Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-10
FREE HIGHWAYS AND
BYNAYS 0F WEEDS
State Board of Agriculture Com
mittee Reports in Favor Of
Weed Commission
ENLARGE SUPERVISORS POWERS
Proposed to Give County Boards Au-
thority to Appoint Weed supervis-
ors Big Scheme Proposed to En-
largo Ground. Of State capitoI-oth-
or State News.
.ial to Times Republican.

Special to Times -Republican.
Des Moines. Dec. 10.-The state
board of agriculture has taken
hold OF the weed problem in Iowa
with gauntleted gloves and pro-
poses to make a start toward cleaning
up the highways and by-ways of the
state. Today the committee appointed
two years ago to devise a plan and
bill reported. While the reported meas
ure did not meet the entire approval
of all, it showed the way to make a
beginning. A law is proposed to Gre
ate a state weed commission of five,
including the director of the state ex-
the secretary of the agricultural
board and two others. To this COM
mission will be given extraordinary
powers with regard to defining noxious
weeds and giving notice of the neces-
sity for their eradication, failure to
comply with the board's orders after
due notice to be punishable Then there
is given to the boards OF supervisors in
each county additional power to ap-
point weed supervisors in each town
ship with power to clear out certain
weeds and have the cost charged up to
the property affected. The plan is a
drastic one. but the committee reported
that in this way only can the state
hope to accomplish results. A COM
mittee will take this bill in hand and
after the board has considered it and
dressed it up 1t will be urged upon the
legislature. Thus far practically noth-
ing has been accomplished under pres .
ent Iowa laws.
). Another important matter presented
10, the state agricultural board was
that OF some amendment of the state
highway laws Resolutions as adopted
in Guthrie county were considered.
These advise that the county engineer
and highway superintendent be con-
solidated into one office and that no
person be eligible unless he has passed
an examination as an engineer. 1t is
pointed out that under the present sys-
tenn in Iowa an average Of $50 a mile
each year is being paid out for road
improvement and very little good is
done. Tho the road law was changed
a few years ago, it is declared to be
still very imperfect
In resolutions passed by the state
park, and forestry association at it's
annual meeting here yesterday after
noon the legislature is asked to make
a large appropriation to purchase ad-
ditional ground surrounding the state
capitol. The association criticizes the
present condition as one of poor taste.
They would have the legislators buy
at least two whole blocks between the
capitol and the city to convert into
parks. This they say should he prop
erly planted with trees and shrubbery
In order to make more impressive the
approach to the seat of the state gov
ernment. 1t is further urged that the
state should buy property on all sides
of it in order to dispose of old resi-
dence property and make a more
aesthetic surrounding by the proper
planting Of trees.
The plan is, in fact, in conformity
with a plan propounded fully six years
d6O /Uy IIOlGSSOI 1NdCoIluS OIL Iowa
City, who at that time lectured in Des
Moines. He prepared map showing
the state house and surrounding land.
He then urged that for the aesthetic
appearance Of the capitol land should
be secured on all sides Of it. The plan
urged by the association is practice
ally the same as he suggested then.
He is yet heartily in favor Of the
scheme The property, the members Of
the association urge, should be bought
before Its price becomes any greater.
The association also recommended
that the legislature pass a law Great
ing state forestry commission,
whose duties it would be to look to-
ward the preservation OF, trees and en-
couraging the growth Of the proper
kinds. The association passed res
olution commencing national legisla-
ton to preserve the forests of the
country. The forestry commission was
urged by Professor Mac
Bride, who is member of the present
commission appointed by Governor
Cummif1s to investigate the needs Of
Iowa without compensation. Mr. Mac
Bride delivered a lecture on the subject
last evening illustrating MS points
with sterioptian views of trees Of
Iowa.
The state board of control will soon
file with the governor its annual re-
port and among other interesting date
is that concerning the products of the
state farms. 1t is remarkable the
amount of fruit, vegetables and food
stuffs produced on these farms. To give
an idea of something of the size of this
output the following are some OF the
figures:
Four hundred and ten thousand Ave-
hundred and ten pounds of cabbage:
$500 gallons of sauerkraut; 7O,s9l
pounds of beans; 247,327 pounds OF
sweet corn; 114.444 pounds Of carrots:
11O,3e2 pounds Of rhubarb; 2,115,951
pounds of milk: 1O5,2s9 pounds of on
ions; 45,2o9 bushels of potatoes; 6O.-