Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-10-03
Farmers Bulletin Boards Prove
to Be Poor Medium for Pro-
noting Publicity
FEW OF THEM ARE NOW IN USE
Theoretically It Seemed Good Plan, But
Practically They Were Failure =
An Interesting Experiment in Crow
ing Shelter Belts For the Farm -
Wilson's Letter.
special to Tlmes-Kepublicans

Kanawha, Oct 3.-Those who are IN
the habit OF reading articles relating
to farm life frequently have their at
tention drawn to contributions setting
forth the advantages of the farm bul-
letin board. The idea does not seem to
meet with much favor in rural districts.
An example Of this is seen in the at
tempt Of a firm doing business in q
northern Iowa town. Several hundred
of these boards" were prepared, the
name of the farmer printed thereon,
the words For Sale" printed as a
heading for one side of the space and
Wanted" on the other, the ADVERTISE
ment of the firm occupying small por-
ton of the lower part. They were
placed on painted posts and presented
very neat and attractive appearance.
A year ago, when I first saw them,
owners of several were putting them
to the use for which they were intend
ed. This fall in travelling over the
same roads, not single written word
was to be seen on any OF them. The
farmers bulletin board, however, de-
sirable in theory, seems to be COM
plete failure. as an advertising med
ium, when put to practical test.
A few years ago, the government,
thru the Bureau of Forestry, offered
to CO. operate with any farmer who de-
sired aid in growing a wind-break or
shelter belt. as it is termed by those
having charge Of that department.
Without cost to the farmer an expert
is sent to visit him. help him lay out
his grove. advise him as to the kind Of
trees best adapted to the climatic con-
ditions. location, soil, etc, the object
being the growing of the best possible
shelter in as short q space of time as
may be done.
Mr.. Ole T. Rikansrud, one of the
progressive and up to-date farmers OF
this vicinity, who purchased farm
near here few years ago, decided to
avail himself of the privilege to which
he was entitled and today he has a
grove decidedly different from any
thing else of the kind in this part of
the country. He began seven years
ago by planting about six acres
with soft naples. willows and
cottonwoods, these varieties being
selected with view of securing tens
porary grove in short time; then be7i
tween the rows of these quick-growing
trees different varieties of, evergreens,l
also ash, walnut, Russian mulberry,
hickory and oak were planted, the plan
being to cut out the NAPLES and will
lows as the others attain sufficient size
to shut out the wind. About $500
evergreens were secured in all, prin-
cipally white spruce and white pine, as
these varieties grow we'll under shade,
From a distance the grove looks like
an ordinary one, but a closer inspec-t
ton reveals a decided difference. The
owner has already begun to cut out
some of the original planting, and in
a few years more he will no doubt
possess the finest grove as we'll as the
best wind shelter to be found in this
locality.
Mr.. Rikansrud is the type of man
that Dickens must have had in mind
when he said in effect that the busiest
men are the ones who have the most
spare time, for, in addition to his
farm work, he is expected to perform
the duties of dozen or SO different
offices that he has been prevailed on
to accept. He explains why he has
time to look after his grove by saying
that is where he takes his recreation
admitting that he is a regular tree
crank"
An alfalfa field is an unusual sight
in this part of the state. Mr.. A. b.
Mallow, a farmer living near here, has
a small portion of his place seeded to
the grass, which has done so much
for the drier lands of Nebraska and
Kansas. He sowed the seed four years
ago, and now cuts three annual crops
of hay off it, or uses it for pasture,
just as he chooses. His stock eats the
hay in preference to grain; everything,
even the chickens, devouring it, leaf
stem and all. It grows to a height of
20 to 80 inches, has purple bloom.
and from a distance presents the APP
pearance of flax field. According to
Mr.. Mallow's account of the manner
in which his pigs conduct themselves
when he uses it for hog pasture, about
the only need of a fence around it is
to keep out any stray animals that
might happen along.
II