The County Agent, the Sugar Beet, and the Strawberry Harvest That Finally Went Right

County Agriculturalist Lee M. Lampson's annual report laid out a year of work remaking the county's farms.

Growing Seed: It is estimated that 98 to 99 per cent of the seed of all kinds used in this county is shipped in. There is no reason why nearly all the kinds of seed used here cannot be produced here. With a view to developing the home-grown seed business, the county was asked for an appropriation of $150 for the purchase of seed. This seed was given out to farmers in different communities under contract that they would grow it under the direction of the county agriculturalist and return twice the amount of seed to the county out of the crop. This plan has worked out very well, and the seed now on hand will be redistributed next spring to practically twice the number of farmers we were able to furnish this year.

Sugar Beets: The impression was general that sugar beets could not be grown here, because of failures a number of years ago. Two years ago I made a detailed study of conditions and methods on two farms which were successful in trials in growing sugar beets. I gave this information out at a series of meetings last winter. In the latter part of the spring the Yakima Commercial club sent me some choice beet seed to try, as the erection of a sugar beet factory was being contemplated in the valley. Both this seed and that purchased by individuals produced good crops. The impression that sugar beets cannot be grown here has completely vanished.

Purchasing Seed: On request I met with a group of farmers in the White Bluffs district who were considering taking advantage of their early season and growing early potatoes. At the meeting a committee was selected to assemble orders for seed and buy this fall. They purchased twelve tons co-operatively at $1.75 per hundred. The seed is much higher now, and indications are that it will be twice as high in the spring. They all purchased the same variety and are planning on marketing the crop co-operatively.

Fertilizer Test: I secured the co-operation of seventeen farmers in the county to test sulphur for fertilizing. In only two cases did the farmer get any additional yield — insufficient to recommend that the sulphur be used.

Boys' and Girls' Club Work: With the assistance of the county school superintendent, 290 boys and girls were secured in the county. A club leader was put in the county. The Prosser Hog and Corn Show offered to buy or furnish money for club members to buy pigs, and on my suggestion the Show put up $40 in cash prizes for a boys' and girls' judging contest. Thirty-five boys and girls took part in the corn judging contest and twenty-nine in the hog judging contest. This was the first contest of the kind put on in the county, and the work done by the boys and girls was excellent.

County Agricultural Council: A plan for a county organization was adopted by each of the fourteen local farmers' organizations, and two county meetings have now been held.

County Exhibit at State Fair: A state fair committee was appointed with one person from each community. Financial assistance was secured from the Prosser and Kennewick Commercial clubs and the county grange. The exhibit won a $90 cash prize, with a balance maintained to finance an exhibit next year.

National Farm Loan Association: I have explained the organization of National Farm Loan Associations at five different meetings. There are 65 members in these five temporary associations.

Securing Labor: Each year the harvesting of the Kennewick-Richland strawberry crop requires from 800 to 1,000 outside laborers. In previous years each berry grower, fearing he would be short of help to handle a perishable crop, began advertising for laborers early. As a result there has been a large influx of laborers before the season opened, or before the heaviest of the crop was ripe. Each year, until 1916, when the heavy part of the crop came on the growers have not been able to get sufficient help to handle it.

In January of this year I took up the matter with the Federal Employment service and after considerable correspondence secured the establishment of an employment agency in Kennewick to handle the labor problem during the strawberry season. The growers, knowing that this agency would be established here, did very little individual advertising. The employment agent, being in touch with the federal employment offices in the larger towns and cities, secured the necessary amount of labor at different stages of development of the crop. As a result of the agency being here to handle the labor problem, there was at no time throughout the season of 1916 a congestion of labor or a shortage of help to handle the crop.