The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-01-19
. GETS FIRST PRIZE
J.J. Furlong's Columbian Stock
Farm a Winner in
Contest Covering list and 3rd
il Congressional Districts.

The Columbian stock farm, near
Austin, Of which j. j. FurloaS is the
proprietor and manager, sets the first
prize in the Hill contest Tor the best
titled and best managed farm in the
First and Third congressional districts
of Minnesota, says tho Tribune of the
/1slh inst
There were IA entries in tho contest
and prizes were awarded as follows:
J. j. Furlons, Austin, first prize, $500;
W. j. London, Willona, second prize,
$50; 4. B. Lyman, Excelsior. sI5.
The Judges were Prof. Thomas Shaw
and Prof. 4. A. Hoyerstad.
The prisss in this contest were
awarded by J. J. Hill and the details
OF the contest were managed by an
agricultural periodical published in
Chicago, and OF which Prof. Thomas
Shaw is tile western editor.
The aggregate amount of the prizes
offered by MI. Hill in these contests is
$1,000 cash in Minnesota, North and
South Dakota.
In these three states 500 farms were
entered in the contests in all the Va
rious districts. Only 100 of these farms
were found to have sufficient stock to
make them eligible. They were made
up as follows: F'ifty-one in Mime
soto, Sc in North Dakota and Is in
South Dakota.
In these contests everything per-
tanning TO farming is taken into con-
sideratlon. The method OF farming.
the number and breed OF stock, tho
buildings and their arrangement. the
rotation of crops. the groves and wind
breaks and The fences all count.
The Columbian stock FARM to which
was awarded first prize. is located
nearly three miles east OF Austin. 1t
has been in Mr.. F'urlons's possession
since about 1892. 1t is deep loam soil
rndcrlaid with u porous clay. The
unique feature of the farm is the per-
feet character of the protection fur
nished by a grove planted by Mr.. Fur
long in 1882. and the years mme-
tiately following. 1t is planted SO as
to form three sides OF a rectangle.
tile bulk Of the trees being on the
north and west. Within the Enclosure
is the farm DWELLING and adjacent
thereto, but not too near. are the out
buildings toward the eastern end of
the open space.
The dwelling is neat. cllaste and
simple in it's design. In the nicely
.shorn grounds around il are various
kinds OF shade trees. planted not too
other outbuildings are planned with Il
view to economy in the cost OF con-
struction and to convenience in feed
ing the sto:k. Even the driveway in
winter is used in stabling the stock.
On the side Of the Enclosure next to
the highway is a triple row OF Norway
spruce, trees. planted so as to break
the angles formed by the squares made
in planting the outer and inner rows.
They We're planted Is feet apart each
way. but MIR. Furlons is NOW of the
opinion that 20 feet would be better.
They are now abou, 40 to 30 feet high,
and no storm. however fierce. can PEN
citrate so as to pass through that beau
tirul mass ri living green.
At the north side OF the grove are
many rows of such varieties OF trees
as white ash. European larch. rock
elm and soft maple. THE three Va
rieties FIRST named are much the most
useful because OF the timber which
they furnish. On tile extreme east side
from the residence are rows of viii
lows. These furnish shade for the
stock in summer. The swine. espe-
cially:.i are amply protected by the
: shades of those trees in summer when
the sun wakes warm. In the opinion
\ Of the judges. this grove is the most
i perfect OF its kind they have seen in
the three states. and yet it is simple
and such as almost any farmer can
\ have who will give it the necessary
attention.
q And of all the trees and for the pur-
pose Of wind break there is nothing
in the opinion Of the proprietor that
can equal the Norway spruce.
One Of the features in connection
With ,the residence on the Columbian
stock farm is the fact that it is com.
8 pletely separated from the barns anl
all farm buildings by these ornamental
II and shade trees. which leave the home
.with.its pleasant lawn. more like the
X city home than tile average farm
house.
s.tn