The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-10-02
Maple River Farmers Club.

The pleasant home of Mr.. and Mrs.
A. E. Hartshorn was the scene of a
very happy gathering last Thursday,
the occasion being the regular Septem-
Der meeting of the Maple River Farm.
ers' Club. With their usual hospitality
and wide acquaintance, the hosts had
invited large number of friends in
the city and surrounding country until
nearly hundred and fifty enjoyed a
few pleasant hours in social converse
ton and in discussing questions pre-
tanning to the betterment of agricul-
ture. The Maple River Farmers Club
is always glad to meet with their city
friends and form new acquaintance
thus gaining new ideas and promoting
goodfellowship
This being the first all day meeting of
the club President Elmer Waugh called
the meeting to order a short time be-
fore the dinner hour and business
matters of Importance to the club were
dispensed with. A communication
from the Local Option Organization in
this county requesting the club to
appoint two delegates to cooperate in
their movement was presented. On
motion Messrs. P. B. Reynolds and
Clayton Cook were appointed to serve
the interests of the club.
Washington Bureau of Practical
Agriculture and the Farmer" was
spoken on by G. T. Cook who gave us
an excellent idea of the working of this
department of our government and
what it is doing for the farmer. Mr..
Cook cited the work that has been done
along the line of treating grain smut
"a few years ago" said Mr.. Cook 1.-The
farmer of this country was at the mercy
of this ravaging germ destroying thou
sands upon thousands of dollars worth
of grain every season." The farmer
was practically helpless. There was no
means for treating the disease as he
had no knowledge of the character of
the trouble. The bureau of practical
, agriculture Immediately came to his
rescue and after a thorough study of
the disease discovered a remedy very
simple TO apply and put it in the hands
of the farmer without one cent of addi-
| tional expense to him and as result the
smut disease of grains today is practi-
cally under control. This discovery
alone has meant millions of dollars TO
the grain growing industry of this
country.
Mr. Cook spoke of the great work
that has been done by the bureau of
practical agriculture in the way of
teaching the farmer how best to handle
soils in order to conserve their produc-
ing qualities and increasing production.
Had it not been for our bureau of
practical agriculture" said Mr.. Cook
1.-THE farmer today would know very
little regarding the essential elements
required in crop production. With the
assistances of this department under
the control of the government, able to
employ the very best Investigators, the
farmer today has within his reach the
best information that modern science
can produce to assist him in handling
his soils and farm crops to produce
maximum results.
DR.. Mccormick was called for and
spoke of the great Importance of direct
ing more attention on the farm to
improving sanitary conditions. Your
bureau of practical agriculture" said
Dr. Mccormick lis telling you how to
produce better crops and make your
farms more profitable, but the greatest
necessity of the age is better means of
promoting health" The DR.. urged
farmers to devote more attention to i'm
proving the sanitary conditions about
their homes and farms In general.
E. o. Dewey spoke of an instance
that came under his observation few
months ago when potato blight struck