Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-09

They can not be expected to accomplish
as good results as night be thru steady
work at one place. The last years dis
cussions showed concusively that there
is not entire satisfaction with what is
being done at the experiment stations or
in experimental work; and as the result
of a spirited discussion the entire work
was placed in charge of committee
consisting of N. X. Fluke, c. L. Wat
rous and C. F. Gardner. with full power
to oversee the expenditure of the $500
year appropriated for this purpose and
required to visit these stations and per-
sonally inspect the work. The report of
is likely to stir up another lively discus
sion of the experiment work.
Another bone of contention in the so.
ciety has been the amount of money to
be given to the local societies for their
meetings. The state society receives 81
500 annually from the state. The annual
appropriation is larger than when 1t
was first made twenty years ago. There
is some disagreement as to what is ex-
pected of the society by this appropria-
ton. Capt. Watrous, who was IN the
legislature at the time of the first ap-
preparation. says that the sole argument
used before the legislature in securing
an appropriation, was that it was need
ed for experimental work and to insure
the development of new varieties of
fruit for Iowa. Last year w. NJ. Bom-
berger, of Harlan treasurer of the state
society presented in spirited paper the
idea that the chief purpose of the egis-
lature in giving the money was educa-
tional and this should be done thru the
local ard district societies. He therefore
urged that a larger proportion OF the
appropriation should go to these luxur-
les. This view was accepted to the ex-
tent of increa sing the appropriation to
each of the four auXiliarieS from Sl50
to 5000 a year. Mr.. Bomberger made a
plea for educational work and for con-
fining the efforts of the society to the
dissemination Of information as opposed
to actual work in trying to develop new
varieties of fruits. He created stir
by declaring that 1.-The expeh4ive test
and machinery of the experiment. sta
tions that have absorbed about $500 OF
our funds for this useless and limited
effort, cannot be above cloud when there
are blocks of nursery stock on the same
ground for sale;" and that political
maneuverlng Of station keepers do not
in any way materially increase the con-
fldence of this society in the facts that
go out to two hundred grounds and
managements that are in the hands of
gardeners, enthusiastic amateurs who
give more time than any other to 1t,
farmers, fruit growers, as we'll as infor-
nation from nearly one hundred nur-
serymen ON their grounds in this state,
would he far better than the informa-
ton from the few who are at wcrk in
the experiment stations. He denounced
in unmeasured terms the effort OF the
society to take up the work which
property belongs, he said to the United
States experiment station at Ames. An-
other. but different. counter note was
heard when Capt. WatrOus, in making O
report of his visit to the meeting OF the
Minnesota society declaredthat the Min
nesota people are ahead of us. that their
society is better. that the members are
further ahead along the lines of inde-
pendent investigation. that in the meet
ing of the state society there was the
utmost freedom, and that their society,
in that way, has escaped certain dry rot
which has afflicted this society, as all
well know" He said that the Iowa men
have been hindered from following OPP
posite lines OF investigation and free
speech because it was said 1t would an
tagonize certain men and interests.
Last year a movement was made to
have an auxiliary society formed for
ladies. This has not been done, but in
the program this year prominence is
given to some seven or eight papers by
women, mostly from Anles. These pa
pers will make the meeting this year
attractive to the ladies.
An important matter to come before
the society this year will be that relat-
ing to an Iowa exhibit of fruit at the
Louisiana Purchase exposition. 1t is
known that President Wragg is heart
lily in favor of some decisive action at
this time Iowa was net represented at
the Buffalo exposition this year.
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