STOCKMEN'S EDITION OF
Fhe Alliance Herald
Leading
Newspaper of
Western Nebraska
16 Pages
2 Sections
j
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VOLUME XXIV ALLIANCE, BOX BUTTE COUNTY, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, ldl6 NUMBER 4
I, . v " r- " - - : ; n
Box Butte County Agent's Annual Report", 8916
. , . INTRODUCTION
(By the Editor) .
It is a great pleasure to again publish the annual report of Farm
Management Survey Work in Box Butte county, as conducted and
reported by County Agent P. M. Seidell. The Alliance Herald favor
cd the organization of the Box Butte Ounty Farm Management As
sociation before it came into existence. Since then we have consist
ently supported its work and given publicity to the same. For these
reasons, as well as on account of our interest in the development of
this great country, we are glad to publish herewith the report of the
county agent, read at annual meeting of the association, held at Alli
ance, December 16, 1916.
. The Box .Butte County Farm Management Association was or
ganized in February, 1915, by farmers ho wanted the county to have
a farm demonstrator, or county agent as now commonly called. Some
-farmers believed that the benefits to be derived would be worth more
' than the cost, others were doubtful but wanted to see the experiment
tried out, while others were opposed to the proposition. The results
already attained tiavc proved the wisdom of the enterprise.
Extended commendation of the work of F. M. Seidell is unneces
sary. His report speaks for itself and shows something of the good
already accomplished, altho farm management survey work in Box
Butte county is only well begun. Mr. Seidell has been farm demon
strator or'county agent since the organization jof the Box Butte Coun
ty Farm Management Association, and we are glad to say will- con
tinue in the same position during the coming year, notwithstanding
flattering offers to go elsewhere.
Every farmer in the county ought to join the association. With
only a partial membership, much good work has been done within
less than two years past that is proving profitable, being without
doubt already worth several times the cost. ' If the association and
the county agent had the active co-operation of every farmer in the
1 county, the amount of work done could be greatly increased and the
good 'results therefrom doubled or trebled within a few years' time.
s
SUMMARY RETORT OF COUNTY AGENT
Crop Demonstrations, 1WI8
Oat Smut Control
Number of demonstrations 19
Number of meetings at demonstrations 14
Total attendance at meetings 106
Total units in demonstrations 527 A.
Resultant Increase .' 3.5 bushels per acre
Profit due to increase ". . 11.75 per acre
Potato Improvement
Number of demonstrations - 20
Number of meetings at demonstrations 2t,
Total attendance at meetings 215
Total units in demonstrations' 20 A.
Resultant increase . , 10.9 bushels per acre
Profit due to Increase M0.90 per acre
Work Done in Relation to Crops
Farms selecting seed corn in fall 20
Acres planted with fall-selected seed corn . 500
Fams testing seed corn for germination 40
Acres of corn planted with tested seed 1000
Farms growing corn for silage 4
Acres of corn grown for silage 80
Total acres of corn Included In above 1580
Farms on which the agent knows that wheat was grows following his
suggestions '. , 4
Total acres of wheat so grown 120
Farms treating seed oats for smut 93
Acres sown with treated seed 2730
yr urliis on woicn me agent Known mui oaia were giuwu iuiiuwiiik um
.... i i
tustrouuui ,
Total acres of oats Included In above 2770
Farms on which the agent knows that seed potatoes were treated for
disease following his suggestions 118
Acres of potatoes planted with seed treated for disease 1793
Farms on which the agent knows that potatoes were grown following
his suggestions . ., 16
Total acres included 1916
Farms on which the agent knows that alfalfa was sown following his
suggestions 10
Total acres of alfalfa so sown on above farms 180
Farms on which the agent knows that sweet clover wr.s grown follow
ing his suggestions 4
Arm rf iwant rlnvpr on ernwn 1 9fl
Farms on which the agent,knows that barley was grown following his'
suggestions w 2
Tdtal acres of barley so grown 80
Farms on which the agent knows that rye was grown following his sug
gestions - 1
' Total acres of rye so grown 70
Work Done In Relation to Live Stork -
Registered stallions the agent knows were secured on his suggestion. . 1
Registered bulla the agent knows were secured on his suggestion .... 4
Registered boars the agent knows were secured on his suggestion .... 2
Registered sires (all kinds)- transferred from one community to anoth
er on his suggestion 6
Farms on which balanced rations figured by county agent are known
Jo have been adopted 1
Animals treated for blackleg by agent or on his suggestion 40
Hoes vaccinated for cholera by agent 444
Cattle treated for pinkeye r 75
Work IfcUM in Relation to' Soils, Fertilizer, and Fertility
Crop-rotation systems planned and adopted : 2
Work Done in Relation to Fann Home and Fa nn RuKintw
Farm analysis records taken by county agent In 1916 63
Farm analysis records returned by county agent 40
Farms on which the agent knows the management has been modified
as a result of farm analyses ; 20
Farmers induced by the agent to keep farm accounts, partial or complete 74
Value of business done in 1916 through all such exchanges organized
by agent or his predecessors ,. . . k 2324
Farms supplied with laborers In 1916 through such associations or ex- '
changes, or, by county agent 15
Total number of laborers so furnished to farmers . 15
Water supply and sewage disposal systems introduced 3
Farmers keeping cost accounts on potatoes , 40
Extending the Agent's Work In the County
Different farmers visited on their farms , ', 114
Total number of farm visits made 357
Calls on agent at office relating to county agent work 782
Meetings held under auspices of county organization or agent ....... 107
Total of all meetings In which agent took part 115
Total attendance at such meetings 2531
' Membership in county association promoting your work 300
Boys' and girls' clubs organized in 1916 .' 5
Total membership la such clubs organized in 1916 . . 70
Agricultural articles written by agent published in local papers 64
Local circulars and circular letters written 6262
Total circulation of all such circulars and circular letters 6262
Letters mailed 2620
Loral extension schools, including farmers' institutes, In his county at
which agent assisted 6
Days devoted by agent to the above extension schools and Institutions, 6
Total enrollment at these local extension schools 312
Agricultural observation parties conducted 1
Total number of persons In all such parties 800
Meetings or demonstrations held at which assistance was rendered by
specialists from the college or U. S. Department 65
FARM MANAGEMENT SURVEY WORK IN ROX RUTTE COUNTY
Progress Report, Jan. 1 to Dec. 1, 1916
Farm Management Is a study of the business side of farming. Its pur
pose is to determine the causes of success and failure under .given condi
tions. .
Farm Management Survey work was continued In the' same project
form as In 1915. 'The only change Is that the bulk of the co-operators are
now keeping the records themselves. The work was Introduced Into this
county In 1915.
, All the records of the 19,15 season were secured by the County Agent.
One record was taken In January, six'ln February, thirty In March, ten in
April, five In May, and eleven in June, maktng a total of sixty-three rec
ords. Seventy co-operators were secured, who agreed to keep a record of
the farm business during the 1916 crop year in record books furnished by
the Extension Service, Nebraska College of Agriculture. They further
agreed to turn in the books to the County Agent upon completing the rec
ord of the year, that they might get the benefit of the survey and would re
ceive another record book if they desire to continue the work.
Farm Management work Is considered fundamental lit County Agent
work as it enables him to study the real needs of the people, to determine
ra8t successful type of farming for the county, and be of real assistance to
the co-operators.
It is so basic In principle that changes made upon strength of the Sur
vey, that make the farm business more successful, would, last for a long
time and the results would be felt after the work is discontinued.
As a result of the 1915 Farm Survey for the 1914 season, twenty
farms have recorded Beventy changes, agreed upon by the operator and the
County Agent. The average labor Income of the farms In 1914 season was
30, this being an extremely dry season. The fifteen least profitable aver
aged labor Incomes of -$595, while the fifteen most profitable averaged
1763. It is on the basis of the most successful that changes are recom
mended. After completing the record taken in June, the records were figured up
and summarized by the Farm Management Extension office. A prelimin
ary report was returned in person to the most of the co-operators during
August. This preliminary report contained explanation of how the farm
business was figured, summary of the farm business, relation of co-operat'
ors' farm in size and labor Incomes to all other co-operating for years 1914
and 1915. Later the factor sheet was figured and returned to those who
already received the preliminary report. The average labor Income for
1915 was $1,189. The fifteen poor paying farms averaged f 144. the fif
teen most profitable averaged 12536.
, OFFICERS BOX BUTTE COUNTY .
N FARMERS' ASSOCIATION
L. J. S CHILL, Alliance President
A. S. ENYEART, Hemingford Vice President
LOUIS F. POWELL, Alliance Secretary
W. F. PATTERSON, Alliance ......... Treasurer
DIRECTORS
JOHN JELINEK, Hemingford Running Water Precinct
E. F. ALLEY, Hemingford Nonpareil Precinct
F. H. NASON, Alliance
F. M. McCOY, Alliance
O. W. NATION, Alliance 1J
J. H. ROHRBAUGH, Hemingford L
BROWN GRIFFITH, Alliance 1
Directors for Liberty, Lawn and
for the ensuing year have not been chosen yet but will be elect
ed in the near future. ' '
Box Butte Precinct
Wright Precinct
Lake Precinct
. Dorsey Precinct
Boyd Precinct
Snake Precincts
. During this year the work' was presented at ten meetings including the
paper presented at the Inter-State County Agent Conference, at St. Joseph,
Missouri, July 5-6. A total of forty records were returned in person. Four
farms are keeping complete diary records for the solution of some questions
relating to cost of production not already solved.
Thirty-two personal conferences were held with farm operators on
farm management problems other than at the farm. Twenty-three similar
conferences over phone. Ninety-seven' farms were visited In follow-up
work. A total of about 500 letters (follow-up) were sent out bearing on
Farm Management .Work.
In conclusion some results accomplished and opinions of this line of
work may not be amiss. In the first place, the seventy-six different co
operators in the past two years of survey work, only five were found who
had been keeping a record of the farm business. There are now seventy
four keeping the farm record and farm diary books, furnished by the Ex
tension Service. Besides about forty co-operators are keeping cost ac
counts on their potato crops, in a uniform record book. The seventy chang
es on twenty different farms was already referred to. Changes were made
on three of the farms already keeping farm records for' sometime before
survey work started. In fact, two of k whom had kept most complete type
of records for twenty years,-and probably not equalled In the state of Ne
braska. On the one farm the operator had been rutting over about 600 acres
of low yielding hay meadow, and sending a large amount of stock to pas
ture. It was apparent from the survey data that he was using too much
land to cut hay from, making the cost per ton high, because of big labor ex
penses and exrvense for pasture bills was unnecessary. It was decided to
cut only the best, pasture the rest and sow sweet clover or alfalfa as rapid
ly as the land could be prepared. Hogs were beiag kept on the above
farms, which were being disposed of in a manner that the survey showed to
be unprofitable. As a result of the high price of small grain, the hogs wers
reduced in numbers and the grain sold at a greater profit alone. The opin
ion of the co-operator Is that "he has been many times repaid for support
ing county agent work, by these changes alone."
The second case was of a youug farmer on a small farm, who was en
thused about the possibility of intensive dairying, selling the sour butter
fat to creamery, feeding all feed at home, raising no cash crops, and who
on the average was making a minus income when Interest, expenses etc
were allowed. After making a farm survey of the farm, the first things
recommended were growing a cash crop, leasing more pasture land, farm,
lng more for efficiency and Improving the quality .of the cattle. The only
possible thing that could be done under the conditions the first year was to
add the cash crop as suggested. Eight acres of potatoes were grown. Pas
ture land has been leased for next year. The co-operator expressed him
self by saying. This change of adding a cash crop has meant on top of the
cost of production at least $660 to me.".
in me intra case where the co-operator, an operator and owner of a
large faint and ranch, who had kept records for over twenty years
very
said that If ho change had been made in hla business as a result of the first
farm management survey it would have been worth at least 9160 to him,
because of the source of satisfaction that he had made 6 per cent on the en
tire Investment and a good return for labor In 1114. Further, he stated,
that his record keeping always showed whether he was gaining or losing,
but had no chance to make changes In his business for a greater profit al
ready demonstrated by hls-nelghbors. This way he could. Upon ihn
strength of the survey figures on his farm he has purchased additional land
because he thought that having it leased and making five per cent over on
the land he had Just as well own it. This man was sent as a delegate to the
Federal Farm Loan Doard meeting at Lincoln and Omaha, and was pleased
when the Dox Dutte Farnf Management survey figures were shown, and be
states, "This was the first real and substantial evidence that the Federal
Loan Doard received as to the stability of business and safety of investment
west of the twenty-four Inch rainfall line anywhere Id the United States. It
was better publicity for Box Butte County and western Nebraska than all
the advertising that has been done in the past twenty years."
ROYS' AND GIRLS' CLUH WORK IN ROX RUTTK COUNTY, 191
Progress Report, Jan. 1 to Dec. 1
Boys' and Girls' Club work made Its first real start In Box Butte county
this year. Its purpose Is to give training in agriculture and house duties
to the boys and girls. It is to tench and interest them in rural life, to train
the hand and the head and to furnish profitable employment for the bovs
and girls.
The first thing done In this year in the way of presenting club work to
the boys and girls was a meeting held, Jan. 6, at which Prof. C. W. Pugslcy
addressed the patrons, the school board, and the school children of Alliance
on '"Boys' and Girls' School Gardens". This work was adopted by the
school board, and faculty members put in charge of local school gardens.
Work was presented to the teachers of the county In general letter, 18.
1916. Rules were also sent the teachers. On Jan. 18, a circular letter
was sent all the boys and girls In the county, of club age, explaining club
work. On the same date a circular letter was sent to all the members of
the Farmers' Association, and the school patrons of the county, explaining
the object of club work. Some boys and girls sent In application cards as
a result.
On the 12th, 13th and 14th of April, the state club leader, Mr. L. T.
Skinner, County Superintendent Miss Russell and the County Agent visited
the schools of the county that were stlfl In session. At each place the boya
and girls were advised that enrollment closed May 1. As a result of these
meetings, ten in number, practically all the members of the cooking and
Sewing club Joined.
Following these meetings considerable personal work was done by the-.
County Agent with boys and girls and their parents. As a result, fifteen
boys and girls Joined the potato club, four Joined the pig club, two in each
the garden and poultry clubs.
The County Agent organized three clubs In the county with a total
membership of seventy boys and girls.' "The Blue Bird Club," composed of
p,u ib, uici ruuu uiuiiiu iu Alliance, anu juibb nunm'u, cuumy buuc rimenaeni,.
was appointed their local leader. The "Pleasant Prairie Club," a mixed
club, met each month at the home of some member north of Alliance. Miss
Laura Hawkins was appointed their local leader. The members of "Clover
Leaf Club" met regularly at Hemingford with their appointed leader, Mrs.
W. T . Ragan. Each club had Us officers and had a program of Interest at
nearly all meetings. The County Agent usually met with the clubs to dis
cuss the progress In club work. .. .
It was through the organization of these local clubs that Interest waa
held throughout the season of work. During the summer n.ost of the club
members were visited at thrr homes by the County Agent. Considerable
time was given to assisting in the digging and certifying of the yield of po
tato club members. , " ' ; "
At the county fair seventy exhibits were made by thirty-one club mem
bers. The exhibit attracted the attention and was very faborably comment
ed upon by the patronu of the fair.
The following club members will complete their work and will b
awarded the regular membership button by the Box Butte Farn era Associ
ation. Ten high Potato Club members receive free trip to the Boys' Pota-
Irh flfifiril in ha holrl In llllunr. narl .nrlnv
Potato Club Clifford BergfieM, Archibald Davlg, Adolph Fostrom..
Carl Fostrom, John Gerdes, Kenneth Gilmore, Arthur Grove, Herbert Pur
tnton, Howard Robinson, Clara Slsley, Owen Stewart, Roy .iTrabert.
Garden Club Alice Schlll, Ethel Trabert. '
Poultry Club Cecil Beal, Margaret Schlll.
Sewing and Cooking Club Eva Beal, Neva Beal, Laura E. Calmer,
Vivian Gilmore. Asenath Schlll, Mary Kaper, Meta Koester, Lizzie Mabln.
Sara O'Keefe, Ruth Mulrhead, Katherlne Schlll, Pearl Trabert, Margaret
Wtltsey, Irma Wright.
Pig Club Clarence Gaghagen, James. Watson, Alta'Hucke.
CLUR RESULTS TO DATE, DEO. 1, 1016
Pig Club
Days Total . Cost Cost per Net
Member fed gain , of fed lb. gain profit
Alta Huoke, Hemingford ... 124 270 $13.01 $.0578 $8.01
James Watson, Hemingford . 122 158 7.40 .'.0468 7.91
Clarence Gaghagen, Alliance Pig died from poisoning. .'
Potato Club
Area Total Total Cost ' Total Cert. Prof.
Acres per A. Cost , per bu. value yield net A.
Adolph Fostrom,
Hemingford ..r. 'l.l 120.0 11.00 " $.122 ' l'Rtf.oo 120 $92.29
Karl Fostrom,
Hemingford .... 1.1 105.0 10.18". .140 , 1.12.25 104.9. 79.46
Archie Davlg,
Alliance 1.0 77.1 13.22 ' .171 96.17 85.6 62.40
Arthur Grove
Alliance .59 31.0 4.04 .173 3V75 57.7 42.43
Clara Sisley,
Alliance 1.04 139.0 8.24 .079 173.75 145.2 117.38
Kenneth Gilmore,
Alliance .85 128.2 8.76 .091 160.26 189.2 142.67
Clifford Bergfleld, '
Hemingford .... 3.4 248.4 34.07 202 310.50 109.6 57.43
Roy Trabert, -
Alliance 2.12 200.0 21.40 .142 250.00 130.4 78.39
John Gerdes, ' . ,
Alliance 85 100.0 12 5-5 166 125.00 129.4 81.30
Herbert Purinton. "
Alliance ....... 2.24 300.0 25.51 .112 375.00 144.8 114.36
TOTAL'.. 14.29 148 87 1811.88 868.11
AVERAGE 1.4 102 0 14 88 .139 J81.18 121.68 86.81
Owen Stewart. Hemingford Acreage too small to compete.
Howard Robinson, Marsland Acreage too small to compete.
Poultry Club ll.ttrhliig ami lUising I
Perct.
Name Kens set Ila'ched 4th month Value Raised
Cecil Beal. Alliance 110 65 33 16.50 60.7
Margaret Schlll. Alliance . . 30 10 5.00 -41.6
, liardeu Club .
.. ' , I'rottC per Profit
Name Area, sq.ft. Receipts Cost 100 sq. ft. per A.
Ahce Schlll. Alliance 336 $10.41 $1.75 $2.25 .$993 40
Ethel Trabert, Alliance Not complete. ,
POTATO IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AND MARKETING, ROX RUTTK
COUNTY. I91tt
The potato improvement work which was started In 1915 was contiu
ped during the 1916 season. Because other western Nebraska counties, of
the potato ectlon, having county agents, desired to fall in the line of potato :
Improvement. A potato conference was arranged for April 1 and 2 In Alli
ance. The purpose of this meeting was to talk bverand devise methods by
which the Extension Service through the County-Agent could best meet the
problems of the potato section of Nebraska. The meeting consisted of ac
tual demonstrations, variety and disease studies, commercial growing, stor
ing and shipping problems.
A general method of Improvement dealing with varieties, seed aelec-
y