The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-12-17
INSTITUTE A SUCCESS

The Farmers Institute was we'll At
tended and Much Enthusiasm
Shown--GOod Papers Read.
The annual session of the Decatur
County Farmers Institute held at the
court house in this city last Thursday,
Friday and Saturday, was the best at
tended and most successful institute
ever held in Decatur county. The at
tendance this year was about double
that Of last year, and while it might
have been larger, the enthusiasm Of
those who attended made up for those
who we're absent. The papers read and
addresses made were both interesting
and instructive, and were thoroughly
enjoyed by all who were fortunate
enough to hear them. The display of
corn was splendid one, there being Al
lots entered in the contest for the prizes
offered and everyone was satisfied with
the awards made by Prof. Holden, the
corn expert at the State Agricultural
College at Ames. His manner of judg-
ing, testing and scoring was revela-
tion to most of those in attendance, and
his examination of the corn entered
showed beyond question that the mat
ter Of selecting seed corn for next year
is going to be very serious one, for
but little of the corn submitted to him
would do for seed, although much of it
appeared to be tirst-class corn, but the
extremes in the weather this year
played havoc with the corn in this Sec
tion, and we want to warn all our farm
er readers to look we'll to the corn they
select for seed purposes next year.
The institute opened Thursday after
noon at o'clock, Mayor Marion Wood
ard making an address of welcome
which was responded to on behalf of the
institute by Hon. G. P. Arnold, of Gar
den Grove. An address by L. D. CARRIER
Of Center township, president of the
institute followed, in which he pointed
out the necessity Of farmers getting
together to discuss their business
interests. G. w. Hoffman made an ex-
cellent address on "Horticulture,' the
discussion which followed being led by
W. F. Howell, of Center township, who
gave considerable solid information to
those present in regard to how and
when to plant and graft or bud all kind
of fruit trees successfully, the discus
sion being participated in by VIM.
Asbach, Ralph Baker, Fred Woolley,
Robert McCaull and others. At the
close of the discussion the institute adj
|iourned until 1880 in the evening.
THURSDAY EVENING.
The evening session after being called
to order, listened to an interesting
paper by Mrs. J. w. Rowell, of Leon, or
the subject Of "Birds and Their Habits
in which the numerous song birds o.
our country and their habits were
j treated in manner showing the writer
to be we'll posted on the snbject. The
next paper "Clubs for Country Women
by Mrs. P. II. Young, of Garden Grove
was read by Mrs. Ralph Baker, Mrs
Young being kept from attending b.
. sickness. Mrs. Baker is an excellen
reader and she had an excellent pape
I to read which was highly appreciate
by the ladies present. Miss Alice Mel
ritt, superintendent Of the Woman's dc
apartment at the State Agricultural Co!
lege at Ames. followed with paper o
: domestic Science" in which she SHOW
: ed in an able manner that this subjee
was entitled to and should receive MOI
attention at the colleges Of this countr
Insisting that it was as essential for til
: young ladies to learn cooking and otht
|, house work as it was for them to leal
= any part of their education, and espe
q tally for girls who expect to spend the
= Lives on farm, for here more than al
:, where else is it necessary for the woms
h to know what kind of food to cook al
s. how to cook it. Miss Merritt convinc'
r. her hearers that she was thorough
conversant with her work. She is
n interesting and accomplished speak
and her address was one Of the be
features of the institute. The Ia
paper on the program for the event
was one on "sheep" by ]. w. Keeler,
Leon. Mr.. Keeier said he had had
time to prepare a paper but wo,
40 make short talk, and proceeded to t
all about raising sheep in which he h
been very successful. At the close
NJ his talk many questions were propoul
,re ed to him, all Of which he answered
ed the best Of his ability.
's FRIDAY MORNING.
len When the institute was called
lon order Friday morning the first busin
ing taken up was the election of Office