Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-12

soldiers to the state fair. G. d. Ellison
was reelected treasurer.
Special to Times s-Republican.
Des Moines, Dec. 12.-The expected
happened in the affairs of the Iowa state
department Of agriculture, the retiring
members of the board from six districts
all being elected. the vice president
moving up to the head and one Of the
directors becoming vice president. Be
Some critics of this agricultural depart
ment which is charged with the duty of
running the state fairs have complained
impossible to break into the ranks, that
outsiders might as we'll never come to
the meetings. and that the executive
committee of the directory board is the
whole thing in the management. They
give an Illustration Of what happens
right here this week. 1t became known
there would be a vacancy in the board
from the Eighth district because OF Mr.
MorroW,s selection for vice president. O..
III. Barnhill, of Shenandoah. an enthusi-
asst in farming and a farm writer Of
some prominence, superintendent OF
institute work in Page and Fremont
counties, prominent In horticultural
work and other lines became candi-
date. There was no opposition, SO far
as he could determine, when he reached
the city, and nothing could be said
against him. But the word went out
that another was slated for the place,
one who had long been connected with
the agricultural society. He declined
and John Ledgerwood. of Leon. was
elected, Barnhill had no more show OF
eiee.lJn than he had tosbc king of Eng
land The man elected Is postmaster at
Leon and is in no wise connected With
agricultural pursuits. Some persons are
unwise enough to complain of this and
say that one who does more than keep
driving horse should be on the agricul-
tural board. BY putting aside all cues
tions of competence, 1t is pointed out
that the new man on the board was
practically picked by the old directors,
and what others thought about 1t had
no weight whatever. The system might
lead to abuses and corruption II the men
selected in this matten We're not of the
strictest honesty. but, happily, the fair
association and ita successor, the de-
partment, have always been favored by
the active interest of men who are above
suspicion. Whatever may be said of the
system, and it has it's defects, the re-
suits have been excellent, as shown by
the reports OH the fairs.
Thus far the horticulturists have sue
ceeded in keeping in the background
that old quarrel of theirs in regard to
the experiment stations. 1t was Mr..
Bomberger, of Harlan, who stirred up
the animals last year by a paper In
which he went after the experiment sta
tion idea in lively manner. The paper
created a sensation at the time and an
animated discussion followed, not all of
which ever got into print. Mr.. Bonn
berger is here this year watching things
closely. II prefer peace to trouble he
says, but there was ground for criti-
cism of the experiment station business
last year and was prepared to back up
my assertions with proof OF the strong
est kind, showing that things We're not
being done right. / am for the new de-
partment OF horticulture, but l want 1t
understood that the funds this sociey
gets from the state must be used lesiti-
mately in the dissemination OF informa-
tion TO the people and not to enable
nurserymen to carry on their business
and be paid for it." The committee ap-
pointed last year to report on the eX-
neriment stations has a report ready. 1t
will be given to the board of directors on
Ha l.
lowed to come before the society proper
II is probable that in this way the fac
tional feeling between those who are in
terested in nursery work ana those VINO
are studying horticulture from differ
ent standpoint. will be kept entirely IN
the background. Both factions prefer to
keep very still this year. They are all IN
favor of the new department of horti-
culture and the proposition to nave
state park ard forestry commissioner,
and do not want any more animated DIS
cussions on the experiment station
question. The association paid high
compliment to most worthy officials last
night by re-electing NJ. ]. Wragg presi-
dent and Wesley Greene secretary.
A fair illustration of how a poor crop
YEAR has it's compensations was given
by Mr.. Murphy who brought the Mills
county apple exhibit to the State Horti-
cultural Society for competition. There
are more than 700, 900 bearing apple trees
in Mills county alone, so that even a
very poor crop amounts to considerable.
Mr.. Murphy says that the latest esti-
mates place the crop at not over 20 per
cent Of normal; yet the orchardists got
as much or more for their crop than
usual and that with much less work.
They were paid from 81 to SO a barrel for
aples in the orchards. and all they had
to do was to pile them up and measure
them out But OF course they would pre-
fer the larger crop, even II 1t does take
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