Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-02-26
FARMERS, INSTITUTE.

The Farmers Institute for 1903 was
held on the II, Is and 10 of February
and despite the extremely cold wealth
er of each day good attendance was
had at each of the afternoon sessions,
the number present during the fore
moons was not so large yet on Wednes-
day there was fair audience, and on
Thursday forenoon Prof. Dodd had
many interested listeners to this prac-
tical address on lightning and the
officers OF the institute wish to thank
the farmers of the county for the APP
probation they have shown of our
efforts in providing program that
We hope has been found interesting
and beneficial.
The discussion of the school question
was lively and interesting, participa-
ted in by teachers, directors, tax pay
ers and creditors, while the views ad-
vanced by the various speakers we're
not alike yet no one seemed disposed
to press his or her views, and the en-
tire discussion, tended more to bring
out opinions than TO formulate any
particular plan for the conduct of our
schools. All however, seemed to agree
that there are serious defects ir our
present system of country schools, and
that in seeking improvement, the
plan of single graded school for each
township was worthy of serious con-
sideration.
Some time was spent in discussing
the road law which has just gone into
effect in this state, and while it was
subject not on the program many in
terested farmers were present to
listen and to take part in the discus
sion. The new plan of caring for our
highways has been tried in other To-
calit.es and found to be the best yet
used, and while we must expect more
or less friction the first year it will
undoubtedly prove more satisfactory
than the one heretofore followed.
The time devoted to dairy interests
was mostly occupied in considering
the care and feed of the COW. Far
mers of the county interested in dairy
ing, took a prominent part in the dis
cussion, but the larger part of the
time was occupied by Hon. H. r.
Wright, state dairy commissioner.
His advice regarding the feeding of
dairy cows, and the calves while be-
ing raised on skim milk, was valuable
supported as it was by reports OF
chemical analyses, and illustrated by
charts showing the comparative
amounts of available food, in various
feeding stuffs, and also the character
of the food, whether producers of
growth or fat.
Owing to failure of trains to con-
meet at Atlantic Wednesday afternoon
Prof. Dodd did not arrive until about
10 p. m. yet late as was the hour a
fair audience was yet waiting for him
and listened to very interesting ad-
dress on electricity followed by a
very practical demonstration of the
tx" ray. On Thursday forenoon he
gave a practical talk on Lightning
and how to control it," His explain
atoms of the phenomena of lightning
and his illustrations how to control it
were very forcible and gave many of
us who listened to him much practical
knowledge of lightning and its control.
Prof. Alfred Atkinson, of Iowa
College, spoke on Improvement of
corn by breedings and selections"
telling us and showing with the aid OF
charts the characteristics of kernel
and ear which we should strive to OBJ
tain in our corn.
Those who were present to hear Mr..
Atkinson could hardly fail to derive
some benefit from his discourse and
also from watching him score the ex-
hibitions of corn. Most of us learned
something new to us.
The present crop of corn was not as
good as some that has been raised in
the county, yet we had some good
samples on exhibition, some of them
were selected from seed corn, but
some was taken almost at random
from the cribs.
Mr.. Atkins scored the following per-
centage on five ears:
Mixed corn, Joe Alice. .......... $3.50
White corn, Jas Hunt. ........... 80. 10
White corn, Chas Farnham. ...... 30
White corn, VIM Laylard. ....... 90
Yellow corn, John Lovelace. 800. 64.2O
Yellow corn, Geo. Ross. ........ $3.50
Yellow corn, d. G. Ross. ....... so
Yellow corn, S. M. Gardner. -. 20
Yellow corn, A. G. Forsbeck. t. . AS. 80
Yellow corn, A. H. Edwards. -. so
Yellow corn, S. A. Graham. .....