Report of H. C. Nevius, county agricultural agent, 1919: Montrose County

H. C. NEVIUS , COUNTY AGRICULTURA.L ~, GENT UONTRO~F. COU!~TY

The plan adopted for the organization of the Montrose County Farm Bureau was that of a direct membership in the county organiza-tion. Eaoh community to have community committee on the work

which they were particularly interested in or had adopted as a community program. A County Agricultural Council composed of one representative from each grange or farmers union or recognized farm club, one representative from the stookmens assooiat1on1 fruit growers association or other recognized agricultural

association in the county, one from each commercial club and one from the board of county commissioners. The &gricultural Council to meet semi-annually and make written recommendations to the Executive Committee. The administration of the affairs of the bureau was vested in the executive committee composed of the officers; president, vice-president and secretary-treasurer

elected at the annual meeting of the Farm Bureau and six members selected by the Agricultural Council.

The Montrose County Farm Bureau has retained the membership, officers, and committees, under which it was first organized.

Plans were made for reorganization in December 1918 but on account of the influenza these plans had to be changed a number of times.

A later date was set for reorganization but a reoccurence of the Flu stopped the work after but two communi ties had been organized. Such conditions which ,made it impossible to hold community meetings

fullt demonstrated the value of a central organization because the Farm Bureau was able to outline a complete program which was carried out with muoh beneficial results.

A membership campaign was started the week of March lst

to organize the Farm Bureau on the"program of work" plan. The Fairview section adopted as their work, Prairie Dog Poisoning.-Milk testing and silos for beet tops.- Better roads.- Canning and local eohool improvement. The .Maple Grove community organized

to promote better roads, poison prairid dogs.

These two communi ties with the number that paid direct make 45

a new membership of approximately in the farm bureau, other

communities should be reorganized a.s soon as the conditions permit. The membership held over from last year was 149.

The Farm Bureau has been of very material assistance to the county agent not only through the Council and advise given but

in actual carring·out of the progr~ms adopted. Without the assistance

of the County Farm Bureau 1 t wo,lld be impossible to carry forth some of the projects mentioned later in this report. The Farm Bureau was largely responsible for the starting of the prairie dog oarnpaign and for tbe hearty cooperation and systematic work

accomplished towar~ their erad,ioa.tion.

The solution of the wheat marketing problem in the West end of the county and the maintenance of the farm labor bureau are

among the projects for which the farm bureau is entirely responsible.

CROP IMPROVEMENT.

The crop improvement project is now taking definate form in the encouragement of the better seed by cleaning, tre ting and testing of all seeds. Definate work has been·started on corn

~nd potatoes, Di3monatrations have been arranged when. by new

varities of corn can be tested out against local grown corn. The value of Potato seed treatment will be demonstrated tbis year. Permanent pastures have been encouraged and likewise the large Russian Sunflower for silage. Wheat marketing has been given considerable attention by the Farm Bureau,

BETTER SFED.

The better seed work was continued from last year in

practically the same manner. Newsapaper articles and the regular section of the Farm Bureau News were continually used to promote seed selection, cleaning, testing and treating. Numerous visits were made to farms in an effort to locate _good seed especially with potatoes and corn. Only the best seed was reoommend&j for

much

planting and this was given asN?ublici ty as possible_. The

Colorado Seed. Law was explained. a.t a. number of meetings a.nd the

farmers u.rged to take advantage of the protection given them by this la.w. Seed dealers were asked to have all. seeds offered for sale tested and properly labeled. Druggists were asked to use the Colorado standard labels for formalin. A number of samples

of seeds were sent to the Colorado Seed Laboratory to be tested for purity and germination. A seed tester was provided in the office and testing done for those that did not want to wait for

a laboratory test from Fort Collins.

Material for seed testing in the school and home was provided through the generosity of the Home State Bank of Montrose and the Nucla State Bank of Nucla who furnished and assisted in the

dis-tribu.tion of 2500 Colorado seed test blotters. The Olathe Corn Show a.t Olathe· , Colorado supplieti 200 Colorado "Rag Doll" seed oorn testers. All these were widely distributed and resulted in testing of seeds which were planted over a large acreage. Through this method and by office test some of practically every aeed corn supply was tested before planting. Practically all supplies of local grown alfalfa aeed was likewise tested,

This year much improvement was noticed in the quality of

potato seed planted. Growers are gradually learning to distinguish

good seed from the poor. A large number of ears of potato seed were brought from the ~igher altitudes this year for planting in

the valley. Bostwick Park and Log Hill Mesa supplying a large amount of this seed.

CORN IMPROVE1mNT

The Corn improvement project was enlarged this year by the introduction of a number of varieties of corn from the outside. We have always considered that the quality of corn grown here was

excellent but no pure varieties were available. An aggreement was made with the experiment station whereby they would cooperate with the Farm Bureau in introducing pure varieties. The Experiment Station furnished the seed which was placed with local growers

who promised to keep a record of the yi-elds and. make a comparison

w~th local grown corn. Iowa Silvermine, Yellow Leaming and

Minnesota. No. 13 are the varieties being tried. A small quantity of White Rustler, Silver King and Minnesota No. 455 were sent by

the Experiment Station to be tried in the higher corn growing districts.

The second annual Olathe Corn Show was not held this year until very late, several dates having been arranged before but March 29 was the earliest date considered safe by the Olathe officials. The show was a decided improvement over last year in the quality of corn shown, however the number of exibits were

practically the same. 53 samples of corn being shown this year. A fair attendance was present inspite of the fact that this was a

busy season.

One of the interesting features of the show was the contest conducted to determine the percentage germination of corn. Rag Doll testers were shown in operation and two hundred distributed free by the Corn Show.

Mr. G.

s.

Ray Extension Agronomist and Ralph Wilson a local corn specialist judged. the exibits anrl discussed the subject of seed selection and care of seed corn. An exibit of Iowa Silvermine was awarde·i the sweepstakes in the 10 ear class as well as in the best bushel and best individual ear. This corn was grown by

three different parties and in three different localities. Mr. awarded

Chas. Dixon of Cory, Colorado , Delta oountyjwas~first prize for the 10 ear exibit in white oorn and also the sweepstakes. Mr.

W.

A. Dennie near Olathe in Montrose county was awarded first in the single ear entery in the white and also ~weepstakes with his

exceptional ear of Iowa Silvermine. Mr. J.

c.

Turner on California Mesa near Olathe was given a like distinction with his bushel of Iowa Silvermine. In the exibita of yellow corn Mr. Gee. Williamson was glven first in the 10 ear class and Mr. Gene Stone frist in the

bushel of yellow corn, Other varieties of corn in exibit were

Minnesota No. 23, Sw~dley Dent, Parsons White, and Minnesota No. 13,

Funks Ninety Day, Colorado Yellow Dent. POTATO IMPROVEMENT.

The inspection service maintained at the shipping points last year did much to impress upon growers the importance of clean

potatoes. This spring a general move was made to obtain good seed. While it was practically irJPossible to obtain disease free seed the best stocks available were located and recommended for seed. Many

cars of seed were shipped to Montrose and Olathe from Boetwidk Park and a few were brought from Log Hill Mesa.

The work along culture lines and different distances for planting was continued from last year when it was found that the

yield was materially increased and the tubers of more uniform shape and size when Peerless Russetts were planted as close as nine

inches in the row in good soil. Additional demonstrations were obtained this year.

Some seed treatment was also started for control of

Rhizootcnia, It was considered too expensive heretofore but it was

found that by preparing for the work it was neither expensive for materials or in time as evidenced by experience of Mr. G. F.

Royal of Bostwick Park. By preparing for treating Mr. Royal finds that the materials for treatment oost him approximately 4 cents per hundred pounds or 40 cents per acre. He had constructed a vat holding a ton of potatoes at one time which takes care of 150 gallons

of solution and requires 20 ounces of Corrosive Sublimate.

Thirty acres will be treated and the check plots will be left

so as to determine the value of treatment. Mr. L. A. Stevens of Olathe, Colorado has made like preparation and has treated hie entire crop with the exception of check plots.

SUNFLOWERS

The use of the large Ruesian Sunflowers for silage is

gradually increasing. Last year four growers tried out this crop with varing results. One cut the crop to green and it spoiled in the silo a~other put it on top of his corn silage and it was

ffolmd that the thin layer of sunflowers had practically all

spoiled. Dr. A. J. Griffith siloed sunflowers planted July 17 after corn had failed by putting some straw with the ensilage. This

proved very satisfaatory. Mr. W. H. Bailey was very much pleased with the quality of his silage made by planting sunflowers where

the corn showed a thin stand.

This season there will be ten or .twelve different farmers grow sunflowers and an area of approximately 50 acres has been planted. Yields and comparisons of feeding value with corn

en-silage should be made this tall,

PERMANENT PASTUFES

The calls for a permanent pastu1'e are becoming more numerous. · A mixture of fifteen pounds of brome grass, fifteen pounds orchard grass, eight pounds tall meadow fescue, six pounds timothy and six pounds of either yellow sweet clover, alsike, or red Qlover as

recommended by Professor Morton has been sown by a number of farmers. Twelve cooperators starting pastures last fall or this spring. Pastures are now to be found in practically all parts

of the county and all owners are well satisfied w.ith the practioalibili ty of a pasture. These pastures are .carrying

from one and a half to two head of cows per acre. WHEAT MARKFTING

The plan as worked out by the Farm BuTeau Wheat Committee and put into effect for the West end of Montrose and San Mi£ruel >,.J

Counties worked out very satisfactorily. Approximately 50,000

busbels of wheat had been produced in the section which extends

from 18 to SO miles from a narrow guage railroad. It looked

practically impossible to market this wheat considering the trans-portation conditions and Food Administration rulings. Concessions were obtained by the ~fuea.t CorP..mi ttee from the Food Administration

and a local plan was worked out whereby all the wheat farthest from the railroad would be ground into flour at Nucla and wheat

nearer the railrond would be shipped out. Nucla farmers were induced to sell their flour to the mill for the same price that Redvale and Norwood growers would reoei ve for '·-their wheat shipped out. All merchants in this section agreed to handle Nucla flour· exclusively when sold an this basis, and no flour wa..s therefore shipped in. Ten oar loads of wheat were shipped to the Food

Administration by White Bros. Mercantile Company of No·rwood,

This spring it was found that practically all of the wheat in this section had been marketed.

~he Farm Bureau Wheat Committee has kept in constant touch

with the Food Administration regarding the marketing of the large sur,plus crop of wheat in the Uncompahgre Valley and have assisted in getting established the proper grades and prices for wheat there.

LIVE STOCK IMPROVEHENT

The livestock work under the reclamation project has been carr:i.ed on in cooperation with H. A. Lindgren, livestock

dem-onstrator, with the Bureau of Plant Industry. We have endeavored

at all times to encourage the lines of work which he was carrying

on in this field which are mainly the extension of the hog and sheep industry on the farms, and the use of pure bred sires in dairy and beef herds. We have ~lso continued to encourage the

dairy work in the West end of the county.

When an out break of hog cholera ocoured in November the f:

extent of the outbreak was invetigated and it was found that over

"

twenty herds were affected. Meetings of the hog growers were

oa~led at Montrose and Olathe at which the seriousness of the

disease was explained and plans made to control the cholera. Com-mittees were appointed in each district to ascertain the number

of hogs to be vaccinated and a central committee organized to work in cooperation with local veterinarians and to see that the farms surrounding all new outbreaks were properly vaccinated. Dr.

Wright of the Extension Department and Dr. Harrington of the Bureau of Animal Husbandry assisted this corrJ.rni ttee. Under this

arrangement local Veternarians vaccirated over 5500 hogs between November 20 and January first. Approximately five hundred ~ogs

had the disease and between one hundred fifty and two hundred died.

VETERINARY ASSOCIATION

An organization of stockmen and farmers was started which would provide veterinary protection by the year. Petitions were circulated and when two hundred signatures were obtained the · organization was perfected. This organization is known as the Montrose Live Stock Health Protection Association. The object and plan of the association follo\vs: The object of this a.sscoia-tion is to employ a competent veterinarian to tr~t infectious diseases and other ailments of the live sto.ok of members of the

association and to prorr~te the general livestock interests of its

members in connection with his practice in cooperation with the

State Veterinarian and the Extension Service. The regulatory action of this association relating to contagious and infectious diseases shall be in accordance with the state laws under the direction of the state veterinarian. Educational efforts and the organization of the association shall be superintended by the Extension

Depart-ment through the specialist in charge of this work in cooperation with the veterinary department of the Agrio.l.tl tural College. This work to be carried forward in connection with the Montrose County Farm Bureau and in cooperation with the Office of Demonstrations on Reclamation Proj eots.

Membership in the association shall be limited to the first two hundred stockmen paying the membership fee within the district described aa follows: (The Uncompahgre Valley from Colona to the

county north line including Bost\'V'ick Park, Kinikin Heights and Shinn Park.)

The veterinarian shall be under the direction and responsible to a board o:f' five directors one of \Vhioh shall be a member of the

County Farm Bureau Live Stock Committee. This board of directors shall have full charge and control of work done by the veterinarian for both members and non-members of the association.

All members agree to pay an annual membership fee of twelve dollars payable semi-annually in advance and in addition shall

pay a fee of 20 cents per mile one way from headquarters on calla

to his or her farm. A minimum charge. of 50 cents shall be made on all calls less than

at

miles from headquarters • .

The association has been in operation for three months and ·is gaining favor each week. During the first two months the Veterinarian made 280 c~lls, traveled over 2200 miles and handled over 1000 doses

of black leg aggressin, vaccinated or sold direct to stockmen over 2500 doses of Hemorrhagic Spetecimia vaccine besides vaccinating a number of hogs and attending to local ordinary and emergency oalls. The practicibility of this plan has been fully proven for this section and some members are looking for\1ard. fo the time when it will be necessary to employ two veterinarians.

-PESTS

This project takes up the control of practically all farm peats but those demanding and receiving the most attention were prairie dogs, grasshoppers and whorled milkweed. The infestation of alfalfa weevil \Vhich has just been discovered will require

considerable attention in the future. General information has been given on a number of crop and animal peats but it was not necessary to carry out any general program.

PRAIRIE DOGS

No greater stress has been put on-any project than that urged toward prairie dog eradication by the Farm Bureau.

The topography of the county is such that the~e is an abundance

of prairie dogs, even where the land has been under cultivation for a number of years it is not uncommon to have dogs upon waste patches of land that adjoin very fertile fiel,is. Prairie dogs

under these conditions do much more damage per dog than where there are dry land or lees intensly cultivated areas. Some poisoning has been done every year with little success toward eradication. Usually only small areas were treated a.t one time and where the poisoning was successful dogs would soon oome in from other places_

reinfesting the treated area.

A movernent was started last year to place all badly infested areas in pest districts. To date nine pest districts have been formed crolfprising an area of approximately 125,000 acres ani effecting over one thousand land owners.

Petitions circulated require signature ~ of a majority of the

resid-ent land o'vners to make a district. Moat of these peti tiona

were presented to the Commissioners before February and plana were made to provide poison grain for a large area.

An arrangement was made with the U . .

s.

Biological Survey whereby they would mix all poison grain for these pest districts provided it

was sold to the land owners at cost. They also agreed to furnish poison for government lands free of charge provided ad-joining land owners would put it out. A supply o-f the poison

gr~in was, pro11ided in convenient places and. pest notices were

sent to every land owner in the different districts setting a time when the poisoning should start and fixing a date by which the work should be completed. Sixty days was allowed in which to complete the work after which all places reported as having not complied with the law were sent a second notice making it legal for the pest inspector to poison prairie dogs and charge costs to the land owner. The fact that it was not necessary to send out more than twenty five or thirty of the second notices is a fair example of the cooperation and with which land o\vners

entered into this program.

The amount of poison grain used will give a fair idea of the extent of the campaign. During the season over 2000 gallons of poison were used on deeded lands by the land owners. Over 800 gallons of poison grain was used by these same men on government

land adjoining their holdings. The deeded poison was all sold at cost which amounted to fifty cents per gallon.

To give some idea of the extent of damage done by these pests signed statements were received :from forty cooperators representing 3500 acres of infested irrigated lands giving their yearly da~age

as $6099 or an average of over one hundred fifty dollars each. These cooperators all report that they had excellent results from poisoning the prairie dogs. To clear their lands they bought

used is then approxima.tely ~27. 00 for each gallon. Placing an estimate on the rearly damage done by these pests on this basis for the area in pest districts we find that for the poison used this season the yearly damage would amount to over ~50 , 000 which we believe is not too high considering the kinds of crops grown and the value of the land which the prairie dogs infest.

It is vary hard to estimate the percent of the prairie dogs

killed but where the poison was applied and aggressive work was carried on the dogs are very scarce. From personal observation and from numerous reports received from farmers we would estimate that approximately 95~ of the prairie dogs had been killed on

7o% of the land now in pest district. Possibly 5o% of the dogs

have been killed on the remaining territory. Part of the cause for not obtaining a large percentage on this latter territory is

because it was put into pest district late this spring.

While moat of our efforts have been confined to pest districts much land has been covered on the outside. Some poison has been to Gunnison and Ouray counties and stockmen and farmers in the outlying districts have been encouraged in poisoming their

in-fested lands. Such good results have been reported by these men

that another year should see a very general use of prairie dog poison on the higher ranges and grazing lands. Assistance was given on some of these outlying districts this year which resulted in the formation of two pest districts, one on Log Hill Mesa in Ouray county and one on Horse Fly in San Miguel county.

The pest districts organized for this work hold good

for three years. By following this work up and keeping a close check on those not poisoning we b~lieve that the prairie dogs can be practically eradicated from these districts. Some

enforce-ment was done but it was found in general that where effectiv·e poison was prepared farmers were ready to use it.

GRASSHOPPERS.

In general the infestation of grasshoppers is not as great this year as some previous years but bad infestations havo been reported from a number of differe~t sections. The most

grass-hoppers reported this year a~e in the West Paradox Valley where

approximately ten square miles are infested. Other sections reporting infestations are the second park section near Nucla, Shavano Valley and small districts on East Mesa and California Mesa.

The method of control of this pest has been covered in. the

Farm Bureau News and personal instructions given to owners of infested lands. The Nucla section has bean infested for several years and farmers there are thoroughly familiar with methods of combating and controling the grasshopper. The outbreak in the · Paradox Valley was new this year. Early ~eports showed that the

hoppers were very thick there so a program was outlined and farmers asked to poison hoppers early. As a large part of the infested land was owned by the Paradox Valley Irrigation Land and Develop-ment· Company the receiver of this Compnny agreed to cooperate w:i.th lessees :ln furnishing poison. To date an~ of ten square miles

has been covered in this district and good results reported from poisoning. It is too early to estimate the amount saved by quick action but farmers are putting up a good first cutting of hay where they did not expect anything.

As other infested districts are srrall and scattered the Tormula for poisoning was supplied and instructions given for applying. An area covering approximately 7000 acres will be

treated this year for grasshoppers. But above any damage that may be done on this area the control of these pests means that they will not spread to larg~r areas next year.

V!HORLF.D liT LKWEED

The work started last year on late fall plowing fully demonstrated that the whorled milkweed can be killed. A dem-onstration plot on the farm of H. L. Hay near Olathe showed no milkweed on fall plowed land whereas the plot imntediately ad-joining showed a laTge quantity of young milkweed. Both plots had been disced this spring and spring wheat sown. Another plot

I

on hand of H. B. Coffman near Olathe showed wery little milkweed on fall plowing. Along ditch banks where the Reclamation Service grubbed or plowed last fall very little milkweed was found growing except that which had been missed in plowing the rough ground.

The publicity campaign was continued to aquaint all farmers and stockmen with this plant so as to enable them to protect stock by keeping them away from it if possible. The regular columns of

the Farm Bureau Ne s have been used for this purpose and in

December a meeting of the Sheep Growers Association was addressed on this subject. In June patches of this weed were tagged to

attract attention to the growing weed.

The acreage of milkweed infestations is not very large in

this county but is badly scattered.extending over a large area.

It haa been found in practically every community but the worst infestation seems to be along the-west side of the Uncompahgre Valley from Colona to Riverside, Spring Creek Mesa, Ash Mesa, Parts of California Mesa, Dry Creek and a. lirni ted area, on East Mesa,, and in the Pa.rado'x Valley.

Results obtained here check with those reported by

w.

L. May in the Cortez section that is that the plant is easily

destroyed by fall plowing or grubbing after the plant has bloomed or seed pods formed. .Since this has been satisfactorily dem-onstrated a general campaign for milkweei eradication should be

carried out by the Farm Bureau this summer. As the milkweed spreads fast and the losses from this source increases each year

it would seem that the sooner this problem was o~ercome the bette~.

ALFALFA WEEVIL

A sur1ey of the county by Mr. C. c. Wakeland1 Deputy State

Entomologist, to determine whether or not this district was

in-fested with alfalfa weevil showed :: that a. district on Spring Creek

Mesa \Vas infested. This matter was promptly reported to ~J: r. C. P.

Gillette, State Entomologist and his rulings awaited.

The infested area seems to comprise at least two or three square miles and may be many times that large, According to Mr. Wakeland the number discovered at once place would indicate that weevil had been present for two or three year ;.

to examine the immediate vicinity found infested. this year, Control of this insect will probably be difficult and will undoubtedly require considerable attention of those in the

infested area.

BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB

Boys and girls clubs have been. organized this year in seven different districts. The Garden-Canning club and the pig club are favorites with the boye and girls, most of the boys preferring

to raise pigs while the girls like to can fruits and. vegetables. 47 members are enrolled in the Garden-Canning club and 31 members in the pig club. Potato olub has an enrollment of 24 and the corn club 6 members·r~king a total enrollment of 108. The Olathe Club

hav1n6 the largest members; 17 in the pig club, 22 members in

the Potato, 23 in the Garden-Canning and. 5 in the Corn club. Maple Grove has 4 members in the pig club, Colona has 3 pig club members, Pleasant Valley has 1 pig club member and 9 Garden-Canning club

membe·rs, Riverside has two potato club members, Menoken has 1 pig club member, 3 Garden-Canning and 1 oorn club member, Uncompahgre has 6 pig olub members and 12 garden-canning club members. This is a large enrollment of boys and girls

for

club work.

Those enrolled in the Garden-Canning club are expected to raise the vag tables that they can and ·\vill be given instructions some ·time in the summer by a canning demonstrator from the Agri-cultural College. In the potato and corn club the members are expected to ~aise 1/8 of an acre and keep a detailed record of all coats of plowing, planting and care of their crop. Pig club members are expected to select a good pig and develop it, they must keep a

costs of plowing, planting and care of their crop. P.ig club members are expected to select a good pig and develop it, they must keep a record of feed fed to the pig and the time t hat they spend with a pig.

An effort will be made to have the best pigs from each district, and beat canning exibit and the best corn and potato exibits at

the Western Slope Fair this fall. Boys and

.

~irls _... of one club will

compete with the boys and girls with another club and prizes awarded on the best exibits taking inconsideration the records

and the story as well as the exibit itself, A very creditable showing was made by the clubs last year and it is hoped that they will do much better this year.

SOIL

The work started last year on soil demonstration was con-tinued and another demonstrator started. Addition samples of soil were sent to Dr. Headden for analysis and were found to be affected with nitre. A traat near Olathe belonging to

c.

B. Corey was reported as having a high oont&nt"of nitre and a plan of handling this tract was suggested. After being covered heavily with course ~anure and plowed corn was planted in corrugations.

A good stand was obtained. After the corn is layed by oats will be planted which will be plowed under late this fall. This

should put the land in good shape for any other crop the next year. Progress has been very slow on some of the other tracts ·but some humus was added to the soil which will be diaced under.

This puts the land in better· condition to receive water and seeds will germinate better.

LABOR

The Labor Exchange established last year through the co-operation of the County Commissioners, the Farm Bureau and the County Agents office has continued. Early in the season labor was very scarce and appeals were sent to a number of sources for farm hands. A large number of inquiries came to this office as a result of the publicity given this appeal a limited nun~er of

laborers were obtained. A record of applications for farm help and for labor have been mainta~ned, This office has kept in

constant touch with the labor conditions and have .tried to

stabilize conditions as far as possible. A freeze the first of June greatly changed the labot situation and reduced the demand

for help. Present indications are that we will have plenty of help at least until the potato harvesting starts.·

FARM BUREAU NEWS

News on county projects and on ou.rrent agricultural topics are submitted weekly to the local papers and printed under the h ading Farril Bureau News, This enables the ·county agent to

keep in weekly touch w-1 th a large percentage of the farming

population. The circulation of the papers printing "Farm Bureau News" is approximately three thcueand

two

hundred.

WORK OF ASSISTANT

The possibility of having an assistant in the office

regularly has been of great help and has added much to the effective-ness of the county agents

work

by making it easier

for

the farmers

the agent wae able to spend in the field and on other than

routine work. The attention to the labor problem and assista.no·e in keeping records for this office and the Veterinary Association would have been impossible without such assistance.

SPECIAL 1'JORK

PINTO BEANS: Samples for three car load of beans shipped to the Food Administration from this county were taken by the County Agent.

FAR¥ BUSINESS: An increased interest is being shown in Farm

record keeping. Since the income tax report ic required a number of applications have been made for farm record books. The Farm Management Demonstrator at the Call ge has cooperated

in furnishing twelve men with record books and will assist them in keeping systematic records of their farm business.

OFFICiftL TESTING: Supervisors for four advanced registry testing have been obtained and trained. locally, thereby making it easier

for local dairymen to do A. R.

o.

and semi-official testing. COUN Y EORTICTJLTURF INSPECT! iG: Acting a.s County Horticulture Inspector, all of the trees and scrubs coming in to Montrose have been inspected.

WESTER:~ ST.~OPE FAIR: Every encouragement has been gi van the exibitors at the Western Slope Fair and some time was given in

working up exibits and advising the premium list for this

fair.

The Western Slope Fair~ we believe, is one of the most effective ways of showing the agriculture advancement on the Western Slope.