New Mexico extension news, Volume 21, Number 8

              New Mexico Extension News
PUBLISHED  BY THE EXTENSION  SERVICE,  NEW  MEXICO COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS
STATE COLLEGE, N. M., AUGUST, 1941
4-H Club Members
Hold Summer Camps
Programs  Enjoyed  by  Delegates
and District Camps
County and distr|
were very popular wren 4-j
club members this year, there
being 14 camps held participated in by club members from 17
counties. These camps grow in
popularity as is evidenced by fee
increasing attendance each year.
This year at least 1500 club
members took part in the educational and recreational faculties provided thru interesting
programs furnished by members
of fee State Office in cooperation with county agents and local leaders.
A general program was followed by all camps, wife slight modifications to suit each locality.
For fee past several years these
camps have been organized on a
self-governing basis, wife club
members making their own
rules and seeing that these rules
were enforced. This year all
camps were organized Uke <"'
vith s
city officers. The reason for this
type of organization is that all
4-H clubs in the State are this
year carrying programs on citizenship and democracy. Officers
elected consisted of a mayor,
chief of police, city clerk, who
served as camp secretary "and
edited    fee    camp    newspaper;
was in charge of all ritual such
as flag raising and lowering,
campfires, candle lighting' ceremony, etc. The mayor appointed
several officers such as park
commissioner, city inspector,
song leader, etc., and the camp
was divided into wards,  similar
Days at camp commenced with
the flag-raising ceremony about
6:30 a. m. foUowed by all club
members present repeating the
oath of allegiance and 4-H
pledge, and fee singing of patriotic songs. Breakfast came
next, then a period for camp
clean-up. The, rest of the morning was taken up with group
conferences, the first one being
on riflery, including safety in
handling a rifle, and marksmanship. R. O. Peterson of fee National Rifle Assn. was to charge
of this instruction at aU 4-H
camps held this summer. Following Mr. Peterson's talk and demonstration, small groups of club
members were taken at a ..time
and given practice in firing,
first without ammunition; then a
test was given wife each delegate
shooting at least 50 shots at 50
foot targets. After the session on.
riflery, fee    delegates were   di-
FOR GOOD PASTURE
WEDDING BELLS     ■
Word has been received of fee
wedding, at Ysleta, Texas, on
July 25, of Miss Pauline Cowan,
home demonstration agent in
Chavez county, and Maurice
Sparkman. of Roswell, N. M. The
happy couple will make their
home in RosweU. The News extends heartiest congratulations.
_ id the boys holding a
conference on club records.
Lunch was foUowed by a rest
period  after  which   games   and
cupied the time. Entertainment
varied each evening after supper was over, and consisted of a
game carnival, campfire program wife delegates furnishing
special musical numbers, telling
stories, and using the 4-H camp-
fire Ughting ceremony. On one
evening the State Game Department ■ cooperated by showing
movies of wtidlife in New Mexico, wife the game warden in
that particular district present to
explain the pictures and answer
questions.
The last morning of camp
opened with a short hike to a
spot where each club member
built his own campfire and prepared his breakfast. This was usually foUowed by a nature study
Forest Ranger. As this was the
last day, camp was usually
broken after the noon meal, allowing plenty of time for the
club members to reach home at
a reasonable hour.
Interspersed in these daily programs were a personatity test, a
sesion of court for those who had
broken camp rules, and a lesson
in campfire cookery. According
to expressed opinions of participants, there was "never a duU
moment" and club members
(Continued On Page 4)
The State Office has recently
received a copy of fee report of
fee Southern Great Plains Field
Station showing that at the pre-
in New Mexico cooperating in
experimental tests of trees,
shrubs, flowers, and fruits.
The program of field experiments was initiated by the
Southern Great Plains Field Station in 1927, when plantings of
grapes were established. Other
materials were included beginning to 1931. Some of these
plantings have been established
long enough that they are now a
source of reliable information
relative to the performance of
species and varieties. It is urged
that county agents take advantage of every one of these experimental plots, especiaUy since
they have cooperated to establishing many of them. As point-
counties, 62 species and varieties
of trees, 131 shrubs and vines, 42
grapes, 22 fruits and nuts, and
71 perennials have been included
in these tests to date.
In 1940, 1,287 trees, 2,679 shrubs
and vines, 313 grapes, 492 perennials, 80 small fruits, and 47
tree fruits were added to the experimental plantings in New
Mexico. In view of the important
place the farmer is taking in the
present national defense program, it seems that the information offered by these experimental plantings can be of more value than ever before. This is particularly true where fee production of the home food supply is
involved.
As the grape varieties
ed in these test planting
to mature, it would be
call them to the attention
people. The month of Ai
(Continued on Page
S  begin
Horticulture Aids
"Food For Defense"
Work in Relation to Farm Food
Supply   Declared  One  of
Most Important Projects
Work in the horticulture project has shown a steady increase
during fee past few years. At
present, "food for defense" seems
to be one of the most important
slogans being voiced by those
who are   thoroughly   conversant
During the last year and a half,
reports of the county agents
show that work relating to production and maintenance of the
farm food supply has been one
of their most important projects.
County agents have taken the
lead in insect control programs,
in    recomending   desirable    and
fruits and vegetables, and have
also assisted in organizing and
carrying demonstrations of producing the home food supply
wife  new  and  improved  meth-
Subirrigation and frame gardens are becoming well known
on the Plains and to other areas
of the State where they seem
adapted. In some counties, plans
have been made for vegetable
production in connection wife
the   school   lunch   program.   In
operated with the Farm Security. Administration in putting
over a subsistence program.
There has recently been an expansion of interest in potato production in several counties. As a
result of efforts on the part of
the Extension Service, potato
growers have become well acquainted with methods for controlling the potato psyUid.
Other counties have increased
their activities relative to fruit
pest control. There is no doubt
that activities along this line
have already resulted in a considerable conservation of food
supplies. More recently, i
ed interest has been showi
use of hormone sprays to make
apples stay on the trees better
and for a longer time.
In connection wife the production and maintenance of the
home food supply, the activities
of 4-H club boys and girls are
unsurpassed. There is little doubt
but feat the 4-H club is one of
the best means of projecting new
and improved ideas and practices into farm operations.
In all the records of Extension
work, there seems to be consistent examples of cooperation by
county agents with other governmental and State agencies. One
county organized a program in
(Continued on Page 4)
tin the