Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-04-17
GIN INCREASE CORN CROP
Prof. Holden, Of the Iowa Agricul-
tural College, Tells the Farmers
How to Make More Money.
ISSUES A BULLETIN OF SUGGESTIONS.
Contract Let for New Warehouse on
state Capitol Grounds Clayton
County Lives Up TO New Lnw-Hard
60 Get Good Help-Other Notes and
Especial Correspondence


Holden, of the state agricultural col
lsge at Ames, has written an article
to prove to the farmers of Iowa that
the Iowa corn crop can as well be in
creased from five to ten bushels to the
acre as not; that it may be enlarged
so as to add $40, 0OO, 600 to the income of
the farmers Of the state. 1t can be
done, he has told the farmers in his
bulletin, by following these sugges-
tions:
Never buy seed corn outside of the
state; never buy shelled corn for
seed; always buy seed corn acclimated
to the community; keep the seed corn
dry; pick seed corn from the ears hav-
ing well filled butts and tips; choose
corn with even rows; Do not plant the
butts and tips of the ear; pick out the
cracked kernels; don't cross breed.
It costs about three dollars a bush
el to hand pick and sort seed corn,
but the crop will be well worth several
hundred dollars in addition.
Let the Contract.
The state capitol improvement COM
mission has let the contract for COM
pleting the new state warehouse to
be erected north of the capital. 1t
will cost about $4,000. 1t will be a
ttone-faced building set II feet back
from the sidewalk, and will set the
style for architecture of all the state
buildings which will hereafter face on
the etatehouse grounds. 1t will have
hreproof warerooms of sufficient size
10 hold all Of the public documents.
The work on the building will begin
Immediately, and It will be in such
shape that the heating plant in con-
nection with It will be ready for serv-
nee when the cold weather of the next
fall begins.
Obeys the Law.
The state executive council has re-
eeived the annual report of Clayton
county, made under the new law re-
quiring all counties of the state to
print an annual financial report. 1t
shows that the assessment of proper
" in that county has not increased
any since 1869. During the IS years
the telephone, telegraph and railroad
properties have been assessed at con-
stantly increasing figure, and all of the
increase Of the total assessment in
that county during that period is from
that source. The real estate and per-
sonal property has not increased any,
to speak of. The showing was aston
Ishing to the executive council. Clay
1on county forwarded the report to i'm
dicate to the executive council that
II was not seeking to avoid the law
passed by the last general assembly.
Losing Good Employees.
The state board of control is finding
great difficulty in competing with
private employers Of labor at the state
Institutions. Good men are constant
~ leaving the institutions to engage
with other employers who offer them
increased wages. Labor has gone up
and the board of control is unable to
pay the increased wages that other
employers offer, for the legislature
made no appropriations to cover The
increase. The demand for good work
men, especially on the farms and in
the shops, is so great that the EN-
ployes of the state are constantly walk
ing out of its service, while it finds it.
self unable to replace them with 9th
ers equally as good.
Plans Are Changed.
The architects who drew plans fol
the main college building at the state
agricultural college at Ames have al
tered the plans SO that it is thought
that bids will be received, now, within
the limit fixed by the legislature. A
dome has been dispensed with, colonial
pillars in front of the structure have
been cut out, and the interior finishing
has been reduced materially. While
some of the bids submitted on the
original plans were more than $780,
600 higher than the estimates, it is
believed that the average excess of the
cost Of the work on the original plal
above the appropriation would no
have exceeded $40, 900 OF $4,000. Witt
notifications covering this sum, tn
architects and the college trustees be
lieve that the work will be done on til,
modified plan for the s225, 900 provided
tor.
Gold In Keokuk County.
Gold has been found near Ollie, in
Keokuk county. L. A. Worley owns
the farm on which the precious metal
was discovered. Chemical analyses
were made which tested the metal for
gold, successfully, and Mr.. Morley ex
poets to interest capitalists in exploit
ing the find if it proves of any con
siderable scope. State Geologist Cal
vim has said repeatedly in his report:
that neither oil nor gold can be found
in Iowa soil for the reason that tn,
soil is not built that way, but the FIND
near Ollie, and former find neal
Dows. in the northern part of the state
are OF considerable interest financially
II not geologically.
Proposition Rejected.
The retail grain dealers of the stat
at their recent session in Des Moines
voted against the organization of ,
mutual insurance company. It is tn.
first association of business men i,
the state to turn down that PROPOSE
ton. The grocers started the move
ment several years ago, and now hav,
Z very profitable company doing abou
million dollars of business. The re
tail implement and vehicle dealers, tn
hardware men and others, have starte'
similar organizations. The cost Of in
surance is materially decreased by thi
means. An effort will continue to b.
made to induce the grain men to form