MtijiPifii ' H.d.iHH.H .iiWiNh ilrfiTrfirfi'iwfciH frl "j,""1 r ,' " 'J' vm.'j" The Commoner VOL. 15, NO. 10 . 26 In the Field of Agriculture 0UMMARY OF STATE LEGISLA TION ON RUItAIi CREDITS Myron T. Herrick, formerly am bassador to Franco, has prepared for tho New York Herald a list of all tho laws that havo been enacted In the United States dealing with rural credits. Concerning tho legislation on thin subject tho Herald says: "Eighty-six bills on tho subject have been introduced in congress. Tho special joint committee of tho house and senato is now at work upon a new bill which must bo reported not later than January 1. In every agri cultural stato some action has been taken for tho promotion of rural credits. Tho following list, compiled by Mr. Herrick, is tho first complete summary to bo published: "California A law on mortgage insurance companies; also a resolu tion submitting to the people at a special election on. October 17 an amendment to tho constitution to en able the state to use its cash and credit for farmers "Indiana A law on rural loan and savings associations. "Kansas A law authorizing build ing and loan associations to issue ife privileged rural credit share; also a law permitting a holder of a farm mortgage (deposited with the state treasurer) to issue debentures certi fied by that offlcial to the effect that to tho security is ample and the title perfect, x "Louisiana Constitutional amend ment authorizing the exemption from taxation of lands improved for home steads by or for immigrants. "Massachusetts A law on credit union; also an amendment authoriz ing these thrift societies . to issue bonds and mako 40-year farm mort gage loans; also a law on farm land banks. "Missouri A special act creating a public land credit bank to be man aged by the governor and other state officials and to issue bonds guaran teed by the state. - "New York A law on credit uni ons; also a special act creating 'The Land Bank of the State of New York. "North Carolina A law on credit unions; also a law on land and loan associations. JJNorth Dakota A resolution to amend constitution to permit use of atate's fundB and credit in forming agricultural credit associations. :. "Oregon A law on credit unions; I also a law on co-operative banks. "South Dakota Resolution to amend constitution tp enable state or ' contiguous counties to maintain sys tem of rural credits and farm land loans. "Utah A law on co-operative banks for personal credit; also a law on co-operative land banks. "Wisconsin A law on co-operative credit associations; also a law on laud mortgage associations. "A clause in tho federal reserve act authorizing reserve banks to dis count six month live stock paper; also a clause authorizing any nation al bank (not situate in a reserve city) to invest one-fourth of capital and surplus or one-third of its timo de posits in live year farm mortgage loans. "Philippines A special act on the government 'Agricultural bank.' "Puerto Rico A special act on the Insular bank of Puerto Rico " BOYS' AND GIRLS' AGRICUL- TNRAL CLUBS A prominent feature of the exten sion work now being conducted by the United States department of ag riculture is the aid given in tho pro motion and conducting of boys' and girls' agricultural clubs. These clubs are being formed in rural public schools in connection with the courses in elementary and secondary agri culture. The office of extension work in the northern and western states maintains a section with a leader and assistants who give their entire time to the organization and supervision of the club Work, in co-operation with suggestive of plans for the formation of clubs to work along other lines. The teacher is, of course, the one to determine whether tho organiza tion of a school club is practicable and desirable. If he desires to form a club and has become familiar with the plans, projects, rules, etc., of clubs, he should call a meeting for organization of as many boys and girls of the school district as can be brought together. It would be well to Invito the patrons of the school and have the extension representative (county agent) for the county give a talk on the agricultural club require ments and work. If. possible, the county superintendent of education and the state leader in charge of club work should be present at this meet ing and aid intthe organization work. A simple form of constitution and set of by-lawa may be adopted, and the regular officers of the club elected may include a supervisor, president,, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and program committee. PLOW WITH CARE; REASON THERE'S A The chief reason for plowing is to put the soil in shape to produce good crops. For best results .the plowing must be done at the right time. Grain crops in particular need generous supplies of readily available plant food early ir tho season, says A. C. Arny, of tlia Minnesota University dairy and animal husbandry division at th Minnesota Experiment staff All cobwebs should be brushed down and tli walla and ceiling should bo whitewashed or painted some licht color. Either whitewash or paint will give a clean surface and make the whole stable look, lighter and brighter. It mlcrht ho WAu . put in a few extra windows. ' ' x uo uairy cow nas had the freedom of the pasture and the fresh air of the fields for the last five months she has nracticallv mnintonn,i i ' self and produced milk upon succu lent feed; she will soon be returned to mo uarn wnere sue will spend the greater part of each day. It should be the aim of every keeper to sec to it that his cows are housed as com fortably as nossthlfi nnd n-nn-TAA with a goodly quantity and variety of iictiiiLame ieeu mat will nourish her abundantly and heln her nmAuna js- .w- jvV. U.VV till even flow of milk. The right kind of a cow will repay with interest fiverv frpnt invootn . her comfort for warmth, light, ven tilation, ana reea. if she is not com fortably housed her returns will be cut down in proportion to her discomfort. GRAIN SAVED BY FEEDING-FLOORS fafm 'Pfi orof ttk in fhn TinWhTiroaf J? "JLS??f5 My Ml-plowln6 for grain crops is to be preferred. This allows the cultural colleges in practically all of the states. The office of extension work in the south maintains a similar organization and in addition has more than 400 county women agents who give special attention to girls' club work. The state leader in club work at the agricultural college is usually the joint employee of the de partment and the state college and represents both institutions alike. Thus, through the assistance of the state leader the boys and girls are brought into and become a part of needed changes that- take place in loosen i soil to get started early and to continue until the ground is frozen. The result in productive soils is tfie accumulation throughout the cool fall months of plant food and this iseas ily Uken up by the grain plants the following spring. For the corn, black loam soils should be plowed in the fall. On the heavier clay soils spring plowing for corn is often preferable. Good plowing means more than tions for "club work. Club work, especially among the young people, is receiving more and more attention from those interested in the improvement of the social, ed ucational, and financial conditions of farm life, and clubs are being organ ized to work in various ways toward the betterment of some or all of those conditions. The plan of organization and scope of the activities of school clubs briefly outlined below apply particularly to boys' and girls' agri cultural clubs. They are, vhowever, & Eii-i'' WVu hntfc thn HtntA nnri national nrmiTilBfi. "?" A"v"1"b "" """" inns wii, woir making the field appear black. It means more than ' making straight furrows. However, a good plowman usually makes straight furrows. In a well plowed fiel 1 the soil is stirred and pulverized to the depth indicated as necessary by the kind of soil and the crop to be grown; and the stub ble and rubbish arj completely turned under where it will be out of the way and quickly decomposed. For most crops, derp, rather than shallow plow ing, is the best practice. To do good work with a minimum of power, plows must be equipped with properly shaped and sharpened shares. A good share allows a plow to run true and little or no effort is necessary to hold it in place. To turn under all rubbish a good jointer properly adjusted is necessary. No stubble or weeds are left sticking up between the furrows where a good jointer is used. Keep the plowshare properly shaped and sharpened. Use a jointer so that all rubbish is turned under completely. Increase the depth of plowing an inch or two each year for several seasons. BARGAIN OFFER For Limited Time to New or Renewing Subscribers THE COMMONER and Thrice-a-Week NEW YORK WORLD, both One Full Year for Only $1.15. Address Order to THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Nebr. HOUSE-CLEANING FOR THE COWS PAYS ft.n?'Sf e the dairy cow Is taken from the pasture. ia i t,i t. Ut... i.i ' -w ". Duuum ue luuiuugmy ana Rvotnmnit n S cleaned, says G. W. arttaSSTStttS Those who have used feeding-floors for their hogs have found them to bo good grain-savers, and concrete feeding-floors are. coming into favor, says a bulletin of the Minnesota Univer sity farm. Such, a floor "should be 6 inches thick, and, if not laid against the barnyard pavement, should have a curb extending for 12 to 18 Inches below-the surface of the ground. This will prevent the hogs from rooting under the floor. The floor should slope slightly toward one corner in order tp carry off rain, or water used in washing-. A rim around the out side edge will prevent grain from be ing pushed off into the mud. Fkor feeding-floors concrete should be mixed in the proportion of 1 sack of Portland cement, 2 cubic feet of clean coarse sand, graded up to one fourth of an inch, and cubic feet of hard, durable gravel or broken stone from one-fourth of an inch to one inch in diameter. Eleven sacks of cement will make enough concrete for 100 square feet of feeding-floor. The concrete should be thoroughly mixed and should contain enough wa ter to make ttie mass quaky so that the concrete will flatten out of its own weight. It should be lightly tamped, however, then leveled off with a straight edge, and finished with a wooden float. The floor may be laid in slabs each 6 feet square, 2 inch lumber being used for forms. Feeding-floora should be large enough to give each hog 18 square feet. of space. THE FARM WOOD-LOT PROBLEM The farm wood-lot problem may be put in our words. It is the problem of making the wood lot pay, says the Year Book of the United States de partment of agriculture. Farmers can no more afford to keep unprofitable land than they can afford to keep unprofitable cows. Idle land which is not growing more valuable is like a boarder In tho dairy herd; it eats up part of the profit made elsewhere. Good farm management may or may not call for the opening of an actual book account with the wood lot, due every good farmer needs to know at the close of the year whether he is richer or poorer for his timbered It'costs money to hold land. .Every acre means carrying cost. The ten ant farmer pays this cost in rent. Tho man who works his own farm should be able' to earn at least rent and ' jr ,Wii J HHHHBIHa nSflur'"