HAMPSHIRE COUNTY 



FARM BUREAU 



FEB 5=1918 



Vol. II. 



NORTHAMPTON, MASS., DECEMBER, 1917 



No. 12 



Annua! Meeting 



Our Farm Bureau has now been in 

 operation for three years. The farmers 

 and their wives, the boys and girls have 

 all helped to make it a successful, effi- 

 cient organization. The business men in 

 the county have taken a deep interest in 

 its work. The last year, especially, has 

 seen a phenomenal growth of the or- 

 ganization, due primarily to the strenu- 

 ous war situation. Next year, more re- 

 sponsibilities will fall on the shoulders of 

 the farmers and their families, and the 

 state and nation will call on them for 

 the full development of their resources. 

 Organized effort ill bring about the best 

 results. This means taking an active 

 part in your county agricultural or- 

 ganization. Let us start the year off 

 with a clear understanding of what our 

 job is, and be prepared to meet it. The 

 importance of a well-attended, enthu- 

 siastic, annual meeting of your Farm 

 Bureau cannot be emphasized too strong- 

 ly. The meeting is to be held Saturday, 

 January 5, 1918 in Odd Fellows Hall, 

 Northampton. Your advisory board has 

 arranged a very attractive and valuable 

 program. 



Conrluded on page 5 



The Massachusetts Forestry Department 



Because of our desire to cooperate 

 with the county farm bureaus, we have 

 prepared this brief statement of the 

 work of our department in order that 

 these bureaus may have an intelligent 

 idea of the department with which they 

 are being asked to cooperate. 



The work of the State Forester is 

 divided into four branches under separate 

 administrative heads as follows: Gypsy 

 moth, forest fires, forestry, and forest 

 utilization. We do not mean to indicate 

 that there is a distant line of cleavage 

 between these four branches, and that 

 each works independently of the other. 

 The object of the State Forester, as 

 stated by law, is the perpetuation, ex- 

 tension, protection, and proper manage- 

 ment of the forest lands of the Common- 

 wealth, both public and private. (1904 

 409-2). All of these branches work to- 

 gether to produce this result, and their 

 work must interlock, as their interests 

 are united. We shall describe each 

 branch separately, except the Gypsy 

 Moth. 



(Continued on page 2) 



Market Service 



In order to assist in more economical 

 distribution and marketing of farm 

 products, the United States Department 

 of Agi'iculture, cooperating with the 

 State Food Adminstration, the Massa- 

 chusetts Agricultural College and the 

 Farm Bureaus has established four mar- 

 ket bureaus in Massachusetts. The 

 western district, comprising Berkshire, 

 Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire 

 counties, has headquarters with the 

 Hampshire County Farm Bureau. A 

 market news service will be established, 

 whereby any one interested may receive 

 quotations on farm produce from all the 

 different markets, as Pittsfield, Green- 

 field, Springfield, Northampton, etc. 

 Aid will be offered in establishing public 

 and farmers' markets, developing trans- 

 portation facilities, standardizing grades 

 and packages, forming consumers' clubs, 

 establishing desirable relations with 

 middlemen, and in fact, anything pertain- 

 ing to transferring foodstuffs from the 

 producer to the consumer. 



Mr. William L. Machmer, who has 

 been engaged to direct the work in this 

 district, has had considerable experience 

 in .solving marketing problems, and only 

 recently made a careful study of the 

 onion, tobacco and milk industry in 

 Massachusetts. Any farmer or group of 

 farmers with crops to market who desire 

 assistance, should get in touch immediate- 

 ly with Mr. Machmer at the Farm 

 Bui-eau office. 



The Food Administration 



Do you know what the United States 

 Food Administration is; what its aims 

 are, and how it hopes to achieve them? 



This body was authorized by the act of 

 Congress, August 10, 1917; whereupon, 

 President Wilson, by executive order, 

 created it and appointed Herbert Hoover 

 as its head. 



THE AIMS 



From the very beginning the task of 

 the Food Administration has been two- 

 fold: (a) to provide our Allies and our 

 own soldiers at the front with a supply 

 of food ample enough to enable them to 

 win the war. And at the same time (b) 

 to provide enough food for the people of 

 this country at prices which shall be as 

 moderate as the extraordinary war-time 



Concluded on page 5 



December Qrain Rations 



The feed situation in general has not 

 changed greatly during the past month. 

 Wholesale dealers report greater sales 

 than ever before within an equal period 

 of time, the feeders evidently fearing a 

 short supply later. Some dealers are not 

 now quoting gluten feed, and are sending 

 out statements to the effect that the new- 

 corn crop will be late on the market and 

 considerably reduced on account of the 

 high percentage of soft or immature 

 corn. Beet pulp has not yet made its ap- 

 pearance on the Eastern markets, the 

 milling people reporting a delayed har- 

 vest of beets, and all available pulp taken 

 up by nearby dealers. Distillers' gi-ains 

 are virtually off the market, the only 

 quotations noted in the past month being 

 for a limited supply at $60.50 in car lots. 

 Feed prices have all advanced slightly, 

 but in about the same proportion so that 

 the mixture suggested for last month 

 will still be as economical as any that 

 might be purchased. This mixture, 



200 gi'ound oats 



200 bran 



100 cotton seed meal 



100 gluten feed or linseed oil meal, 

 will carry approximately 17% digestible 

 protein and 70% digestible total nutri- 

 ents, and should give good results when 

 fed with a good grade of roughage. 



Another matter well worth calling to 

 your attention at this time is that of 

 cattle lice. The time is at hand when 

 stock will be kept in the barn a large 

 part of the time, and while it is no dis- 

 gi-ace to find lice on cattle, they have 

 been found on some of the best herds in 

 the state, it is a disgrace to the herd 

 owner and a serious drain on the effi- 

 ciency of the herd to let them remain 

 there. If taken in hand early they may 

 be controlled by the use of louse powders 

 or some coal tar dip. Kerosene emulsion 

 has been found to be an effective agent 

 in their eradication. In using this, care 

 must be taken that the emulsion is well 

 made to prevent injury through the burn- 

 ing of the hair and hide by the kerosene. 

 Two applications of this emulsion with 

 an interval of ten days will usually con- 

 trol the most severe infestations of lice. 



W. F. Turner, 



Massachusetts Agricultural College. 



