of :!4 years, the 

 total debt is discharged. 



Many factors have to be considered in 

 loaning money on a farm. Competition 

 between faini work and other things a 

 farmer can do often determines the 

 amount that can be safely loaned. The 

 soil is of fundamental importance. Lo- 

 cation, roads, and length of growing sea- 

 son are also inipoitant factors. In some 

 parts of New England the last is of vital 

 importance, for, it is said, they have three 

 seasons: July, August and Winter. An- 

 other point often misunderstood, — just be- 

 cause buildings exist is no reason why 

 the land should be farmed. This is a 

 day of maximum production per man and 

 to reach this, machinery must be used. 

 On farms here machinery cannot be used, 

 timber is the biggest asset, often being 

 two-thirds of the basic value. For this 

 reason, more attention should be given 

 this source of income." 



"I have faith in New England Agri- 

 culture. We must find the things which 

 we can grow best. Then we must edu- 

 cate the consumer to buy in season. Our 

 farmers, too, must learn how to put their 

 products up in the form consumers de- 

 mand. Farmers have lost more credit 

 in the past few years through advertis- 

 ing what a poor business agriculture is, 

 than can be built up in ten years." 



HEARD AT THE 



ANNUAL MEETING 



"It certainly is a shame that more farm- 

 ers were not present to hear the splendid 

 and inspiring reports given this morning. 

 You should print a stenographic report 

 of them in your paper," said one man. 

 We agreed with him and promised to do 

 it! He looked surprised. We expect he 

 thought our stenographers Just came for 

 the dinner! 



H. 1.. Merritt, Chesterfield, reports 

 Potato Production 



"From six acres of potatoes, I harvest- 

 ed 2,010 bushels of potatoes, 1,615 bushels 

 of which were number ones. Potatoes 

 were grown on part of the land last year. 

 On this land there was considerable witch 

 grass. This spring, I started the tractor 

 harrow as early as possible and continued 

 harrowing every week till the potatoes 

 were planted. This completely subdued 

 the witch grass and made a fine seed bed. 



"On the six acres, I used 103 bushels of 

 certified seed, about 17 bushels per acre. 

 This seed was cut by the stationary knife 

 method recommended by the County 

 Agent. In this way I cut 4 bu.shels per 

 hour at a cost of 10 cents per bushel. I 

 am a believer in disinfecting seed pota- 

 toes with corrosive sublimate to control 

 Scab and Rhizoctonia. In fact, jjotato 

 growers cannot atford to leave out this 

 step. The fertilizer used was a (1-4-10. 

 Piofe.ssor Abbott recommends a 5-8-7 and 

 I will use this next year. 



"I use a Hoover potato planter and 

 can plant fiom four to six acres per day. 

 I use a power sprayer with three nozzles 

 to the row. This machine does a 

 thorough job. Too much stress cannot 

 be placed on spraying. I plan to start 

 spraying with 5-5-50 home-made Bor- 

 deaux IVIixture as soon as the plants are 

 6 inches high. You always notice a dif- 

 ference in the crop after it has been 

 sprayed. The Bordeaux acts as a tonic 

 and the foliage takes on a healthier color. 

 The Good Book advises us to 'Pray with- 

 out ceasing.' With the addition of one 

 letter the advice to potato growers is 

 good — 'Spray without ceasing.' 



"On one plot of i of an acre, 1 used 

 Dimock's certified seconds for .seed. This 

 plot was entered for certification but the 

 plant pathologist from M. A. C. found 

 too much mosaic and leaf roll. From 

 this piece we harvested 375 bushels of 

 potatoes which is at the rate of 500 bush- 

 els per acre. All of these have been sold 

 as table stock, as they would not make 

 good seed for another yeai. 



"Many of the farmers in my town were 

 lured to work on the state road by the 

 good wages paid and many of them did 

 not raise potatoes for their own use. I 

 have found that after keeping account 

 of the money expended that I have made 

 more than double what I would have got 

 from going to work on the road. I also 

 have the satisfaction of knowing my farm 

 is in better condition and I have worked 

 for myself. 



"There never was a better outlook for 

 farmers than there is to-day. We have 

 better roads and with the help of the 

 truck and tractor, distance has been elimi- 

 nated. To make a success of anything 

 you can't go into it one year and drop 

 out the next. It is the sticking to it that 

 C'diitinu.d (111 pag-e 12. <-.)luinii I 



^esfs^^ie^esi^^e^BKistseasjs^si^s^ 



I 



^ Corona is the standard Portable 



^^, Typewriter. 



f.i Take it with you. Set it anywhere. ^> 



<§ Will do anything a big machine can II 



I do. ■ ^ 



m .$50.00 cash or small monthly pay- 



$ nients. 



I NORTHAMPTON 



I COMMERCIAL COLLEGE, Inc. | 



.\tfeiits 



76 Pleasant Street 



Mass. 



<| Noithampton, 



jBi6!^jie^BBe}SB^eesBeeiSK!e^^^si^ 



^■i 



BISSEIL'S TIRE SHOP 



.\()l< III AMI'TON. MASS. 



Miller, (iooilyear and LI. S. Tires 



lires and lubes 



Vulcanized by Steam 



(ioodvear Ser\ice Station 



KKKK .Mil 

 (ill Kl\<; Sl-UKKT Tel. l:.1):!-.M 



The habit of Saving 



Is at the bottom of most 

 big- successe,s in the busi- 

 iie.s.s world. Begin the 

 liabit by opening a savings 

 account with the Hayden- 

 ville Savings Bank. One 

 dollar is enough to start 

 with. 



BANK BY MAIL 



HAYDENVILLE SAVINGS BANK 



HAVDHNVILLL, MASS. 



