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erest in the farm and farm life, then the project work is justif-
ied.
     A sound 4-H program should be well-balanced to the extent that
it will have an appeal for every rural boy or girl between the ages
of ten and twenty-one. The program should be made attractive en-
ough so that the boys and girls are actively seeking membership in
the organization rather than the organization having to go and sol-
icit membership as we have had to do in the past.
     It is my sincere hope that the day might come in the near
future when seven to eight hundred rural boys and girls in St.
Croix county might be taking part in the t-H program.   While this
number may seem large, it means only about forty members in each
township, which certainly isn't too many. Even then we would be
reaching only a relatively small percentage of the boys and girls
who are eligible for our club program. The success of our club
program depends largely upon the interest shown by our adult leaders.
Their sound judgment in program planning should be considered in
helping to plan the ulub activities for the county. The fine cont-
ribution that the adult leaders have always made has helped to
make club work an interesting and pleasant experience in the life
of the County Agent. We well realize that without their efforts,
little can be accomplished in a club program.
                     EROSION AIED SOIL FERTILITY
     Appreciating that a large part of our feed used in the
county comes directly from the soil in the county, the Agricult-
ural Committee has been interested in writing into our program of
work a soil improvement and erosion control factor. The soil
conservation district has operated under the direction of the
Agricultural Committee. Its work is to provide techaical assist-
ance and advice to farmers having erosion control problems. The
erosion office has been maintained at River Falls. Over 100 farm-
ers in the county now have a complete set of farm plans on their
individual farms, These plans have been prepared by the bechnic-
ians working in the soil conservation district.
     The management of our soils is an important problem to which
we must give much consideration. Continued croppings are deplet-
ing our phosphorous and potash supply. In many oases our nitrogen
has run low and our humus or organic matter is likewise low. Much
of the original calcium previously found in the soil has been
depleted through our cropping system and leaching or run-off.
Considerable attention has been given to the wise use of commerc-
ial fertilizer.  In our grain trial plats we have found that an
application of 125 to 200 pounds of 0-20-10 has given very satis-
factory returns. The fertilizer not only pays its own way, but
gives an additional profit to the farmer the first yoar. The un-
used fertilizer carries over into tho next year's crop and shows
up there. Where the grain is used as a nurse crop the stand of
alfalfa or clover is very definitely better the following year,
because it not only gets a better start, but has more reserve
available elements on which to food.
All of our recommendations for fertilizer v~ork have been